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Outcomes

The Research and Evaluation Brief, BEST Benefits: Employer Perspectives is now available.

This brief presents the results of a survey of employers that participated in Round 1 of the Building Essential Skills through Training (BEST) Initiative. The survey sought to determine how employers viewed the impact of the program on their businesses. BEST is an industry-driven education and training initiative.

Boston Health Care and Research Industry Training Institute
Metro Boston Financial Services Regional Industry Team
Metro South/West Hospital Industry
Northeast Regional Hospital Partnership
Southeast Massachusetts Manufacturing Consortium
Biomanufacturing Training Consortium

The results are beginning to speak for themselves. Over 2,700 workers have received training, educational services and career guidance. Participating companies consistently report that quality, retention, workplace morale, literacy, and communication skills have increased through the training. Here are some of our preliminary results:

Boston Health Care and Research Industry Training Institute

Data	Result
Award Amount	$534,252
Match Contribution to date (through Dec. 2003)	$1,144,640
Sector	Health Care
Educational Enrollments	205
Training Enrollments	293
Supervisor Training Enrollments	43
Total Unduplicated Enrollments	541
% of Planned Enrollments	92.5%
Completions	409

Other Outcomes : The project is participating in an Aspen Institute study on the evaluation of soft skills, with the results coming shortly.

Metro Boston Financial Services Regional Industry Team

Data	Result
Award Amount	$534,252
Match Contribution to date (through Dec. 2003)	$1,144,640
Sector	Health Care
Educational Enrollments	359
Training Enrollments	334
Integrated Education/Training Enrollments	40
Supervisor Training Enrollments	193
Total Unduplicated Enrollments	722
% of Planned Enrollments	180.5%
Completions	624

Other Outcomes:

So far, 93 enrollees improved basic skills and 67 improved English skills.

Employer Feedback:

"The basic language, math and communications skills training included within this program produced employees who are able to participate fully on work teams, be competitive for promotions and advancement, and efficiently meet the needs of our customers. The career-coaching component of the program has produced a positive, forward-looking group of employees who are now more capable of forging a positive role for themselves within our workforce ." Fleet Bank

"Not only are the participants excited about their experiences in the classes, but our managers have seen improvement in the participants' confidence levels and overall job performance." Mellon Bank

Metro South/West Hospital Industry

Data	Result
Award Amount	$691,580
Match Contribution to date (through Dec. 2003)	$178,699
Sector	Health Care
Training Enrollments	10
Integrated Education/Training Enrollments	258
Total Unduplicated Enrollments	258
% of Planned Enrollments	165.4%
Completions	79

Employer Feedback:

"As a result of HeathcareWorks we have a much better handle on the education and training needs of our entry-level employees; and are better able to address those needs - specifically around language and communication skills, and basic reading, writing and math skills. Employees who have participated are now moving on to more advanced training. Several of our current employees who were unable to participate in our new nursing program with Mass Bay are now enrolled in the Course to College. We believe that programs like this build allegiance to the hospital and encourage people to stay with the hospital, ultimately reducing our costs of hiring." Dan Michaud, VP for Human Resources, Caritas Norwood

Northeast Regional Hospital Partnership

Data	Result
Award Amount	$342,110
Match Contribution to date (through Dec. 2003)	$94,083
Sector	Health Care
Educational Enrollments	26
Training Enrollments:	48
Integrated Education/Training Enrollments	29
Supervisor Training Enrollments	10
Total Unduplicated Enrollments	103
% of Planned Enrollments	210.2%
Completions	22

Other Outcomes:

So far, 12 improved basic literacy skills and 21 improved math skills

Southeast Massachusetts Manufacturing Consortium

Data	Result
Award Amount	$547,622
Match Contribution to date (through Dec. 2003))	$1,062,202
Sector	Manufacturing
Educational Enrollments	537
Training Enrollments:	1086
Supervisor Training Enrollments	198
Total Unduplicated Enrollments	996
% of Planned Enrollments	184.4%
Completions	996

Other Outcomes:

So far, 471 improved occupational skills; 82 improved English skills and 84 improved basic skills.

Employer Feedback:

"Incumbent worker training is a huge need in the Southcoast. Old style manufacturing jobs did not require high education levels or even basic English language skills. These jobs have evaporated over the last 10 years, leaving workers few options but lower pay service employment. The BEST partnership (SEMMC) has made it possible to upgrade the skill levels of a large group of manufacturing employees so that their companies can compete in the global marketplace, slowing the evaporation of manufacturing jobs, and so that these incumbent workers have skills that are transferable to other companies and industries."

Tony Sapienza, CEO Riverside Manufacturing in New Bedford

Biomanufacturing Training Consortium

Data	Result
Award Amount	$499,997
Match Contribution to date (through Dec. 2003)	$458,544
Sector	Manufacturing
Educational Enrollments	34
Training Enrollments:	52
Integrated Education/Training Enrollments	7
Total Unduplicated Enrollments	86
% of Planned Enrollments	119.4%
Completions	67

Other Outcomes:

So far, there has been 97% retention of new hires.

Employer Feedback:

Immunogen - "This project significantly reduced our recruitment costs and time. I was thrilled with the quality of the resumes I received."

Genzyme - "Word is getting out that this training really works. Our supervisors can really see the difference in the trainees."

Wyeth - "The training was great for incumbent workers. They learned a tremendous amount about downstream and upstream processes that will help them be better in their own departments."