The public workforce development system provides critical services to individuals seeking employment. However, budget constraints limit the number of job seekers who can receive services. For the most part, eligible customers are referred to specific programs and services on a first come, first served basis with little reliance on a systematic, evidence-based approach to determine who can benefit the most from particular services.

During the past decade, statistical tools have been developed and implemented to assist in “targeting” resources to those who need them the most.

• The Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services (WPRS) system uses statistical tools to identify those UI recipients who are likely to exhaust their benefits and refers them to reemployment services.
• The State of Georgia piloted a system, referred to as the Frontline Decision Support System, that provides customers and staff a set of tools that customizes information about employment prospects and the effectiveness of services.
• The Upjohn Institute piloted a statistical system for referral to services within the Welfare-to-Work program.
• The Canadian, Danish, German, and Swiss workforce systems have considered similar approaches based on statistical tools.

The Upjohn Institute has been involved in several of these projects.

Targeting Employment Services in the United States

• Targeting Employment Services under the Workforce Investment Act
  Stephen A. Wandner, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
  In Targeting Employment Services, Randall W. Eberts, Christopher J. O’Leary, Stephen A. Wandner, editors. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute, 2002, pp. 1-28.

Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services (WPRS)

• Design, Implementation and Evaluation of the Work First Profiling Pilot Project
  (Targeting Welfare-to-Work)
  Randall Eberts, Upjohn Institute
  ETA Occasional Paper 2002-07
  Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy and Research, 2002.
• Profiling in Self-Employment Assistance Programs
  (Targeting Self-Employment Assistance)
  Jon C. Messenger, International Labour Office
  Carolyn Peterson-Vaccaro, New York State Governor’s Office
  Wayne Vroman, Urban Institute
  Jacob M. Benus, IMPAQ International
  In Targeting Employment Services, Randall W. Eberts, Christopher J. O’Leary, Stephen A. Wandner, editors.
  Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute, 2002, pp. 113-160.
• “Cost-effectiveness of targeted reemployment bonuses”
  Christopher O’Leary, Upjohn Institute
  Paul T. Decker, Mathematica Policy Research
  Stephen A. Wandner, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
  Journal of Human Resources, XL(1): 270-279, 2005.
  Also issued as Upjohn Institute Staff Working Paper No. 03-51, August 2003. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2003.
• Personal Reemployment Accounts

Georgia Frontline Decision Support System

• A Frontline Decision Support System for Georgia Career Centers
  Randall Eberts, Upjohn Institute
  Christopher O’Leary, Upjohn Institute
  Upjohn Institute Working Paper No. 02-84, July 2002

European Targeting of Employment Services

• Profiling for Better Services: Report on the European Profiling Seminar
  Helmut Rudolph, Institute for Employment Research
  Regina Konle-Seidl, Institute for Employment Research
  Nuremberg, January 12-14, 2005
  Supported by EU Commission (DG Empl) VP/2004/007
• A Danish Profiling System
  Michael Rosholm, University of Aarhus and IZA Bonn
  Michael Svarer, University of Aarhus
  Bo Hammer, Danish Ministry of Employment
  Nationaløkonomisk Tidsskrift 144: 209-229, 2006.
• A Statistical Programme Assignment Model
  Jonas Staghøj, University of Aarhus
  Michael Svarer, University of Aarhus
  Michael Rosholm, University of Aarhus and IZA Bonn
  IZA DP No. 3165, November 2007
• Statistical Assistance for Programme Selection - for a Better Targeting of Active Labour Market Policies in Switzerland
  Stefanie Behncke, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
  Markus Frölich, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, IZA (Bonn) and IFAU (Uppsala)
  Michael Lechner, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, ZEW (Mannheim), CEPR and PSI (London) and IZA (Bonn)
  CESifo DICE Report 2/2006, pp.61-68.
• Targeting Labour Market Programmes: Results from a
  Randomized Experiment
  Stefanie Behncke, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
  Markus Frölich, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, IZA (Bonn) and IFAU (Uppsala)
  Michael Lechner, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, ZEW (Mannheim), CEPR and PSI (London) and IZA (Bonn).
  IZA DP No. 3085, September 2007

Canadian Foundations for Targeting Employment Services

• Predicting Long-Term Unemployment in Canada: Prospects and Policy Implications
  Ging Wong, Privy Council Office, Canada
  Harold Henson, Human Resource Development Canada
  Arun Roy, Human Resource Development Canada
  Jeffrey A. Smith, University of Maryland
  In Targeting Employment Services, Randall W. Eberts, Christopher J. O’Leary, Stephen A. Wandner, editors. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute, 2002, pp. 309-336.
• Targeting Reemployment Services in Canada: The Service and Outcome Measurement System (SOMS) Experience Terry Colpitts, Human Resource Development Canada
  Jeffrey A. Smith, University of Maryland
  In Targeting Employment Services, Randall W. Eberts, Christopher J. O’Leary, Stephen A. Wandner, editors. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute, 2002, pp. 283-308.