Research Agenda

The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) established the Workforce Evaluation Committee to help guide research activities on the IDS. The Workforce Evaluation Committee is composed of key leadership from the OEO, Department of Economic Security (DES) and Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDB) to help guide the work conducted on the IDS and focus on critical workforce areas of need.


The Workforce Evaluation Committee has established a research agenda to guide products developed on the IDS and support the longitudinal evaluation of workforce and education programs (A.R.S. 41-5404). The Research Agenda is composed of analytic themes, which clarify the scope of work conducted on the IDS, and function as a guiding framework for the research portfolio. To ensure the relevance of products, proposals submitted for the 2024-2028 cycle must incorporate one or more of the analytic themes. Strategic questions are provided as a reference to researchers when developing their proposals. The 2024-2028 Research Agenda includes the following analytic themes:

 

  1. Enhancing System and Product Accessibility 

  2. Addressing Inequity in Access

  3. Expanding Opportunities in Sustainable Industries

  4. Promoting Longitudinal Economic Advancement

 

The Research Agenda is aligned with the OEO’s mission, Arizona’s WIOA state plan, DOL workforce priorities, and the Workforce Arizona Council’s Strategic Plan. As IDS researchers continue to scrutinize data practices, addressing the agenda’s analytic themes remains foundational for articulating and directing efforts toward enhancing economic outcomes for Arizonans.

Outcomes

The anticipated outcomes of the Research Agenda encompass a comprehensive identification of workforce development programs that offer optimal economic benefits for participants. Through this exploration, we aim to gain insights into the barriers and challenges confronted by indigenous populations and minorities in accessing workforce development programs.