Politics, jobs and workforce development : the role of workforce intermediaries in building career pathways within Boston's health care industry

Abstract

This research study examines the role that workforce intermediaries within Boston play in creating career pathways for economically disadvantaged, under-skilled residents in the local health care industry. Using a case study analysis, this study compares the outcomes of two workforce intermediaries-one which is employer-led and the other which is led by a community development corporation. Despite the proliferation of new workforce intermediaries around the country and the increased amount of funding to support them from the private and public sectors, these institutions are limited in their ability to increase the supply of a skilled workforce and to change the demand-side of the labor market. However, given the current structural holes in the publicly funded workforce development system, workforce intermediaries play a critical role in serving populations who otherwise would have a difficult time entering into the regional labor market.