A Typology of State-Supported Work-Connected Learning Programs

States invest in many programs that connect education and training with employment, but these efforts can be difficult to navigate when funding, eligibility rules, and responsibilities are spread across multiple agencies. This Aspen Institute report organizes state-supported work-connected learning programs into eight categories, providing a framework for understanding how different approaches serve learners and connect them to employment. It also identifies how fragmented efforts can create overlapping services, leave gaps in support, and make it harder to assess whether investments are meeting workforce needs.

For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this framework can help clarify how TANF employment services fit within a state's broader workforce development system. Practitioners and program leaders can use it to identify populations who may be underserved, explore opportunities to coordinate with education and workforce partners, and recognize where participants face duplicative applications or confusing eligibility requirements. Mapping existing programs can also help agencies make better-informed funding and partnership decisions. The result is a clearer picture of how to connect participants with relevant training and employment opportunities while making more effective use of available resources.