Western Governors University Teachers College...
Transcript of Western Governors University Teachers College...
Western Governors University Teachers College
Capstone
Running head: WORK ETHICS AND ATTITUDES
Work Ethic and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth: An Instructional Framework for Workforce
Development Professionals
Kathaleen A. Hammonds
A Capstone Presented to the Teachers College Faculty
of Western Governors University
in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Education, Learning and Technology
March 1, 2017
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 2
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to identify critical employment skills and explore how work ethic
instruction for workforce development professionals may impact the employment resiliency of
at-risk youth served in one-stop employment centers. The target population is workforce
development professionals providing case management, employment training and mentoring to
at-risk young adults. A phenomenological study gathered qualitative data and confirmed the
importance of non-cognitive skills (attendance and punctuality, communication, motivation,
work habits, critical thinking and problem solving) as a predictor of employment resiliency. An
action research study clarified that the professionals have the opportunity but lack the ability and
education to teach non-cognitive skills. The study also highlights that a lack of non-cognitive
skills increases program costs and prevents job seekers from transitioning to permanent
unsubsidized employment; impacting employment resiliency and ultimately, self-sufficiency.
Employment programs that teach and model non-cognitive skills have an important role in the
employment success and eventual self-sufficiency of participants and the outcome of the study,
Work Ethic and Attitudes in at Risk Youth; an Instructional Framework for Workforce
Development Professionals, is an intervention that provides professionals working in one-stop
employment centers with the tools they need to teach and model non-cognitive skills to at-risk
youth.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 3
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Topic and Problem ................................................................................................... 5
Topic ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Problem Statement........................................................................................................................ 9
Problem Background ................................................................................................................... 9
Problem Causes ......................................................................................................................... 13
Research Questions ..................................................................................................................... 15
Topic and Problem Conclusion ................................................................................................. 16
Chapter 2 - Review of the Literature ........................................................................................ 17
Overview of the Literature ......................................................................................................... 17
Non-cognitive skills and employment resiliency ...................................................................... 17
GED Completion and employment resiliency .......................................................................... 20
Teaching non-cognitive skills ................................................................................................... 22
Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Chapter 3 - Research Methodology ........................................................................................... 25
Research Design .......................................................................................................................... 25
Research Questions ..................................................................................................................... 26
Participants .................................................................................................................................. 26
Data Collection Instruments and Methods ............................................................................... 27
Data Security and Confidentiality ............................................................................................. 27
Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 28
Chapter 4 - Results...................................................................................................................... 30
Results Overview ......................................................................................................................... 30
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 31
Answers to the Research Questions........................................................................................... 35
First Research Question: How will Work Ethic Instruction for Workforce Development
Professionals impact the employment resiliency of WIOA Youth participants? ....................... 35
Second Research Question: What are the most critical gaps that hiring manager’s see in
candidates for employment?...................................................................................................... 36
Chapter 5 - Discussion and Conclusion .................................................................................... 37
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 4
Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 37
Problem Solutions ....................................................................................................................... 38
Strengths and Weaknesses ......................................................................................................... 39
Influential Factors ....................................................................................................................... 40
Further Investigation .................................................................................................................. 40
References .................................................................................................................................... 42
Appendix A .................................................................................................................................. 44
Lesson Plans .............................................................................................................................. 45
Class Hand-Outs ........................................................................................................................ 50
Appendix B .................................................................................................................................. 55
Surveys ...................................................................................................................................... 55
Interview Questions................................................................................................................... 75
Appendix C .................................................................................................................................. 76
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 5
Chapter 1 - Topic and Problem
Topic
The topic selected for the study is Work Ethic and Attitudes in At Risk Youth; an
Instructional Framework for Workforce Development Professionals who are preparing young
adults for the workplace. Educators and workforce development professionals are challenged to
produce a demand-driven workforce that meets the needs of employers, benefitting local
economies and society in general. The professional setting to be studied is a One-stop Youth
Employment Center run by the Spokane Workforce Consortium, a local workforce development
agency in Eastern Washington. The center serves low income young adults (16 – 24 years old)
and provides GED completion classes, career skills and vocational training, and community and
employment resources.
Participants struggle with one or more barriers; low-income, homelessness or housing
insecurity, parenting teen, criminal background, high school dropout, mental and physical
disabilities including learning disorders, personal or family history of substance abuse and lack
of work history. Many are survivors of childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences
(ACES). What they have in common is that they all need a job and come to the center to prepare
themselves for the world of work. The goal of the center is to develop workers who possess both
essential (literacy, numeracy, job readiness and soft skills) and technical (vocational, industry
credentials) skills; thereby benefitting the customers of the center, the businesses who require a
trained and ready workforce pipeline.
Many of the youth served have not been successful in traditional education and are
initially referred to the center for its GED program and basic skills (literacy and numeracy)
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 6
training. The service delivery model aligns resources and effort, engaging youth and building
essential and technical skills, supporting transition to the workplace and ultimately; the long-
term employment resiliency and self-sufficiency of youth participants. The model is broken
down into three phases which are Engagement, Essential Skills and Transition Services.
Workforce development professionals at the Center facilitate, support, guide, direct and
redirect youth toward achieving positive outcomes. The young adults are expected to build skills,
learn goal setting and develop greater ownership and commitment to the educational and
employment goals they established. Pursuant to this goal, engagement and essential skills make
up the first two phases of a youth’s employment program at the Center. Youth are connected
with employment resources (employer mentors, work based learning, job shadows, and industry
tours) in the third phase of their employment program. The focus of the third phase is the
successful transfer and practical application of essential and technical work skills into the
workplace. Career specialists review progress, identify additional skills attainment, and provide
coaching and redirection as needed.
The youth and career specialist work together to develop a detailed employment plan and
problem solve any anticipated challenges but data analysis at the Center reveals that 44% of
participants do not complete paid work experiences. Partner employers have reported problems
which include poor attendance, unprofessional behavior in the workplace, and a lack of respect
for people and property; in general, a lack of work ethic and professional attitudes and
demeanors.
As a result of this problem, paid work experience agreements are terminated early and
participants are not offered permanent, unsubsidized employment, which is the goal of the one-
stop center. Relationships with employer partners may be damaged and participants become
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 7
discouraged by their lack of success. Remedial effort may be required in order to redefine roles,
responsibilities and acceptable workplace behaviors supportive of goal attainment; at additional
cost to the program and at a phase when the youth should be transitioning to employment.
The research states that non-cognitive skills are as important as technical skills for
human capital development and workforce success. The term non-cognitive skills are used to
describe the personal attributes not thought to be measured by IQ tests or achievement tests.
These attributes go by many names in the literature, including affective work competencies,
work ethic, soft skills, personality traits, non-cognitive abilities, character skills, and socio-
emotional skills. (Kautz, Heckman, Diris, ter Weel, & Borghans, 2014).
A growing body of empirical research shows that non-cognitive skills rival IQ in
predicting educational attainment, labor market success, health, and criminality. Both IQ and
non-cognitive skills predict scores on achievement tests but non-cognitive skills predict
outcomes above and beyond their effects in predicting scores on achievement tests. Non-
cognitive skills are universally valued across all cultures, religions and societies. (Heckman &
Kautz, 2012).
Non-cognitive skills are a broad set of skills, competencies, behaviors, attitudes, and
personal qualities that enable people to effectively navigate their environment, work well with
others, perform well, and achieve their goals. These skills are broadly applicable and
complement other skills such as technical, vocational, and academic skills (Lipman, Ryberg,
Carney, & Moore, 2015).
The demographic served by the employment center struggle with socio-economic status
and challenging home environments. There is a great deal of research on negative life outcomes
including educational achievement, labor market outcomes, health and criminality suffered by
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 8
this population; but the literature also suggests that adolescent remediation is possible for
children who grow up in disadvantaged environments in their early years.
The most promising adolescent interventions are those that target non-cognitive skills
as well as programs that offer mentoring, guidance and information. Workplace-based programs
that teach non-cognitive skills appear to be effective remedial interventions for adolescents. They
motivate acquisition of work relevant skills and provide for disadvantaged youth the discipline
and guidance which is often missing in their homes or high schools (Kautz, et al, 2014).
Non-cognitive skills (work ethic and attitudes) predict and produce success in
employment. Workforce center professionals generally address work ethics as situations arise
but may not have the training or curricula to teach it effectively during the employment program.
Other determining factors such as a lack of success in traditional education; and the lack of non-
cognitive skill development in formative years, may impact the employment resiliency of the
youth served by the employment program. As a result of these factors, the youth learn how to
get a job, but not how to keep it because they may lack the non-cognitive skills that are necessary
for workplace success.
The researcher offers that employment programs that teach and model non-cognitive
skills have an important role in the success and eventual self-sufficiency of participants. This
paper explores the topic Work Ethic and Attitudes in at Risk Youth; an Instructional
Framework for Workforce Development Professionals; designing an intervention for career
specialists responsible for developing and training the emerging workforce to meet the needs of
business and industry.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 9
Problem Statement
Permanent, unsubsidized employment, and self-sufficiency of low-income youth with
barriers, is the goal of one-stop youth employment centers run by the Spokane Workforce
Consortium. Youth are connected with employers through subsidized (paid) work experiences,
enabling young job seekers to practice and apply essential and technical skills; while providing
business partners with the ability to develop new industry talent.
Workforce development professionals have the opportunity to teach non-cognitive skills
(work ethic and attitudes) during the engagement and essential skills phases of the employment
program but lack the training or curriculum to teach it effectively. Data analysis at the local
center showed that 44% of the participants who started paid work experiences for the one year
period beginning October 1, 2015 did not complete the contracted number of work hours. A lack
of non-cognitive skills increases program costs and prevents transition to permanent
unsubsidized employment; and these young adults will face a constant struggle with employment
resiliency and ultimately, self-sufficiency.
Problem Background
The learning environment is a youth employment center located in Spokane, Washington.
The center is run by the Spokane Area Work Force Development Council (SAWDC) and is
funded by the Federal Work Force Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The center serves
young adults (16 – 24 years old) and provides GED completion classes, career skills and
vocational training, and community and employment resources and is the only one-stop youth
employment center in Eastern Washington. The center seeks to identify and fill gaps in the local
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 10
economy and develop a pipeline of skilled talent, the emerging (youth) workforce, to meet
regional business needs.
A staff of workforce development professionals works with the youth one-on-one and in
group settings, using trauma informed practices to help participants achieve their educational and
occupational goals. The first phase of participation, Engagement, is designed to build rapport,
identify education and career goals, determine essential and technical skills required by potential
employers and assess and identify skill gaps of the participants.
The focus of the second phase, Essential Skills, is the building of workplace skills
through participation in the 21st Century Skills Academy. During the three week Academy,
youth can earn industry recognized credentials, practice soft skills, create a resume, develop a
cover letter, and acquire lifelong job readiness skills. Additionally, participants are matched with
a work force development professional (career specialist) who provides one-on-one case
management which includes career advising, professional mentoring and wrap around supportive
services. If the participant needs additional job skill development, or if skill gaps were
previously identified, the career specialist will determine participant interest in pursuing skill
acquisition and make recommendations for additional training.
Once a participant has completed the essential skills phase, they move into the final
Transition Phase of the employment program. In the transition phase, effort and resources
are aligned to build on the skills developed during the essential skills phase and actively move
the youth towards employment. The transition phase is also dedicated to business services and
the career specialist is tasked with matching the right job seeker and skill set with the needs of
local employers. Youth work with their career specialist to arrange paid work experiences and
on-the-job training (wages subsidized by the program), job shadows, industry tours, and
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 11
meetings with mentors. Wrap-around supportive services are also provided throughout this
phase, including the purchase of interview attire and work clothes, tools and equipment;
assistance with transportation through the purchase of bus passes or gas, haircuts and other
purchases deemed necessary to ensure the success of the participant in their employment goal.
In spite of these intensive educational and employment services, many youth struggle
with the transition to employment. Participants who do not complete subsidized work experience
agreements, 44% for the one year period ending October 30, 2016, have more trouble
transitioning to unsubsidized employment, strain the caseloads of career specialists and negatively
impact program return on investment. Exit interviews with partner employers reveal a lack of
non-cognitive skills including poor attendance, unprofessional behavior in the workplace, and a
lack of respect for people and property; in general, a lack of work ethic and professional attitudes
and demeanors. Business partners and career specialists agree that the most critical gap in
candidates for employment is a lack of soft or non-cognitive skills (attendance, attitude, ability to
get along with co-workers, motivation, enthusiasm and initiative).
A lack of non-cognitive skills increases program costs and prevents transition to
permanent unsubsidized employment; and these young adults will face a constant struggle with
employment resiliency and ultimately, self-sufficiency. Participants may not have been taught
that work is worthwhile and even satisfying; and many lack positive, adult mentorship before
coming to the Center. Partner employers are willing to teach technical skills but generally do not
have the time or inclination to teach work ethics so it is incumbent upon the workforce
development staff to model and teach non-cognitive skills in the essential skills phase and prior
to transitioning the youth to employment.
Roger B. Hill (Hill, 2016) conducted twenty years of research at the University of
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 12
Georgia on work ethic as a component of 21st Century Work Preparation. Hill and Rojewski
(2014) upheld that all preparation for work should explicitly include career navigation, work
ethic and innovation. Technical and professional content changes but dependability, taking
initiative and most importantly interpersonal and communication skills are always relevant. Hill
(2016) writes that career and technical education courses often include content that allows
students to develop skills in this area, but greater emphasis and purposefulness is needed to focus
on work ethic components.
James Gregson (Gregson, 1991) assessed attitudes and values as to whether they
contributed to producing a compliant labor force; and established that no discussion on youth
workforce development is complete unless it addresses the topic of work ethic and the
development of an acceptable and practical pedagogy. Gregson (1991) surveyed technology
education instructors in Virginia and identified work values and attitudes that they perceived as
being important. These "affective work competencies" included dependability,
conscientiousness, and cooperation, ability to follow directions, workmanship, and carefulness.
Affective domain competencies are generally absent from workforce development curricula;
which focus on teaching technical skills, career and post secondary exploration and job seeker
readiness such as resume writing, portfolio development and job interviewing skills.
The issue of Work Ethic and Attitudes is significant not only in the youth employment
center studied; but in all One-Stop Employment Centers specializing in workforce development.
21st Century Workforce Development best practices include a holistic approach, targeting and
addressing the overall needs and barriers of the workforce, in order to improve the employability
of the population served. On the business side, employers challenge workforce development
professionals to produce workers who perform at optimal levels and the successful worker will
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 13
bring solid non-cognitive and technical skills to the 21st Century Workforce.
Problem Causes
There is no lack of significant research on the long-lasting negative consequences of
chronic childhood adversity. Many studies provide empirical evidence that negative life
outcomes; educational achievement, employment outcomes, health and criminality, result from
an early life of disadvantage and socio-economic barriers. The evidence suggests that successful
intervention occurs during early childhood and elementary school programs. Less is known
about interventions occurring once an individual is past the formative early years, specifically in
adolescent or young adulthood, and at a stage of life when they are exploring higher education or
career goals.
When youth are not successful at obtaining or retaining work in Eastern Washington,
they come to the local one-stop employment center for no-cost educational and employment
services. Low-income youth with barriers are provided intensive employment and case
management services by workforce development professionals, building the essential and
technical skills demanded by potential employers. In spite of intensive services, many of the
youth still struggle with employment and employer partners report a lack of non-cognitive skills.
Two possible and related root causes of this problem is that the young adults come to the
center lacking non-cognitive skills as a result of their disadvantaged backgrounds; and that
workforce development professionals lack the ability and education to teach these skills,
focusing instead on technical skills such as computer literacy.
The available evidence suggests a much greater benefit from programs that target non-
cognitive skills compared to the benefits of programs that mainly target cognition and academic
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 14
learning. Work place based programs that teach non-cognitive skills appear to be the most
effective remediation interventions for adolescents. They motivate acquisition of work-relevant
skills and provide discipline and guidance for disadvantaged youth that is often missing in their
homes or high schools (Kautz, et al, 2014).
Another challenge faced by the workforce development professionals in the employment
center studied is that they generally are not trained educators. The intervention will contain a
primer on the cognitive learning theories of Gagne (Gagne, 1985) so there is an understanding of
the different types or levels of learning. Workforce development professionals also may not be
familiar with the moral development theories of Kohlberg, Piaget and others who stressed that
people progress in stages in their moral reasoning, which is the basis for ethical behavior. Non-
cognitive skills (work ethic and attitudes) can be learned at the employment center and the
teaching methods of the career specialists have a direct impact on the development of work ethic
in youth participants. An intervention that targets the career specialists’ instructional and
mentoring abilities may be necessary before the specialists can effectively teach non-cognitive
skills to the youth in the Essential Skills phase of the employment program.
The employment center partners with the state General Educational Development (GED)
Testing Service and many of the youth initially come to the center to complete their GED. Are
these “graduates” truly ready for the world of work and how does GED completion affect
employment resiliency?
A substantial body of evidence states that GED programs do not adequately prepare
“graduates” for work, particularly with regard to the non-cognitive demands of the job. Most
branches of the U.S. military recognize this in their recruiting strategies. Until the war in Iraq,
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 15
the armed forces did not generally accept GEDs because of their poor performance in the
military. Despite the fact that GED recipients are screened more thoroughly and must score
much higher on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery than a high school diploma
recruit; they are more likely to create discipline problems and as a result are twice as likely as
traditional diploma holders to be dismissed from or quit the military (Laurence, 2008).
Does the ability to pass four tests that that measure proficiency in science,
mathematics, social studies, reading, and writing also demonstrate persistence, reliability and
self-discipline? According to economist James Heckman (Heckman and Kautz, 2012), GEDs are
as ‘‘smart’’ as ordinary high school graduates, yet they lack noncognitive skills. For males,
GEDs have worse noncognitive skills than high school dropouts, although they have the
cognitive ability of high school graduates who do not go on to college. For females, GED
recipients have the same low level of noncognitive skills as dropouts who do not exam certify.
If GED “graduates” lack motivation and self-discipline, they will have poor labor market
outcomes regardless of academic measurements such as test scores and I.Q. This root cause must
be addressed at the center in order to improve the employability of these participants.
Research Questions
How will Work Ethic Instruction for Workforce Development Professionals impact the
employment resiliency of WIOA Youth participants?
What are the most critical gaps that hiring manager’s see in candidates for employment?
The research questions are designed to gather information on the non-cognitive skills
(work ethic and attitudes) that impact the employment resiliency of at-risk youth. The data
collection instrument will collect data on the learner groups, the workforce development
professionals in the center, and will explore their ability to teach non-cognitive skills to at-risk
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 16
youth served by the employment program. The research questions will collect qualitative data
that explores the phenomenon of work ethic and attitudes, describing and exploring the
participants’ ideas, opinions and observations regarding the teaching and modeling affective
work competencies (non-cognitive skills).
The study will also explore emerging themes related to the problem, using a Likert Scale to
quantify qualitative data through the use of numbers representing the participants’ level of
agreement or disagreement with a set of statements regarding critical work skills.
Topic and Problem Conclusion
Non-cognitive skills are as important as technical skills for human capital development and
workforce success. Business partners and workforce development professionals agree that the
most critical gap in candidates for employment is a lack of soft or non-cognitive skills
(attendance, attitude, ability to get along with co-workers, motivation, enthusiasm and initiative).
Employment programs that identify and assess, teach and model non-cognitive skills have an
important role in the success and eventual self-sufficiency of participants; limiting long-term
reliance on public assistance and benefiting the participant, employers, the economy and society
at large.
The project explores the topic Work Ethic and Attitudes in at Risk Youth; an
Instructional Framework for Workforce Development Professionals; and designs an
intervention for career specialists tasked with the development and training of the emerging
workforce, in order to meet the needs of business and industry. This project and the resulting
intervention can be used in education and workforce development; in employment centers
serving youth and adult participants.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 17
Chapter 2 - Review of the Literature
Overview of the Literature
Permanent, unsubsidized employment, and self-sufficiency of low-income youth with
barriers, is the goal of one-stop employment centers run by the Spokane Workforce
Consortium. The first theme of the literature review, non-cognitive skills and employment
resiliency, will identify the relevance and importance of work ethic and attitudes in the
workplace. The second theme addresses the impact of GED completion on long-term
employment resiliency. This topic emerged in the initial literature review and there is clearly
a need for further research. The final theme will explore educational and behavioral research
studies that have been conducted on whether non-cognitive skills can be taught to adolescents
and young adults who have grown up in disadvantaged environments. After a complete
exploration of the three themes, the researcher and instructional designer will be prepared to
conduct action research in the employment center, pursuant to designing the intervention
Work Ethic and Attitudes in at Risk Youth; an Instructional Framework for Workforce
Development Professionals.
Non-cognitive skills and employment resiliency
There is no lack of data on the subject of non-cognitive skills and employment
resiliency. Educators, employers and workforce development professionals agree that non-
cognitive skills may rival technical skills and educational attainment for workforce success;
and those individuals with a poorly developed work ethic will have trouble finding and
keeping jobs. The term non-cognitive skills are used to describe the personal attributes not
thought to be measured by IQ tests or achievement tests. These attributes go by many names
in the literature, including affective work competencies, work ethic, soft skills, personality
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 18
traits, non-cognitive abilities, character skills, and socio-emotional skills. (Kautz, Heckman,
Diris, ter Weel, & Borghans, 2014).
Workforce development professionals are challenged to produce a demand-driven
workforce that meets the needs of employers, benefitting local economies and society in general.
Employment training programs focus on building the employment skills of unemployed young
adults with barriers, supporting their transition to the workplace and ultimately; the long-term
employment resiliency and self-sufficiency of youth participants. In spite of extensive training
time and dollars spent, and one-on-one case management; employer partners of the center report
problems including poor attendance, unprofessional behavior in the workplace, and a lack of
respect for people and property; in general, a lack of work ethic and professional attitudes and
demeanors.
The problem is not unique to the one-stop employment center studied. In a 2007 survey
of employers in Washington State, about 60% reported difficulty in hiring. They experienced
less difficulty finding workers with adequate reading, writing, and math skills than with
appropriate occupational, problem solving, teamwork, communication, and adaptability skills as
well as positive work habits and a willingness to accept supervision (Washington Workforce
Training Board, 2008).
ManpowerGroup, a world leader in workforce solutions, conducts an annual Talent
Shortage Survey of over 42,000 employers worldwide. In 2013, a soft skills “gap” was noted by
many employers around the world, who report that job candidates lack the soft skills needed to
fill available positions. Nearly one in five employers say candidates lack the required
employability skills or “soft skills”. Employers identified a number of soft skills deficiencies,
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 19
including enthusiasm/motivation, interpersonal skills, professionalism (e.g. appearance,
punctuality), and flexibility and adaptability (Manpower, 2013).
The employment center studied provides literacy and numeracy training along with
technical and vocational skills. The effective model for employment resiliency will include the
non-cognitive soft skills repeatedly noted by the literature. The Confederation of British Industry
defines employability as (1) values and attitudes compatible with the work, including a desire to
learn, to apply that learning, to improve, and to take advantage of change; (2) basic skills
(literacy and numeracy); (3) key skills (communication, application of numbers, information
technology, improving one’s own learning and performance, working with others, problem
solving) sufficient for the needs of the work; (4) other generic skills such as modern language
and customer service skills; and (5) job-specific skills and the ability to manage one’s own career
(Kautz, Heckman, Diris, ter Weel, & Borghans, 2014).
Employment training programs must address non-cognitive “soft skills” if they are to be
successful at creating a resilient workforce. This is a challenge when working with at-risk
populations who come from disadvantaged backgrounds but these skills can be developed
through education and training, in ways that benefit young people whose home environments do
not foster the self confidence needed in most workplace settings (Arling, 2012). Arling (2012),
in his EFA Global Monitoring Report for UNESCO, discussed that education was about setting
young people up for life, by giving them opportunities to find decent work, earn a living,
contribute to their communities and societies, and fulfill their potential. Truly, the definition of
employment resiliency.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 20
GED Completion and employment resiliency
It is widely recognized that the population served by the employment program struggles
with educational and employment resiliency. The very purpose of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA) is to increase, for individuals in the United States, particularly those
individuals with barriers to employment, access to and opportunities for the employment,
education, training, and support services they need to succeed in the labor market (United States
Government Publishing Office, 2014, p. 4).
The One-stop Youth Employment Center in the study, funded by WIOA, serves low-
income youth with barriers and for many of the youth; one of their barriers is a failure to
complete high school. The employment center partners with the state General Educational
Development (GED) Testing Service and many of the youth initially come to the center to
complete their GED. They struggle with the transition to permanent, unsubsidized employment;
in spite of receiving the same level, or higher, of intensive employment services and case
management that is provided to other participants. Additional research is necessary to determine
if GED completion is a “super” barrier to employment that workforce development professionals
must address.
A substantial body of evidence states that GED programs do not adequately prepare
“graduates” for work, particularly with regard to the non-cognitive demands of the job. Most
branches of the U.S. military recognize this in their recruiting strategies. Until the war in Iraq,
the armed forces did not generally accept GEDs because of their poor performance in the
military. Despite the fact that GED recipients are screened more thoroughly and must score
much higher on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery than a high school diploma
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 21
recruit; they are more likely to create discipline problems and as a result are twice as likely as
traditional diploma holders to be dismissed from or quit the military (Laurence, 2008).
Does the ability to pass four tests that that measure proficiency in science,
mathematics, social studies, reading, and writing also demonstrate persistence, reliability and
self-discipline? According to economist James Heckman (Heckman and Kautz, 2012), GEDs are
as ‘‘smart’’ as ordinary high school graduates, yet they lack noncognitive skills. For males,
GEDs have worse noncognitive skills than high school dropouts, although they have the
cognitive ability of high school graduates who do not go on to college. For females, GED
recipients have the same low level of noncognitive skills as dropouts who do not exam certify.
Heckman and Rubinstein (2001) used evidence from the General Education Development
(GED) testing program in the United States to demonstrate the quantitative importance of non-
cognitive skills in determining earnings and educational attainment. They found that GEDs
(high school dropouts who exam certify as high school equivalents) have the same achievement
test scores as high school graduates who do not go on to college yet they earn, on average, the
wages of dropouts. The poor market performance of GEDs is due to their low levels of
noncognitive skills, which are lower than those of high school dropouts who do not get the GED.
Heckman and Rubinstein (2001) concluded from their analysis that the GED is a mixed signal
that characterizes its recipients as smart but unreliable.
Acquiring cognitive skills, those which are measured by psychometrically oriented
educational evaluations such as the GED, is not enough to get good jobs. The literature clearly
demonstrates that employers require workers with cognitive and non-cognitive skills. If GED
“graduates” lack motivation and self-discipline, they will have poor labor market outcomes
regardless of academic measurements such as test scores and I.Q.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 22
Teaching non-cognitive skills
The evidence suggests that employment programs that target non-cognitive skills, along
with cognitive and occupational skills, are much more successful at preparing young adults
for the needs of the workforce. Cognitive and non-cognitive skills are developed with age
and instruction; and interventions can be designed that are effective for different age groups.
The intervention must begin with the workforce development professional; non-educators
who must be provided with the tools necessary to teach non-cognitive skills to at-risk youth.
Heckman and Kautz (2014), in their discussion paper for The Institute for the Study of
Labor in Bonn, Germany stated that in designing effective human development strategies, it is
essential to discard obsolete views about the origin and malleability of “traits.” What used to
be regarded as traits fixed at conception are now understood to be skills that can be
augmented through guidance and instruction. Raw intelligence is boosted by quality parenting
and by caring environments; and becomes solidified around the time of puberty. Character
skills can also be shaped but compared to raw intelligence; they are more malleable until later
ages. Neuroscience shows that this malleability is associated with the slow development of
the prefrontal cortex. When attempted, adolescent remediation should focus on boosting
character skills.
Heckman and Kautz’s (2014) preliminary work generated discussion that was
substantiated in an Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study.
Kautz, et al (2014) reviewed a variety of interventions targeted to different stages of the life
cycle. He found that adolescent remediation is possible for children who grow up in
disadvantaged environments in their early years. Further, the available evidence suggests that
the most promising adolescent interventions are those that target non-cognitive skills as well
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 23
as programs that offer mentoring, guidance and information. Workplace-based programs that
teach non-cognitive skills appear to be effective remedial interventions for disadvantaged
adolescents; motivating acquisition of work-relevant skills and providing the discipline and
guidance which is often missing in their homes or high schools.
Lipman, et al (2015) wrote about malleability, which refers to whether a soft skill or
trait can be changed, and more specifically improved, during the ages of 15–29. Malleability
is especially important given the inequality of opportunity experienced by youth in resource-
deprived contexts, including unequal access to high-quality education and exposure to stress
from poverty or violence. It is crucial to know that these skills can be developed among
young people despite a lack of previous opportunities for them to be cultivated.
Neuroscientists agree with psychologists on the malleability of soft skills throughout
early adulthood. While there are critical or sensitive periods for brain development and skill
acquisition, brain plasticity continues throughout one’s life (Davidson & McEwen, 2012;
Guerra et al., 2014; Roskams, 2015).
The evidence shows that non-cognitive skills are not fixed from birth; they are
malleable and can be shaped by guidance and instruction at different stages of life. Further,
interventions that target non-cognitive skills in adolescents and young adults are effective
when combined with work-based training such as that provided in the employment center
described by this paper.
Summary
The literature review investigates the relationship of non-cognitive skills (work ethic and
attitudes) to employment resiliency; and whether these characteristics and traits can be taught to
at-risk youth who face multiple barriers including a lack of academic success. The evidence
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 24
clearly demonstrates that non-cognitive skills are critical for workforce success and that
employment programs must include instruction and mentoring in this area. The evidence also
shows that GED completion presents a higher level of risk for poor employment outcomes. In
spite of these barriers, neuroscientists and psychologists agree that non-cognitive skills can be
taught to disadvantaged adolescents and young adults.
Additional investigation is necessary and the researcher proposes that an action research
study be conducted in the youth employment center in order to collect data from the workforce
development professionals. The researcher will explore critical gaps in the non-cognitive skills
of the participants; and in the professionals’ ability to teach and model these skills. The data
collected in the research study will be used to design a framework for instruction for workforce
development professionals working in the center, that will impact employment resiliency of the
youth participants served.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 25
Chapter 3 - Research Methodology
Research Design
The professional setting in the study, a one-stop employment center serving at-risk youth,
is experiencing a problem with employment resiliency of the youth served by the center. Partner
employers have reported problems which include poor attendance, unprofessional behavior in the
workplace, and a lack of respect for people and property; in general, a lack of work ethic and
professional attitudes and demeanors. As a result of this problem, participants are not offered
permanent, unsubsidized employment, relationships with employer partners may be damaged
and participants become discouraged by their lack of success. Remedial effort may be required
at additional cost to the program and at a phase when the youth should be transitioning to
employment.
Two possible and related root causes of this problem is that the young adults come to the
center lacking non-cognitive skills as a result of their disadvantaged backgrounds; and that
workforce development professionals lack the ability and education to teach these skills,
focusing instead on technical skills such as computer literacy. The study will adhere to an action
research design in order to resolve this problem in the professional setting studied. A
phenomenological study is proposed, gathering data that reflects the experiences and perceptions
of the workforce development professionals in the center. The design approach is primarily
qualitative because the study addresses behavioral and engagement issues.
After collecting the data, it will be examined and a set of codes segmented around common
themes will be created using categorical analysis. An inductive approach will be used to identify
themes, assign an appropriate code and summarize the results in a table. A narrative, describing
work ethic and attitudes training on the effectiveness of the workforce development professionals
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 26
in the center, will be written that links these themes with Work Ethic and Attitudes in At Risk
Youth; an Instructional Framework for Workforce Development Professionals.
Research Questions
How will Work Ethic Instruction for Workforce Development Professionals impact the
employment resiliency of WIOA Youth participants?
What are the most critical gaps that hiring manager’s see in candidates for employment?
Participants
The target population for the instructional unit is workforce development professionals
providing case management, employment training and mentoring to at-risk young adults. The
required entry skills and prior knowledge for the unit of instruction is experience in workforce
development or education, and meeting the employment center’s guidelines for skills, work
experience and education. There are eight individuals in the target population, seven females
and one male. They have backgrounds in education, workforce development, social work and
business. They have all worked in the center for at least one year and are highly committed to the
success of the young adults that come to the center. Anecdotally, they have a very strong
understanding of the role that work ethic plays in employment resiliency and the overall success
of the one-stop center, and are highly motivated to improve employment outcomes of the youth
served.
Demographic information was collected directly from the individual participants via the
online research product Survey Monkey. Names were not collected or stored with the
demographic information, thereby protecting the privacy of the participants.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 27
Data Collection Instruments and Methods
The first purpose of the data collection instrument is to gather information on the non-
cognitive skills that impact the employment resiliency of at-risk youth. The second purpose is to
collect data on the learner groups, the workforce development professionals, exploring their
ability to teach non-cognitive skills (work ethic and attitudes) during the engagement and
essential skills phases of the employment program.
The data will be collected from career specialists in the On-Stop Employment Center and
the collection instrument will be administered using the online research product Survey Monkey.
The purpose is to collect qualitative data that explores the phenomenon of work ethic and
attitudes. The instrument includes several types of questions; open-ended questions, short
answer questions, multiple choice and Likert Scale questions, in order to triangulate the data.
The open-ended, short answer and multiple choice questions are purely qualitative in nature,
describing and exploring the participants’ ideas, opinions and observations regarding the
teaching and modeling affective work competencies. The Likert Scale questions quantifies
qualitative data through the use of numbers representing the participants’ level of agreement or
disagreement with a set of statements; selecting from a range of numbers from 0 (strongly
disagree) to 100 (strongly agree).
Data Security and Confidentiality
The data gathered from this research study will be kept private and confidential. Raw
data with personal identifiers will only be seen by the researcher and individual participant
names will not be used in reported findings. Information will be assigned a code number and the
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 28
list connecting names to codes will be kept in a password protected file. When the study is
completed and the data has been analyzed, the list will be destroyed. Names will not be reported
and data will be reported in the aggregate.
The research population will not include any members of a vulnerable or protected
population; nor will it include any children under the age of 18. The Informed Consent form for
Adults was distributed to participants in the research study and by signing the form, they agreed
to participate in the study. The Informed Consent was been pre-approved by the principle
stakeholders, and is signed by Director of the on-stop employment center where the study will be
conducted. The signed Informed Consent forms will be kept in a locked file and none of the
names on the form will be reported. When the study is completed and the data has been
analyzed, the Informed Consent Forms will be destroyed.
Summary
An action research study is appropriate for the professional setting described in this
paper; to clarify and resolve the identified problem that workforce development professionals
lack the ability and education to teach non-cognitive skills to at-risk young adults served by the
employment center. A phenomenological study is proposed, gathering qualitative data that
reflects the experiences and perceptions of the workforce development professionals in the
center. The qualitative design approach is appropriate for this study because behavioral and
engagement issues will be addressed.
The data will be analyzed and codes segmented around common themes will be created
using categorical analysis. An inductive approach will be used to identify themes, assign the
appropriate code and summarize the results in a table. A narrative describing work ethic and
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 29
attitudes training on the effectiveness of the workforce development professionals in the center,
will be written that links these themes with Work Ethic and Attitudes in At Risk Youth; an
Instructional Framework for Workforce Development Professionals.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 30
Chapter 4 - Results
Results Overview
An action research study was conducted in a One-stop Youth Employment Center run by
the Spokane Workforce Consortium, a local workforce development agency in Eastern
Washington. The study was designed to identify critical skills leading to employment resiliency;
and to explore the benefit of instruction that teaches workforce development professionals how
to identify, model and teach non-cognitive skills, thereby impacting the employment resiliency
of youth served by the employment center.
The data gathered in the qualitative study clearly identified critical employment skills and
demonstrated the value of the instructional unit. Evidence from the study, as shown in Figure 1,
confirmed the importance of non-cognitive skills (attendance and punctuality, communication,
motivation, work habits, critical thinking and problem solving) as a predictor of employment
resiliency. Technical skills, work experience, education and other employment skills were
noticeably absent from the responses to this short answer question, suggesting the greater value
of non-cognitive skills.
The researcher projected in the study prospectus that an intervention targeting the
workforce development professionals’ instructional and mentoring abilities was necessary. The
professionals in the center are not trained educators and lack the training or curriculum to teach
in the affective domain. The instructional unit provided lessons on cognitive learning and moral
development theories; and teaching methods designed to impact the development of work ethic
in youth participants. Table 1 captures the benefits of the instruction that was offered to
workforce development professionals in the employment center. In Table 1, numeric values
represent the level of agreement with each statement on a scale of zero to 100 (strongly disagree
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 31
to strongly agree). Respondents were 16% more confident in their ability to teach non-cognitive
skills after completing the instructional unit.
Data Analysis
Study respondents were asked to comment on the critical skills that promote employment
resiliency. The themes that emerged, as shown in Figure 1, represented non-cognitive skills and
supported the evidence that soft skills are as important as technical skills for human capital
development and workforce success.
Figure 1. Critical employment skills.
Participants were surveyed before and after the intervention; and were asked a set of
questions relating to gaps in essential employment skills. Prior to the instruction and as shown in
Figure 2, 40% of the respondents selected “Lack of Soft Skills” as the most critical gap that
employer partners see in candidates for employment. Upon completion of the instruction, the
proportion representing a lack of soft skills increased to 55% (see Figure 3).
Critical Employment Skills
Attendance and Punctuality
Communication
Motivation
Work Habits
Critical thinking and Problem Solving
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 32
Figure 2. Figure represents the critical employment skills gaps identified by participants before they
completed Work Ethic and Attitudes training.
Figure 3. Figure represents the critical employment skills gaps identified by participants after they
completed Work Ethic and Attitudes training.
Critical Employment Skills
Lack of Work Experience
Lack of Education
Lack of Soft Skills
Lack of Technical Skills
Basic Skills Deficiency (Literacy and Numeracy)
Critical Employment Skills
Lack of Work Experience
Lack of Education
Lack of Soft Skills
Lack of Technical Skills
Basic Skills Deficiency (Literacy and Numeracy)
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 33
Survey respondents were asked a series of questions and participated in group discussions
and blogs addressing the Research Question “How can work ethic Instruction for Workforce
Development Professionals impact the employment resiliency of the participants they serve?”
Three key areas emerged as shown in Figure 4. The participants valued the skills and tools for
teaching in the affective domain, as it relates to workforce development; as well as the mentoring
skills gained through their participation in the instruction. A new theme emerged regarding
aligning participant’s existing non-cognitive skills to those needed by employers. Several
respondents discussed the non-cognitive skills of at-risk youth and how these skills do not
automatically translate into skills that build employment resiliency. Youth with barriers develop
skills that allow them to survive horrific situations and trauma; such as figuring out where to
sleep if homeless and how to obtain enough food to survive (resourcefulness and grit). The
respondents all expressed a need to learn how to assess and build on these skills.
Figure 4. Participant responses to the Research Question “How can Work Ethic Instruction for
Workforce Development Professionals impact the employment resiliency of the participants they serve?”
Improving Employment Resiliency
Provides skills to teach relevant & replicable tools for workforce success
Align participant's noncognitive skills to employer's needs
Provide positive role models and mentors
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 34
Table 1.
Impact of Intervention on Learner Group
Work Ethic and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth
Pre-
Intervention
Post-
Intervention
% of
Change
People learn non-cognitive skills from their parents. 69 82 19%
I learned non-cognitive skills from my parents. 78 91 17%
People learn non-cognitive skills on the job or at
school.
71 78 10%
I learned non-cognitive skills on the job or at school. 76 88 16%
Non-cognitive skills can be taught by individuals who
are not related to the person they are teaching.
84 95 13%
Non-cognitive skills are as important to success as I.Q.
and educational attainment.
85 98 15%
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds generally
do not learn non-cognitive skills at home.
29 47 62%
I know how to teach non-cognitive skills.
58 67 16%
Employers are willing to teach non-cognitive skills to
new employees.
25 35 40%
Employers value technical skills or education over
non-cognitive skills.
20 23 15%
Technical skills or education can make up for a lack of
non-cognitive skills.
18 15 -16%
People who lack non-cognitive skills have trouble
finding and keeping jobs.
87 95 9%
People who have graduated high school have stronger
non-cognitive skills and perform better on the job than
GED graduates.
20 41 105%
Table 1 numeric values represent the level of agreement from strongly disagree (0) to strongly
agree (100).
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 35
Participants completed questionnaires before and after completing the instructional unit
and Table 1 compares the impact of the intervention on the learner group. In most cases,
participants’ opinions regarding the development of non-cognitive skills changed as a result of
the intervention and the Likert Scale (Table 1) quantifies this qualitative data. The greatest
percentage of change related to where and how people learned non-cognitive skills, for example
from parents or at school or work. The level of agreement with the statement that children from
disadvantaged backgrounds generally do not learn non-cognitive skills at home reflected a
change of 62%. There was a 105% change in the perception that people who have graduated
high school have stronger non-cognitive skills and perform better on the job than GED
graduates.
Answers to the Research Questions
First Research Question: How will Work Ethic Instruction for Workforce Development
Professionals impact the employment resiliency of WIOA Youth participants?
The first research question explored the benefits of an instructional framework for
workforce development professionals serving at-risk youth struggling with employment
resiliency. The researcher created a ten hour instructional unit on how to identify, teach and
demonstrate affective work competencies (non-cognitive skills) to job seekers enrolled in one-
stop employment centers. The study collected data in a qualitative action study, before and after
the intervention, with a goal of answering the research question; and identifying themes that
linked participants’ ideas, opinions and observations of non-cognitive skills that benefit both job
seekers and the employers served by the employment center.
Several participants blogged at the class website and commented during group
interviews that the intervention would help them develop more intentional youth curriculum that
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 36
builds on existing non-cognitive skills; translating those skills into critical employment skills.
The emergent data also emphasized the value of positive adult mentorship and peer role models
in order to build critical work skills that lead to employment resiliency. The evidence clearly
demonstrated, as shown in Figure 4 and Table 1, that the intervention provided the participants
with the skills necessary to teach in the affective domain, providing relevant and replicable tools
for workforce success; impacting the employment resiliency of WIOA youth participants.
Second Research Question: What are the most critical gaps that hiring manager’s see in
candidates for employment?
The second research question was answered by a series of questionnaires and group
interviews, along with blogs at the class website. Participants were first asked a set of questions
relating to critical gaps in essential employment skills which included a lack of work experience,
education, soft skills, technical skills, and basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Respondents
could select as many critical skills as they felt were relevant to employment resiliency. Prior to
the intervention and as shown in Figure 2, 40% of the respondents selected “Lack of Soft Skills”
as the most critical gap that employer partners see in candidates for employment. Upon
completion of the instruction, the proportion representing a lack of soft skills increased to 55%
(see Figure 3).
The researcher then asked respondents to list the critical gaps that employer partners
(hiring managers) see in candidates for employment. The themes that emerged, as shown in
Figure 1, represented non-cognitive skills, and are in order of importance attendance and
punctuality, communication, motivation, work habits, critical thinking and problem solving.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 37
Chapter 5 - Discussion and Conclusion
Overview
The purpose of the project Work Ethic and Attitudes in at Risk Youth; an
Instructional Framework for Workforce Development Professionals was to explore critical
employment skills that improve employment resiliency; and design an intervention for career
specialists tasked with workforce development and training. In the employment center studied,
many youth struggle with the transition to employment, straining the caseloads of workforce
development professionals and negatively impacting program return on investment. The project
was designed to identify critical employment skills and design an intervention that can be used in
employment centers serving youth and adult participants, increasing the resiliency and eventual
self-sufficiency of participants; limiting long-term reliance on public assistance and benefiting
the participant, employers, the economy and society at large.
The study utilized an action research design in order to resolve the problem in the
professional setting studied, a one-stop employment center serving youth and young adults. A
phenomenological study was used that gathered data reflecting the experiences and perceptions
of the workforce development professionals in the center. The design approach was primarily
qualitative because the study addressed behavioral and engagement issues that the respondents
experience in their work at the center. The researcher also used a Likert Scale, as shown in
Table 1, which quantified participants’ qualitative opinions regarding the development of non-
cognitive skills.
The research study proved that non-cognitive skills are vital for human capital
development and workforce success. The critical employment skills that emerged from the study
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 38
were non-cognitive skills and are in order of importance; attendance and punctuality,
communication, motivation, work habits, critical thinking and problem solving. The intervention
also provided participants with the skills necessary to teach in the affective domain, and the
evidence showed a 16% increase in participants’ perceived competency in teaching these skills.
A post-intervention interview with the group found that the center planned to develop more
intentional youth curriculum that builds non-cognitive skills on a foundation of adult mentorship
and peer role models; translating those skills into critical employment skills that lead to
employment resiliency.
Problem Solutions
The research problem in the professional setting studied is that workforce development
professionals have the opportunity to teach non-cognitive skills to youth participants in
employment programs but lack the training or curriculum to teach it effectively. A lack of non-
cognitive skills increases program costs and prevents transition to permanent unsubsidized
employment; and these young adults will face a constant struggle with employment resiliency
and ultimately, self-sufficiency.
The solution to this problem, as evidenced by the data presented in Table 1 and Figures
1-4, is that employment programs that teach and model non-cognitive skills have an important
role in the success and eventual self-sufficiency of participants. The instructional unit Work
Ethic and Attitudes in at Risk Youth; an Instructional Framework for Workforce
Development Professionals; is an effective intervention for career specialists responsible for
developing and training the emerging workforce to meet the needs of business and industry.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 39
Strengths and Weaknesses
A lack of non-cognitive skills is a problem that increases employment program costs and
prevents transition to permanent unsubsidized employment. Job seekers will face a constant
struggle with employment resiliency and ultimately, self-sufficiency if this problem is not
addressed by workforce development professionals. A strength of the project is that the
intervention, designed for the professional setting studied, can be implemented in any one-stop
employment center serving youth or adult participants who struggle with employment resiliency.
A second strength of the project is that the instructional unit Work Ethic and Attitudes
in at Risk Youth; an Instructional Framework for Workforce Development Professionals is
delivered online from www.kathyhammonds.com. The resources and on-line lessons are
designed for busy workforce development professionals who can work at their own pace. The
goal of the instruction is to provide the professional with new knowledge that can be assimilated
and used to modify current case management strategies and workshop curriculum for the job
seekers they serve.
A weakness of the project is that the quasi-experimental design prevents measuring the
causal impact of the intervention on the employment resiliency of youth participants served by
the center. Preliminary research conducted on employment center data before the intervention
showed that 44% of youth participants do not complete subsidized work experience agreements
and have more trouble transitioning to unsubsidized employment. Time constraints of the project
prevent post-testing of employment center data. Further, the youth themselves may not be studied
or surveyed for ethical reasons as the research population excludes members of vulnerable or
protected populations.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 40
Influential Factors
The original participant group of workforce development professionals was made up of
eight individuals. Two participants removed themselves from the study after completing the pre-
survey; and before participating in the intervention and subsequent interviews and post-survey.
This 25% reduction in the target population may have skewed the findings when the researcher
compared the pre-survey data to the post-survey data. The data analysis and reporting excluded
the responses of the two participants who left the group before participating in the intervention.
An insignificant change was made during the project that affected the delivery method of
some of the data gathering instruments. The online research product Survey Monkey was used
instead of Poll Everywhere as proposed in the study prospectus. This change did not impact the
survey results and was made because the researcher found Survey Monkey to be a more robust
product than Poll Everywhere.
Further Investigation
A new theme emerged during the study regarding the alignment of participant’s existing
non-cognitive skills to those needed by employers. Several respondents discussed the non-
cognitive skills of at-risk youth and how these skills do not automatically translate into skills that
build employment resiliency. Youth with barriers develop skills that allow them to survive
horrific situations and trauma; such as figuring out where to sleep if homeless and how to obtain
enough food to survive (resourcefulness and grit). Additional research is necessary in this area
in order to design an intervention that teaches workforce development professionals how to
assess these entry skills and develop more intentional youth curriculum that builds on existing
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 41
non-cognitive skills; translating those skills into critical employment skills that are valued by
employers.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 42
References
Arling. M. (2012). Youth and skills: Putting education to work. Paper commissioned for the EFA
Global Monitoring Report 2012: UNESCO.
Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: stress and
interventions to promote well-being. Nature neuroscience, 15(5), 689-695.
Gagne, R. (1985). The Conditions of Learning (4th.). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Gregson, J. A. (1991). Work values and Attitudes Instruction as viewed by Secondary
Trade and Industrial Education Instructors. Journal of Industrial Teacher.
Guerra, N., Modecki, K., & Cunningham, W. (2014). Developing social-emotional skills
for the labor market: The PRACTICE model Policy Research Working Paper.
Washington, DC: World Bank.
Heckman, J. J. and T. Kautz (2012, August). Hard evidence on soft skills. Labour Economics
(Volume 19 (4), pp. 451–464.
Heckman, J. J. and T. Kautz (2014a). Fostering and measuring skills: Interventions that improve
character and cognition. Technical report, IZA Discussion Paper No. 7750.
Heckman, J. J. and Y. Rubinstein (2001, May). The importance of noncognitive skills: Lessons
from the GED testing program. American Economic Review 91(2), 145—149.
Hill, Roger B. (2016). University of Georgia. Retrieved from
http://workethic.coe.uga.edu/index.html.
Hill, Roger B. and Rojewski, Jay W. (2014). “Positioning Research and Practice in Career
and Technical Education: A Framework for College and Career Preparation”.
Career and Technical Education Research. 39(2), pp.137-150.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 43
Kautz, T. D., Heckman, J., Diris, R., ter Weel, B., & Borghans, L. (2014). Fostering and
measuring skills: Improving cognitive and non-cognitive skills to promote lifetime
success. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
Laurence, J. H. (2008). The Military Performance of GED Holders: In The GED and the
Problem of Noncognitive Skills in America. Edited by J. J. Heckman and P. LaFontaine.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Lippman, L.H., Ryberg, R., Carney, R., Moore, K.A. (2015). Workforce Connections. Key
“Soft Skills” that foster youth workforce success: Toward a consensus across fields.
Child Trends Publication #2015-24.
Manpower Group. (2013). 2013 Talent Shortage Survey Research Results. Milwaukee, WI:
Manpower Group.
Roskams, J. (2015). The developing brain: Implications for youth programs. Paper presented at
the Kristin Anderson Moore Lecture Series, Bethesda, MD.
United States Government Publishing Office. (2014). Public Law 113-128. 113th
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Washington, D.C. Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-
113publ128/pdf/PLAW-113publ128.pdf.
Washington Workforce Training Board (2008). Washington state employers workforce needs
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Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 44
Appendix A
The instructional unit created as a result of this capstone project, Work Ethics and
Attitudes in At-Risk Youth, an Instructional Framework for Workforce Development
Professionals, is located at www.kathyhammonds.com.
The website contains all lesson plans, class hand-outs, assessments, resources and
electronic reference tools related to the instructional content. Lesson plans and class hand-outs
may be viewed, downloaded or printed from the website by clicking the menu option Lesson
Plans and Class Hand-Outs, or may be viewed on the pages to follow.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 45
Lesson Plans
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 46
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 47
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 48
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 49
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 50
Class Hand-Outs
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 51
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 52
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 53
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 54
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 55
Appendix B
Surveys
The online research program Survey Monkey was used to create and administer three data
gathering instruments which are:
Lesson 1 Introduction to Work Ethic (Entry Skills)
Pre Survey Work Ethic and Attitudes in At Risk Youth
Post Survey Work Ethic and Attitudes in At Risk Youth
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 56
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 57
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 58
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 59
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 60
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 61
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 62
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 63
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 64
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 65
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 66
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 67
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 68
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 69
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 70
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 71
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 72
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 73
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 74
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 75
Interview Questions
What do employers and hiring managers see as critical gaps in candidates for employment?
Discuss developmental and socioeconomic factors that impact employment resiliency.
Is GED completion a “super barrier” to employment resiliency?
Why is soft skills development such an important component of workforce development?
Please discuss work ethic and non-cognitive skills as it relates to the employment resiliency of
at-risk populations.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 76
Appendix C
Informed Consent
Adult Participants
Western Governors University - Teachers
College
Master of Education, Learning and Technology
Kathaleen A. Hammonds
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth: An Instructional Framework for Workforce
Development Professionals
Introduction
Kathaleen Hammonds, a graduate student researcher in the Teachers College of Western
Governors University, wishes to conduct a research study for the purpose of determining
participant’s perceptions of affective work competencies (work ethic and attitudes) that impact
the employment resiliency of at-risk youth. The study will also explore the ability of participants
to teach affective work competencies during the engagement and essential skills phases of the
employment program.
The proposed study has been approved by the Western Governors University Faculty
Evaluation Team. Research will be conducted on the premises of the Next Generation Zone,
located on the WorkSource Spokane Campus. Approval of stakeholders with an interest in the
Next Generation Zone was obtained prior to this announcement. The stakeholders who have
approved the study are:
Dawn Karber, Spokane Area Workforce Development Council
Jessica Clayton, Spokane Area Workforce Development Council
Cami Hanson, Career Path Services
Bob Everett, WorkSource Spokane
Jen Rainey, WorkSource Spokane
Stacey Wells, Next Generation Zone
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 77
By signing this consent form, you agree to participate in the study. All data collected will be
reported as aggregated summaries. Individual names will not be used and participation is
voluntary.
Description of the Project
The proposed research is designed to gather data reflecting the experiences and
perceptions of workforce development professionals who serve at-risk youth. The data will be
used to identify themes that link participants’ ideas, opinions and observations of affective work
competencies. The resulting themes will be used to develop “Work Ethic and Attitudes in At-
Risk Youth; an Instructional Framework for Workforce Development Professionals”; an
instructional unit on how to identify, teach and demonstrate affective work competencies to job
seekers enrolled in employment programs at one-stop employment centers.
The research will be conducted at the Next Generation Zone, located on the campus of
WorkSource Spokane, a one-stop employment center in Spokane, Washington. The research
study will be conducted over a four-week period and participants will complete a questionnaire
using the online research product Survey Monkey. Post-survey interviews will be conducted to
further explore, describe and develop the themes that emerge from the questionnaires.
Those participants who chose not to take part in the study will not be required to
complete the data-gathering survey.
Benefits and Risks of the Study
Participants may experience normal test anxiety when completing the survey. However,
all anticipated risks to participation in this study are minimal and no greater than those which
are normally encountered in daily work activities. The researcher will seek to minimize the
anxiety risks by providing detailed information on the research study and resulting instructional
unit. Participants will also be informed that their participation or nonparticipation in the survey
activity will not influence their employment in any way.
Possible participant benefits may include learning more about critical gaps in essential
workplace skills; enabling them to become more proficient at preparing job seekers for the
workplace. Participants will be informed that the study activities are intended to help them
better understand how to guide youth toward positive employment outcomes.
The study may help the researcher, participants and other stakeholders acquire additional
training techniques to facilitate learning.
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 78
Confidentiality
The data gathered from this research will be private and confidential. Raw data with
personal identifiers will only be seen by the researcher and individual participant names will
not used in reported findings. Your information will be assigned a code number. The list
connecting your name to this code will be kept in a password protected file. When the study
is completed and the data have been analyzed, this list will be destroyed. Your name will not
be used in any report. Data will be reported in the aggregate.
Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal
Your participation in the study is completely voluntary and you have the right to
withdraw at any time. Participants that choose not to take part in the study will not be
required to complete the data gathering instruments (survey or interview). Participants can
also skip any question in the survey without consequence.
Employment will not be impacted in any way as a result of participation or withdrawal
from this study. Participants may withdraw at any time from survey participation and will
not be penalized for non- participation. Participants may also request that their individual
results be excluded from the final report. To withdraw from the study or request that results
be excluded from the final report, the participant must notify the researcher.
Questions, Rights and Complaints
Participants have a right to view the results of the study. If you have questions about this study,
please contact me by calling 509-990-0167 or email [email protected].
If you have questions about your rights or unresolved questions or complaints pertaining to the
study, contact the WGU IRB Chair by email: [email protected].
Consent Statement
By signing this document, the appropriate official grants permission for participant data
collection and reporting necessary for this study.
By signing this document, you agree to participate in the study and have had your study
participation questions answered. You also understand that an online study will be used to
gather data and participation in the online survey constitutes informed consent.
By signing this document, the appropriate official and participant acknowledges that they have
received a copy of this form.
Designated Official Signature Participant Signature
Work Ethics and Attitudes in At-Risk Youth 79
Title of Designated Official Typed/Printed Name
Typed/Printed Name Date
Date