CAEL Multi-site LiLA Demonstration

Demonstration Model
Site Information
Snapshot of the LiLA Participants
Demonstration Outcomes
Sample Participant Profiles
Demonstration Employers

Demonstration Model

From 2001 to 2007, CAEL conducted a multi-sector Lifelong Learning Account (LiLA) demonstration in Chicago, Northeast Indiana, and San Francisco that served more than 350 participants in four industry sectors. This LiLA demonstration model consisted of the following components:

• Employers agreed to provide LiLAs to employees and to match employee contributions up to an established cap. In this demonstration, the cap was $500 per year.



• The employee participants were required to contribute a minimum of $120 per year to encourage participation by frontline workers.



• The employee mapped out a learning plan with an education and career advisor.



• Third parties matched the combined employer and employee amounts.



• Once a participant had enough funds in his or her account to begin classes, the employee submitted an application for payment from their CAEL-administered account.

Site Information

Chicago

Northeast Indiana

San Francisco Area

Snapshot of the LiLA Participants

• Nearly half of the participants were non-white


• Nearly half earned less than $30,000


• Over half were female


• Over half were under age 40


• Average monthly savings rate for active participants: $28.97


• Courses of study include: nursing, lab technician, management, accounting, computers, HVAC, quality assurance, culinary arts, and English as Second Language

Demonstration Outcomes

From our own data gathering, and an analysis conducted by an independent evaluator, we have found that:

• LiLAs are an effective asset-building strategy. From 2001 to 2007, the demonstration leveraged almost half a million dollars that was used for education and training: $219,404 from 359 employees and $200,512 from employers (in the demonstration, these contributions were doubled by foundation matches).



• Participants have used their LiLAs for education and training. As of June 2005, 53 percent of LiLA employees had taken at least one course; many had taken more than one - the average number of classes was 2.5 in healthcare and manufacturing, 3.9 in the public sector, and 4.2 in the restaurant sector.



• Participants see LiLAs as important for helping the workers advance in their careers. The short duration of the project makes it difficult to measure the impact of LiLAs on individual employability and advancement. A truly lifelong learning account program would be able to provide more meaningful data on that topic, as the longer timeframe may be necessary for some participants to earn marketable credentials. Nevertheless, participants in this demonstration considered education and training to be a very important factor in their future career progression.



• LiLAs can serve as an incentive to engage in education and training. Almost half of LiLA participants were not planning to take courses or do any re-training prior to enrollment in the LiLA program; the half already planning to take, or who took courses; indicated LiLAs helped them finance their education.



• Employers see benefits to their workplaces as a result of offering LiLAs. Employers saw some evidence that LiLA participants had increased productivity after participating in the demonstration. According to participating employers, this effect was especially pronounced in the healthcare and manufacturing sectors.

For an executive summary of the interim evaluation by Public Policy Associates, Inc. in 2006, please click here.

Sample Participant Profiles

• • Paul Kelvington's initial attempt at college was not successful, and he dropped out to go to work in the restaurant industry. "I was too young and I just wasn't ready to take school seriously." After much thought, self-reflection and the help of his LiLA education and career advisor, Paul decided he wanted to use his life experiences as the foundation for a long-term study that could help others, especially young people, who don’t have positive role models in their lives. In his pursuit of a certification in Addictions Counseling, Paul rediscovered the joy of school and his love of learning. Paul's journey, ultimately, proved impressive enough to earn CAEL's "Learner of the Year" award. Paul is now completing a bachelor's degree program at a local university with the help of a scholarship package.



• "Kui" and her family emigrated five years ago from Beijing, China. With extensive training and years of working experience as an R.N. in China, Kui was able to find a job as a Geriatric Aide at On Lok. When Kui found out about the LiLA program through On Lok, she excitedly applied for the program. "Without LiLA, I don't think I would have had the opportunity to go back to school and prepare for my RN exam."



• When "Chris" joined the LiLA program in 2003, as an employee of the City of Fort Wayne, his education plans were hindered by a lack of funds. With the help of LiLA, in the spring of 2004, Chris completed his goal of an AS in Personal Computers. That alone earned him a nearly $5.00 an hour increase in his pay. With the improved income achieved through the LiLA program, and with a new appreciation of the benefits of saving toward a goal, Chris was able to build another asset: the purchase of his first home.



• "Karen," one of our public sector participants, earned a promotion from Administrative Assistant to a Division Director, followed shortly by a second promotion to Community Development specialist. She has gone from making $13.40 per hour to $18.50 per hour. Karen told CAEL that she believes a key factor in her beating out her competition for a promotion is the initiative and commitment she showed in furthering her education through LiLAs. She recently was asked to teach a class next semester at a local university. As she told her advisor, "This program has opened up so many opportunities for me!"



• When "Steve" started his LiLA, he was working part time as an intern at a manufacturing company while struggling to finance his completion of a BS in Computer Aided Design (CAD). Thanks to his participation in LiLAs, Steve accomplished this goal and proved his worth at the company by obtaining a steady job as a Design Engineer, and securing a $3.50 an hour raise.



• Since 1989, "Mavis" has worked on the production line at manufacturing company. She began just a few years out of high school but her dream was to have a career in accounting. Although she took a few classes off and on during the past years, as a single mom she never had the funds to finish. Since enrolling in LiLAs, Mavis has found the financial and advising support she needed and has taken up to three classes a semester. She is excited about starting master's classes next year with the rest of her LiLAs and is confident she will soon be able to leave her lower-wage manufacturing job for a full time accounting career. In her own words, "I couldn't have finished this fast without the help of LiLAs. This is a great program."

Employers in CAEL's LiLA Demonstration

Chicago - Restaurant sector

• Ann Sather
• Bacino's
• Bistro Margot
• Blue Plate Catering
• Catering by Michael's
• Conference Center Concepts & Summit Executive Centre
• Connie's Pizza
• Country House
• Courtright's
• Food For Thought
• Gibson's
• Goose Island Brewery
• Lula's Café
• Mike Ditka's
• North Pond
• Palmer Place
• Sweet Maple Café
• That Soup Place
• Thyme

Northeast Indiana - Public sector

• City of Angola
• City of Auburn
• City of Fort Wayne
• City of Kendallville
• City of New Haven

Northeast Indiana - Manufacturing sector

• HHI Custom Pelleting
• Hyndman Industrial Products, Inc.
• ITT
• L.A. West, Inc.
• Lime City Manufacturing
• Stumps Manufacturing
• Time Services, Inc.
• Vestil Manufacturing
• Western Consolidated Technologies

San Francisco - Healthcare sector

• University of California, San Francisco
• On Lok
• Planned Parenthood Golden Gate
• Jewish Family and Children's Services