As a result of the pandemic, the UNITE-LA Workforce Development team reimagined L.A. Youth at Work's (LAYAW's) job training and work experience by piloting the virtual WorkforceReady program, in partnership with Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation. The six-week pilot served 181 youth recruited via UNITE-LA partner organizations.

The UNITE-LA Research & Evaluation team worked with program staff to evaluate youth understanding, confidence and knowledge via pre- and post-surveys and virtual focus groups. Students made substantial gains in confidence across a range of critical, non-technical skills over the course of the program. Youth participants also provided key suggestions for improvement, which the program team is now addressing. The Research & Evaluation report on the pilot program can be found here. And, for a broader look at the WorkforceReady pilot, please stay tuned for the soon-to-be-released 2020-21 full outcomes report.