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Begin New Search Topic Job Creation Political Geography United States of America

1. War Spending and Lost Opportunities

Author:
Heidi Garrett-Peltier
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University
Abstract:
All types of federal spending have ripple effects throughout the economy. As funds are spent on war, there is demand not only for soldiers and for DOD personnel, but for the goods and services that support these positions. Likewise, if we focus on a sector such as clean energy, spending that is channeled directly to an industry such as solar or wind also creates secondary effects, what we call indirect employment, in industries such as hardware manufacturing, electronics production, and trucking. To capture the full effect of any federal spending, then, we need to estimate not only the direct jobs that are created by any type of spending, but also the indirect jobs that are supported throughout the supply chain.
Topic:
War, Labor Issues, Economy, Military Spending, and Job Creation
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

2. Genesis at Work: Evaluating the Effects of Manufacturing Extension on Business Success and Job Quality

Author:
Ranita Jain, Nichola Lowe, Greg Schrock, and Maureen Conway
Publication Date:
12-2019
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Aspen Institute
Abstract:
Manufacturers looking to improve productivity and efficiency often turn to Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs), public-private partnerships supported by the US Department of Commerce that provide consulting services to support their growth and competitiveness. These partnerships often focus on implementing lean manufacturing strategies to cut waste and eliminate production bottlenecks. But what if they also adopted people strategies, focusing on job quality alongside process and product strategies to help businesses solve their problems?
Topic:
Science and Technology, Employment, Manufacturing, and Job Creation
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

3. BEST Corp: Quality Training for Quality Jobs

Author:
Jenny Weissbourd
Publication Date:
07-2018
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Aspen Institute
Abstract:
Hospitality ranks among America’s fastest-growing sectors, but millions of hotel workers are not reaping the rewards. Boston Education, Skills & Training (BEST) Corp. is solving this problem by providing best-in-class training that prepares workers to excel and engages hotels in discussions about the value of training. BEST was founded in 2004 as a nonprofit workforce development program focused on helping individuals develop skills and find good jobs in Boston’s hospitality industry. BEST serves nearly 500 job seekers and hotel workers each year, with training in English, computer skills, culinary skills, and industry-specific certifications like food safety. Through career coaching BEST helps participants secure quality jobs and provides hotels with the skilled talent to thrive in an increasingly competitive industry. As the third prong of a productive labor-management partnership, BEST works closely with Local 26, the hospitality worker’s union, and its high road hotel employers. These 35 hotels pay a starting hourly wage as high as $21.43 to BEST graduates, and provide a generous benefits package, which includes career advancement training through BEST. BEST’s model programs benefit workers, hotels, and Boston’s regional economy by placing engaged employees in stable jobs. BEST reaches the working poor – particularly immigrants and people of color – and provides them with the opportunity to obtain a quality job and enter the middle class. Hotel partners report that BEST-trained workers bring the critical thinking skills and cultural competency to perform better with decreased turnover, contributing to stronger financial performance. The Aspen Institute’s interview with Alex Pratt, Area Director of Human Resources at Omni Hotels & Resorts, speaks to BEST’s vital role in preparing top talent and enabling operational excellence.
Topic:
Training, Job Creation, Labor Market, and Hospitality
Political Geography:
United States of America and North America

4. Competing on Service: The Case for Good Jobs at the Omni Hotel

Author:
Jenny Weissbourd
Publication Date:
07-2018
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Aspen Institute
Abstract:
In Boston’s increasingly competitive hotel industry, what does it take to stay on top? The Omni Parker House, America’s longest continuously operating hotel – and proud originator of the Boston cream pie – earns its four-star Trip Advisor rating by investing in its most important asset: its people. The first step is meeting basic employee needs through generous wages and full benefits. But the key to the Omni’s exceptional customer service lies in recruitment, training, and performance management systems that empower frontline staff to make decisions, solve problems, and advance to management roles. The Aspen Institute recently spoke with Alex Pratt, Area Director of Human Resources at Omni Hotels & Resorts, a chain of 53 hotels that includes Boston’s Omni Parker House. Alex brings more than 25 years of experience in hospitality, and has achieved industry-leading retention and high employee satisfaction at the Parker House. Alex is quick to credit partners for the Parker House’s success. He works closely with Local 26, the hospitality worker’s union, and with Boston Education, Skills & Training (BEST) Corp, a model workforce training organization also profiled by the Aspen Institute. BEST provides high road hotels like the Omni with skilled talent. BEST graduates excel in quality jobs where they have the autonomy to shine. In 2021, the Omni will open its second Boston hotel, a 1,054-room property in the Seaport district. One secret to winning the city’s competitive bidding process was a first-of-its kind proposal for an onsite BEST training center where current and prospective employees will develop exceptional hospitality skills. We spoke with Alex to learn more about how the Omni’s innovative people practices and partnerships are delivering winning outcomes for frontline workers, guests, and the hotel’s bottom line.
Topic:
Employment, Job Creation, Labor Market, Hospitality, and Customer Service
Political Geography:
United States of America, North America, Boston, and Massachusetts

5. Generation "U".: The Plight oof 75 Million Unemployed Youth

Author:
Arun S. Nair
Publication Date:
09-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Diplomatic Courier
Abstract:
Consider this—globally, 75 million youth between 15 and 24 years of age are unemployed, according to a May 2012 report of the International Labor Organization (ILO). If all these youth were residents of a single nation, that would make it the 18th most populous in the world. The 75 million youth (an increase of around 4 million since 2007) comprise about 40 percent of the estimated 207 million unemployed people across the world. Many of those who have managed to secure some employment are not any better off. As many as 228 million youth who have 'jobs' live on less than $2 a day, a reflection of their poverty and under-employment. The ILO forecasts a bleak future too. The international body on labor projects that the global youth unemployment rate—seen at 12.7 percent this year (or higher at 13.6 percent if one includes those who have given up or put off their job search due to the poor prospects)—will remain at such high levels in the near future, that is at least till 2016. Such is the seriousness of the problem that some experts have already started describing today's youth as Generation 'U' (for Unemployed) or Generation 'NEET' (an acronym for Not in Education, Employment or Training), a far cry from the more popularly used term—'Generation Z' or 'iGeneration' (symbolizing their skills in being technologically advanced and connected).
Topic:
Debt, Youth, Unemployment, and Job Creation
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America