Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT)
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| Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training |
| Abbreviation | TAACCCT |
| Established | 2011 |
| Funder | United States Department of Labor; United States Department of Education |
| Type | Federal competitive grant program |
| Country | United States |
| Status | completed (grants awarded 2011–2014) |
Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) was a multi-year federal competitive grant initiative launched to expand workforce training capacity at community colleges and allied institutions, aligning postsecondary programs with industry needs. The program intended to assist workers affected by offshoring, trade liberalization, and industrial restructuring by funding scalable, employer-driven curricula and credentials. Administered through interagency collaboration, the initiative emphasized sector partnerships, regional collaboration, and measurement of outcomes.
Background and Purpose
TAACCCT was created under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers framework and funded through legislation enacted during the Administration of Barack Obama as part of efforts to respond to displacement from globalization, manufacturing decline in the United States, and technological change. The initiative aimed to enable rapid re-skilling and up-skilling at institutions such as community colleges in the United States, technical colleges, and career and technical education providers. Policymakers referenced examples from Germany's vocational training models, Singapore's workforce development agencies, and sector strategies promoted by the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Education. Stakeholders included state workforce agencies, local employers like Boeing, General Electric, and Siemens, and intermediary organizations such as the American Association of Community Colleges and the Aspen Institute.
Grant Program Structure and Funding Rounds
TAACCCT organized multiple funding rounds between 2011 and 2014, awarding grants to consortia of institutions. Grants were distributed under statutory authority tied to Trade Adjustment Assistance reauthorization provisions and appropriations approved by the United States Congress. Awardees included large consortia led by institutions such as Miami Dade College, City Colleges of Chicago, and Texas State Technical College as well as specialized coalitions involving SUNY campuses and California Community Colleges. Funding mechanisms required matching and reporting consistent with Office of Management and Budget guidance and federal grant regulations, with oversight from agencies involved in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act discussions. Grant sizes varied; some consortia received multi-million-dollar awards supporting curriculum development, equipment purchases, and faculty training.
Eligible Participants and Partner Institutions
Eligible applicants were primarily public and private non-profit two-year institutions, including community colleges in the United States, tribal colleges and universities, and regional technical colleges. Partners often comprised state workforce agencies such as California Employment Development Department, local employers from sectors like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and transportation and logistics, as well as non-profit intermediaries like the National Fund for Workforce Solutions and labor organizations including the AFL–CIO. Consortia typically included postsecondary institutions, employers such as Lockheed Martin and Caterpillar, and workforce entities like Workforce Development Boards (United States). The program explicitly targeted workers eligible under Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers and other adult learners including veterans served through Department of Veterans Affairs programs.
Program Activities and Training Models
Funded activities featured accelerated certificate programs, competency-based education pilots, apprenticeship linkages, and stackable credentials informed by employer input. Curriculum development drew on models from institutions like Ivy Tech Community College and Northern Virginia Community College, integrating stackable credentials compatible with American National Standards Institute-aligned industry standards. TAACCCT supported implementation of online learning platforms, cross-institutional credit articulation agreements, and industry-recognized credentials such as those endorsed by CompTIA, National Healthcareer Association, and sector-specific certification bodies. Partnerships with employers including Amazon (company), Pfizer, and regional healthcare systems enabled internships, work-based learning, and job placement services. Some consortia piloted competency-based transcripts akin to models advocated by Western Governors University.
Outcomes, Evaluations, and Impact
TAACCCT generated a substantial repository of curricula, online materials, and evaluation data used by analysts at organizations like the Brookings Institution, Urban Institute, and RAND Corporation. Federal evaluation efforts tracked metrics including enrollment, credential attainment, employment, and earnings using administrative data sources such as Unemployment Insurance wage records. Reported outcomes varied by consortium and sector: some projects documented increased short-term credential attainment and employer engagement, while employment and earnings impacts were heterogeneous across cohorts. The program influenced subsequent policy discussions in forums like the National Governors Association and informed practice among networks such as the Achieving the Dream initiative. Open educational resources developed under TAACCCT were made available to practitioners and researchers for replication.
Criticism, Challenges, and Policy Responses
Critiques from scholars and advocacy groups including Economic Policy Institute and Center on Education and the Workforce highlighted issues such as inconsistent outcome measurement, limited long-term earnings gains for some participants, and challenges sustaining programs after grant sunsets. Operational challenges involved scaling partnerships across multiple institutions (e.g., consortia led by Tennessee Board of Regents), data sharing constraints under state privacy laws, and aligning curricula with rapidly changing employer skill needs in fields represented by firms like Tesla, Inc. and Google LLC. Policy responses included calls for stronger alignment with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act provisions, improved longitudinal data systems as championed by the U.S. Census Bureau and Institute of Education Sciences, and incentives for sustainable employer training investments similar to strategies promoted by Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act advocates. Debates over replication, sustainability, and federal roles in workforce development persisted among stakeholders including governors, college presidents, philanthropic funders, and labor leaders.