Services

Strengthening the Talent Pipeline with Evidence, Insight, and Impact.

The Center for Workforce Development Research and Practice provides expert research, evaluation, and technical assistance to improve workforce systems and the talent pipeline. With deep expertise in quantitative methods, causal analysis, evaluation design, design thinking, and qualitative research, we help organizations connect training and development, performance improvement, and improvement science to real-world workforce challenges. Our researchers have partnered with community colleges, universities, business and industry, the military, and non-profits, delivering evidence-based insights and practical strategies that enhance programs, policies, and outcomes. 

Research and Evaluation:  Partner and support

At the Center for Workforce Development Research and Practice, research drives impact. We conduct applied studies that show how education and workforce systems can align to meet the needs of learners, employers, and communities. Our research agenda targets critical challenges including closing skill gaps, advancing equity in access to opportunity, and strengthening talent pipelines that support economic growth.

Our leadership team has collectively served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on more than 20 million dollars in funded research. This proven track record demonstrates our ability to deliver high-quality, impactful projects that funders can trust.

In addition to scholarship, the Center provides independent evaluations, program reviews, and accreditation visitations that ensure programs and initiatives are evidence-based, effective, and sustainable. We partner with colleges, employers, and public agencies to evaluate grant-funded programs and translate findings into actionable strategies that directly improve workforce policy and practice.

By combining national thought leadership with on-the-ground evaluation expertise, the Center delivers credible, data-driven insights that create measurable outcomes in economic and social mobility. Funders can be confident that their investments with the Center generate lasting returns for individuals, businesses, and communities.

Technical Assistance:  Partner and support

The Center for Workforce Development Research and Practice provides hands-on technical assistance to help organizations, colleges, and agencies strengthen their workforce development systems. We work side-by-side with partners to design and implement solutions that are practical, scalable, and sustainable.

Our team specializes in improving employer outcomes, as well as student and worker success, developing processes that improve organizational performance, and driving system-level improvement. Using evidence-based practices, design thinking, and AI, we help reimagine programs and services to better meet the needs to align education and work. 

The Center offers expertise in the development of apprenticeship programs, curriculum design, and technology-enhanced instructional strategies, work-based learning, and adult learning. We also support organizations with change management initiatives that prepare them for future workforce challenges. Our work includes advancing faculty development, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and the integration of AI to promote high-quality teaching and learning practices. In addition, our team has experience supporting military training programs to ensure service members have pathways into education and employment.

We regularly partner with industry experts and national leaders to bring the latest knowledge, innovative strategies, and proven practices to our clients.

By combining deep knowledge of workforce systems with practical implementation experience, the Center delivers technical assistance that empowers organizations to achieve measurable results and long-term impact.