Year Up Young Adult Job Training Program

Summary

Year Up is one of the few job training programs with a lottery-based RCT showing sustained, large earnings effects. The 30% earnings increase at three years is among the largest ever recorded for a short-duration workforce program — and unlike many training evaluations, the effect did not fade. The key design features that distinguish Year Up from ineffective training programs: employer-driven curriculum designed around real job openings, real internships with real employers, and intensive professional skill development alongside technical training. The experiment directly challenges the common finding that job training doesn't work: the question is not whether training works, but whether the training is connected to actual employer demand.

Research question

"Does an intensive 6-month sectoral job training and internship program increase long-term earnings for young adults disconnected from education and employment?"

Methodology

Result

Positive

Quarterly earnings: +$1,000/quarter (+30%) at 3-year follow-up; annual earnings advantage: ~$4,500; employment rate: +11 pp; effect sustained through year 5 in extended follow-up

Evidence strength

Strong

Randomized controlled trial with large sample.

Replication status

Partially replicated