Study to Measure Impact of Goodwill Arkansas Job Training Programs

The Excel Center at Goodwill Industries of Arkansas is a tuition-free adult high school that provides adults with the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and industry-recognized certifications. (Karen E. Segrave)

Goodwill Industries of Arkansas is one of two Goodwill organizations in the country that has been selected by the University of Notre Dame for a study on the “power of work,” according to Brian Marsh, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas.

The university’s Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities will use data from Goodwill and the state of Arkansas to show the impact of Goodwill work training programs. The study will show the different projected outcomes and earnings if a person takes advantage of certain Goodwill programs versus those who don’t.

Marsh says the study will either validate what Goodwill is doing in terms of workforce development, or it will tell the organization how it should change to be more impactful.

The university is building the study now and it is set to begin in January.