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• 31. [Article] Evaluation of Pre-Apprenticeship and Retention Services in the Construction Trades in Oregon

  While white men have historically dominated the highway construction trades in Oregon, this trend is changing: of those enrolled in apprenticeships in the highway construction trades in 2005, 81% were ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Evaluation of Pre-Apprenticeship and Retention Services in the Construction Trades in Oregon Author: Wilkinson, Lindsey, Kelly, Maura Year: 2017 While white men have historically dominated the highway construction trades in Oregon, this trend is changing: of those enrolled in apprenticeships in the highway construction trades in 2005, 81% were white men; in 2015, this number was 70% (Figure 1). These changes are due in part to recruitment efforts and training offered by pre-apprenticeship programs, which are designed to help individuals build the necessary skills to meet the minimum entry qualifications to enter a trade or apprenticeship program. Pre-apprenticeships can reach not only women and people of color, but also people without family or friends in the trades, which is a common conduit for employment in this sector. Pre-apprenticeship programs also offer ongoing mentoring and support for graduates, through apprenticeship and beyond. Two such pre-apprenticeship programs in Portland are Oregon Tradeswomen Inc. (OTI), which targets women, and Constructing Hope (CH), which primarily serves people of color and those previously incarcerated, providing a second chance in the workforce. These programs work to diversify the pipeline of potential applicants entering registered apprenticeships in Oregon. Pre-apprenticeships are supported in part by funds from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Bureau of Labor Industries (BOLI) initiative to diversify the skilled highway construction workforce, the Highway Construction Workforce Development Program. This report assesses the effectiveness of pre-apprenticeship programs in 1) preparing preapprentices for entry into the trades or an apprenticeship in the trades; 2) increasing the entry of women and minorities into highway construction trades apprenticeships and 3) increasing the likelihood that women and minority apprentices will complete apprenticeships in the highway construction trades. In order to assess the impact of pre-apprenticeship programs on the skills, perceptions, and career outcomes of women and minorities, PSU researchers designed a longitudinal study of individuals participating in a pre-apprenticeship program through Oregon Tradeswomen Inc. (OTI) or Constructing Hope (CH). PSU also relied on aggregate data from the Oregon Apprenticeship System (OAS) data base to identify OTI or CH graduates entering a registered apprenticeship. This report reflects the findings from three waves of survey data collection (2016-2017) and OAS data from the 2005-2017 cohorts of new apprentices in the state of Oregon. Title: Evaluation of Pre-Apprenticeship and Retention Services in the Construction Trades in Oregon Author: Wilkinson, Lindsey, Kelly, Maura Year: 2017 While white men have historically dominated the highway construction trades in Oregon, this trend is changing: of those enrolled in apprenticeships in the highway construction trades in 2005, 81% were white men; in 2015, this number was 70% (Figure 1). These changes are due in part to recruitment efforts and training offered by pre-apprenticeship programs, which are designed to help individuals build the necessary skills to meet the minimum entry qualifications to enter a trade or apprenticeship program. Pre-apprenticeships can reach not only women and people of color, but also people without family or friends in the trades, which is a common conduit for employment in this sector. Pre-apprenticeship programs also offer ongoing mentoring and support for graduates, through apprenticeship and beyond. Two such pre-apprenticeship programs in Portland are Oregon Tradeswomen Inc. (OTI), which targets women, and Constructing Hope (CH), which primarily serves people of color and those previously incarcerated, providing a second chance in the workforce. These programs work to diversify the pipeline of potential applicants entering registered apprenticeships in Oregon. Pre-apprenticeships are supported in part by funds from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Bureau of Labor Industries (BOLI) initiative to diversify the skilled highway construction workforce, the Highway Construction Workforce Development Program. This report assesses the effectiveness of pre-apprenticeship programs in 1) preparing preapprentices for entry into the trades or an apprenticeship in the trades; 2) increasing the entry of women and minorities into highway construction trades apprenticeships and 3) increasing the likelihood that women and minority apprentices will complete apprenticeships in the highway construction trades. In order to assess the impact of pre-apprenticeship programs on the skills, perceptions, and career outcomes of women and minorities, PSU researchers designed a longitudinal study of individuals participating in a pre-apprenticeship program through Oregon Tradeswomen Inc. (OTI) or Constructing Hope (CH). PSU also relied on aggregate data from the Oregon Apprenticeship System (OAS) data base to identify OTI or CH graduates entering a registered apprenticeship. This report reflects the findings from three waves of survey data collection (2016-2017) and OAS data from the 2005-2017 cohorts of new apprentices in the state of Oregon. Close

• 32. [Article] Training "In a Good Way": Evaluating the Effect of a Culturally Responsive Pre-training Intervention on Learning and Motivation

  Employee Training and Development (T&D) is a crucial component to an organization’s success and its ability to remain competitive. Although researchers in the field have discovered ways to enhance the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Training "In a Good Way": Evaluating the Effect of a Culturally Responsive Pre-training Intervention on Learning and Motivation Author: Murry, Adam Thomas Year: 2015 Employee Training and Development (T&D) is a crucial component to an organization’s success and its ability to remain competitive. Although researchers in the field have discovered ways to enhance the effectiveness of training programs through the design, delivery, and evaluation process, research has not provided empirically-based recommendations for how to best train individuals whose cultural backgrounds may influence receptiveness of training curriculum. This is particularly relevant for employees whose cultural groups have been historically discriminated against, where cultural norms implicit in the training design may be met with resistance on behalf of the trainees. In the field of multicultural education, an instructional approach has been suggested to overcome cultural differences between instructor, curriculum writers, and students known as culturally responsive education. I evaluated a pre-training video prime based on this approach in the context of multi-site data-use training program for Native American educational professionals. Data-use training was delivered after exposure to one of two videos that framed the objectives of data use either in a culturally responsive way or in a generic mainstream fashion. Participants filled out surveys after the video but before the training, and then again after the training. Prime type was randomly assigned by training location. I hypothesized that participants who received a culturally responsive training prime would learn more during the data-usage training than participants who did not, and that this effect would be mediated by heightened affective motivators immediately following the culturally responsive prime. None of the hypothesized pathways were supported. There was no direct effect of my prime manipulation on knowledge (Hypothesis 1) or skill acquisition (H2), or on pre-training motivation to learn (H3), research-related self-efficacy (H4), goal-commitment (H5), or identification with research (H6). Furthermore, there were no indirect effects of my manipulation on knowledge (H7) or skill (H8) acquisition through pre-training motivation to learn, self-efficacy, goal-commitment, or identification with research. The motivation to learn subscale for valence had a significant positive direct effect on knowledge and skill acquisition and self-efficacy significantly positively predicted skill acquisition. Goal-commitment and motivation to learn subscales for instrumentality and expectancy had a significant negative relationship with skill acquisition. Lack of support for my hypothesized pathways is explained partially by the failure of my independent variable to influence perceptions of cultural responsiveness. A manipulation check revealed that participants did not appraise my culturally responsive priming video as significantly more relevant or culturally appropriate compared to the alternative mainstream video. Findings on the positive effects of valence and self-efficacy are discussed in support of current literature. Negative effects of expectancy are discussed in terms of stereotype threat. The implications and applications for trainers and researchers in training and minority education are followed by a consideration of this study’s limitations and suggestions for future research. Title: Training "In a Good Way": Evaluating the Effect of a Culturally Responsive Pre-training Intervention on Learning and Motivation Author: Murry, Adam Thomas Year: 2015 Employee Training and Development (T&D) is a crucial component to an organization’s success and its ability to remain competitive. Although researchers in the field have discovered ways to enhance the effectiveness of training programs through the design, delivery, and evaluation process, research has not provided empirically-based recommendations for how to best train individuals whose cultural backgrounds may influence receptiveness of training curriculum. This is particularly relevant for employees whose cultural groups have been historically discriminated against, where cultural norms implicit in the training design may be met with resistance on behalf of the trainees. In the field of multicultural education, an instructional approach has been suggested to overcome cultural differences between instructor, curriculum writers, and students known as culturally responsive education. I evaluated a pre-training video prime based on this approach in the context of multi-site data-use training program for Native American educational professionals. Data-use training was delivered after exposure to one of two videos that framed the objectives of data use either in a culturally responsive way or in a generic mainstream fashion. Participants filled out surveys after the video but before the training, and then again after the training. Prime type was randomly assigned by training location. I hypothesized that participants who received a culturally responsive training prime would learn more during the data-usage training than participants who did not, and that this effect would be mediated by heightened affective motivators immediately following the culturally responsive prime. None of the hypothesized pathways were supported. There was no direct effect of my prime manipulation on knowledge (Hypothesis 1) or skill acquisition (H2), or on pre-training motivation to learn (H3), research-related self-efficacy (H4), goal-commitment (H5), or identification with research (H6). Furthermore, there were no indirect effects of my manipulation on knowledge (H7) or skill (H8) acquisition through pre-training motivation to learn, self-efficacy, goal-commitment, or identification with research. The motivation to learn subscale for valence had a significant positive direct effect on knowledge and skill acquisition and self-efficacy significantly positively predicted skill acquisition. Goal-commitment and motivation to learn subscales for instrumentality and expectancy had a significant negative relationship with skill acquisition. Lack of support for my hypothesized pathways is explained partially by the failure of my independent variable to influence perceptions of cultural responsiveness. A manipulation check revealed that participants did not appraise my culturally responsive priming video as significantly more relevant or culturally appropriate compared to the alternative mainstream video. Findings on the positive effects of valence and self-efficacy are discussed in support of current literature. Negative effects of expectancy are discussed in terms of stereotype threat. The implications and applications for trainers and researchers in training and minority education are followed by a consideration of this study’s limitations and suggestions for future research. Close

• 33. [Article] Active and Public Transportation Connectivity between North Temple TOD and Jordan Park River Trail

  The project seeks to capitalize on existing community assets—several TOD stations and a regional bike and pedestrian trail system—by studying how these can be linked. The overarching goal of this project ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Active and Public Transportation Connectivity between North Temple TOD and Jordan Park River Trail Author: Zambrana, Ivis Garcia, Oostema, Christie Year: 2017 The project seeks to capitalize on existing community assets—several TOD stations and a regional bike and pedestrian trail system—by studying how these can be linked. The overarching goal of this project is to increase scholarship on networking safe routes that can encourage public and active transportation choices and thus, encourage a healthier lifestyle and advance sustainability. By expanding pedestrian, bicycle and transit connections to green space and offering the most potential for TOD, this proposal clearly demonstrates the greatest priorities of NITC. Moreover, nationwide, communities like Salt Lake’s West Side are in greater need of sustainable transportation choices that foster livability because a high proportion of low-income and minority populations tend to be transit users and/or utilize active transportation facilities. Historically, the West Side has been cut up and cut off from the rest of the city, first by several rail lines, later by two interstate freeways. The city’s new light rail line through the neighborhood begins to stitch the city back together; the Jordan River Parkway, a regional bike/walk path, bisects the rail line and runs through the heart of West Side neighborhoods. This project explored the relationship of these two assets, as well as their significance to local resident use and access using quantitative tools like surveys, GIS mapping and socioeconomic analysis. We also began to understand how to improve neighborhood connections from a resident perspective, using qualitative data, as well as access to the rest of the city and to other West Side amenities via transit and active transportation. When a neighborhood receives regional-scale amenities, like major transit linking downtown and the airport and a regional trail spanning an entire valley, it is important that resident voices are heard, that local leadership gains a voice and that regional amenities become true neighborhood assets. We explored and documented community-engaged ways of learning from the neighborhood in order to improve equity, identify transportation goals and spark local action. Title: Active and Public Transportation Connectivity between North Temple TOD and Jordan Park River Trail Author: Zambrana, Ivis Garcia, Oostema, Christie Year: 2017 The project seeks to capitalize on existing community assets—several TOD stations and a regional bike and pedestrian trail system—by studying how these can be linked. The overarching goal of this project is to increase scholarship on networking safe routes that can encourage public and active transportation choices and thus, encourage a healthier lifestyle and advance sustainability. By expanding pedestrian, bicycle and transit connections to green space and offering the most potential for TOD, this proposal clearly demonstrates the greatest priorities of NITC. Moreover, nationwide, communities like Salt Lake’s West Side are in greater need of sustainable transportation choices that foster livability because a high proportion of low-income and minority populations tend to be transit users and/or utilize active transportation facilities. Historically, the West Side has been cut up and cut off from the rest of the city, first by several rail lines, later by two interstate freeways. The city’s new light rail line through the neighborhood begins to stitch the city back together; the Jordan River Parkway, a regional bike/walk path, bisects the rail line and runs through the heart of West Side neighborhoods. This project explored the relationship of these two assets, as well as their significance to local resident use and access using quantitative tools like surveys, GIS mapping and socioeconomic analysis. We also began to understand how to improve neighborhood connections from a resident perspective, using qualitative data, as well as access to the rest of the city and to other West Side amenities via transit and active transportation. When a neighborhood receives regional-scale amenities, like major transit linking downtown and the airport and a regional trail spanning an entire valley, it is important that resident voices are heard, that local leadership gains a voice and that regional amenities become true neighborhood assets. We explored and documented community-engaged ways of learning from the neighborhood in order to improve equity, identify transportation goals and spark local action. Close

• 34. [Article] Coordinated Population Forecast for Sherman County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2016-2066

  Sherman County’s total population has declined since 2000, at an average annual rate of nearly one percent between 2000 and 2010 (Figure 1); however, Wasco UGB, one of its sub-areas, experienced population ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Coordinated Population Forecast for Sherman County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2016-2066 Author: Portland State University. Population Research Center, Ruan, Xiaomin, Proehl, Risa, Jurjevich, Jason R., Rancik, Kevin, Kessi, Janai, Tetrick, David, Michel, Julia Year: 2016 Sherman County’s total population has declined since 2000, at an average annual rate of nearly one percent between 2000 and 2010 (Figure 1); however, Wasco UGB, one of its sub-areas, experienced population growth during the 2000s. Wasco, the most populous UGB, posted an average annual growth rate of a little less than one percent during the 2000 to 2010 period. This translated into a population increase of about 30 persons. Sherman County’s population decline in the 2000s was the direct result of consistent net out-migration and periods of natural decreases (more deaths than births, Figure 12). The county’s aging population has contributed to an increase in deaths, which combined with a relatively steady number of births has resulted in a natural decrease for nine out of the 15 years between 2000 and 2015. While net out-migration and natural decrease were common during the last decade, in more recent years (2010 to 2015) net in-migration has occurred, bringing with it some population growth. Total population in Sherman County is forecast to increase in the near-term (2016 to 2035), a trend that is driven by growth in the two sub-areas of Rufus and Wasco (Figure 1); however population decline is expected for the county over the remaining 31 years of the forecast period. This population decrease is the result of a growing natural decrease, which is expected to exceed net in-migration around 2030. Sherman County’s total population is forecast to increase by about 50 persons over the next 19 years (2016-2035), but will likely see population decline of more than 80 persons during the last 31 years of the forecast period (2035-2066). Sub-areas are expected to generally follow their historical patterns of population increase or decrease over the forecast period. Title: Coordinated Population Forecast for Sherman County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2016-2066 Author: Portland State University. Population Research Center, Ruan, Xiaomin, Proehl, Risa, Jurjevich, Jason R., Rancik, Kevin, Kessi, Janai, Tetrick, David, Michel, Julia Year: 2016 Sherman County’s total population has declined since 2000, at an average annual rate of nearly one percent between 2000 and 2010 (Figure 1); however, Wasco UGB, one of its sub-areas, experienced population growth during the 2000s. Wasco, the most populous UGB, posted an average annual growth rate of a little less than one percent during the 2000 to 2010 period. This translated into a population increase of about 30 persons. Sherman County’s population decline in the 2000s was the direct result of consistent net out-migration and periods of natural decreases (more deaths than births, Figure 12). The county’s aging population has contributed to an increase in deaths, which combined with a relatively steady number of births has resulted in a natural decrease for nine out of the 15 years between 2000 and 2015. While net out-migration and natural decrease were common during the last decade, in more recent years (2010 to 2015) net in-migration has occurred, bringing with it some population growth. Total population in Sherman County is forecast to increase in the near-term (2016 to 2035), a trend that is driven by growth in the two sub-areas of Rufus and Wasco (Figure 1); however population decline is expected for the county over the remaining 31 years of the forecast period. This population decrease is the result of a growing natural decrease, which is expected to exceed net in-migration around 2030. Sherman County’s total population is forecast to increase by about 50 persons over the next 19 years (2016-2035), but will likely see population decline of more than 80 persons during the last 31 years of the forecast period (2035-2066). Sub-areas are expected to generally follow their historical patterns of population increase or decrease over the forecast period. Close

• 35. [Article] Coordinated Population Forecast for Harney County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2016-2066

  Different growth patterns occur in different parts of the County and these local trends within the UGBs and the area outside UGBs collectively influence population growth rates for the county as a whole. Harney ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Coordinated Population Forecast for Harney County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2016-2066 Author: Portland State University. Population Research Center, Ruan, Xiaomin, Proehl, Risa, Jurjevich, Jason R., Rancik, Kevin, Kessi, Janai, Tetrick, David, Michel, Julia Year: 2016 Different growth patterns occur in different parts of the County and these local trends within the UGBs and the area outside UGBs collectively influence population growth rates for the county as a whole. Harney County’s total population has slowly declined since 2000, with an average annual rate of negative 0.2 percent between 2000 and 2010 (Figure 1). Burns is accountable for the county’s overall declining population. All other sub-areas experienced very slight population growths during the 2000 to 2010 period, increasing by a total of 32 persons. Harney County’s population decline in the 2000s was the direct result of frequent net out-migration. The county’s aging population has contributed to an increase in deaths, however, a larger number of births relative to deaths caused a natural increase for 8 out of the 15 years between 2000 and 2015 (Figure 12). Even so, net out-migration outweighed these slight natural increases, causing a slow decrease in the Harney County’s population since 2000. Total population in Harney County as a whole as well as within its sub-areas are forecast to all decrease at a slightly faster rate in the near-term (2016 to 2035) compared to the long-term (Figure 1). The tapering of growth rates is largely driven by an aging population—a demographic trend which is expected to contribute to a natural decrease (more deaths than births). As natural decrease occurs, population growth will become increasingly reliant on net in-migration. Harney County’s total population is forecast to decrease by more than 500 persons over the entire 50-year forecast period (2016-2066), a loss in population mostly happening in areas outside the UGBs. Sub-areas are expected to generally follow historical patterns of population decrease over the forecast period. Title: Coordinated Population Forecast for Harney County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2016-2066 Author: Portland State University. Population Research Center, Ruan, Xiaomin, Proehl, Risa, Jurjevich, Jason R., Rancik, Kevin, Kessi, Janai, Tetrick, David, Michel, Julia Year: 2016 Different growth patterns occur in different parts of the County and these local trends within the UGBs and the area outside UGBs collectively influence population growth rates for the county as a whole. Harney County’s total population has slowly declined since 2000, with an average annual rate of negative 0.2 percent between 2000 and 2010 (Figure 1). Burns is accountable for the county’s overall declining population. All other sub-areas experienced very slight population growths during the 2000 to 2010 period, increasing by a total of 32 persons. Harney County’s population decline in the 2000s was the direct result of frequent net out-migration. The county’s aging population has contributed to an increase in deaths, however, a larger number of births relative to deaths caused a natural increase for 8 out of the 15 years between 2000 and 2015 (Figure 12). Even so, net out-migration outweighed these slight natural increases, causing a slow decrease in the Harney County’s population since 2000. Total population in Harney County as a whole as well as within its sub-areas are forecast to all decrease at a slightly faster rate in the near-term (2016 to 2035) compared to the long-term (Figure 1). The tapering of growth rates is largely driven by an aging population—a demographic trend which is expected to contribute to a natural decrease (more deaths than births). As natural decrease occurs, population growth will become increasingly reliant on net in-migration. Harney County’s total population is forecast to decrease by more than 500 persons over the entire 50-year forecast period (2016-2066), a loss in population mostly happening in areas outside the UGBs. Sub-areas are expected to generally follow historical patterns of population decrease over the forecast period. Close