As many as one in four Americans earn poverty-level wages, typically in jobs that offer few or no benefits. In general, steady work alone is not enough to
help these workers increase their earnings significantly or advance to better jobs; some postsecondary education or training, and supports targeting advancement are often necessary. In addition, access to employers that offer room for wage growth—particularly those in higher-wage sectors of the economy,
such as construction, manufacturing, transportation, and health services—increases workers’chances of moving to better jobs over time. States can influence the quality of local jobs by targeting economic and workforce development efforts toward businesses providing “good jobs”—those that offer wages that can support a family, health care and other benefits, and opportunities for advancement. A key question for policymakers and program administrators is: which skillsupgrading policies and programs most effectively achieve the dual goals of helping workers advance and helping businesses create and keep good jobs?