Hardly Working with Brent Orrell

We all deserve a second chance. But what if you never got a first? Victor Dickson leads the Safer Foundation, which supports the social and economic reintegration of formerly incarcerated people. The Foundation’s diverse services, including workforce development and mental health counseling, help people who are held back by violence, substance abuse, and poverty build the habits of happy and prosocial life. In this episode, I talk with Victor about the barriers and solutions to prisoner reentry and about the role models that supported him in his own professional journey.Mentioned During the ShowSafer FoundationSouthwestern Bell Telephone Co. (now AT&T)Sprint (now T-Mobile)Success SequenceMaslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsElisabeth BabcockEconomic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)Social Determinants of HealthMass IncarcerationBarriers to Prisoner ReentrySequential Intercept Model (SIM)Illinois Supreme Court SIMRace Health Disparities in ChicagoMental Health Providers by Area in ChicagoIntergenerational Effects of Incarceration Digital Divide Across Income GroupsRecidivism RatesLegal Barriers to Employment of Former PrisonersEconomic Cost of Barriers to Employment

Mauricio Miller has spent years upending common beliefs and practices regarding poverty alleviation in the US and throughout the world, which has led him to question some of the central ideas of poverty alleviation. In his book The Alternative and his current work, Miller argues that that solutions to poverty are not actions done to or for the poor, but actions done with the poor. This change in attitude recognizes the innate talent and problem-solving abilities those in long-term poverty possess but are often unable to demonstrate in marketable ways. This week, Miller, other panelists, and myself discuss the value created by such informal economic activity and how to harness it to expand human potential.Mentioned in the EpisodeArticles Written by Mauricio Miller - The Alternative: Creating Upward Mobility by Tapping the Talents of the People Themselves and Investment Capital for AllThe Alternative: Most of What You Believe About Poverty Is WrongAdam Smith by the BayFamily Independence Initiative (Now known as UpTogether)Keller Center at Princeton UniversityHead StartCommunity Independence InitiativeeLab at the Keller Center (Princeton University)US Small Business Administration (SBA)

Mentioned in the EpisodeSTEM DefinitionJuly 2020 AEI STEM SurveySTEM Interviews by Anne Kim Abandoned: America's Lost Youth and the Crisis of DisconnectionBrookings Center for Technology InnovationUnited Negro College FundSTEM Without FruitBlack Data Processing AssociationHispanic Heritage FoundationInroads ProgramFund II Foundation (Fund 2)First Workings

What would you do if you had a billion dollars? You may have a good idea, but if you don’t, looking to the example of Leon Cooperman wouldn’t be a bad start. After a lengthy, successful career at Goldman Sachs and running his own wealth management company, Leon Cooperman has focused his attention on philanthropy, making daily decisions to benefit the lives of others. In this episode, Cooperman and I discuss how his career and philanthropic efforts illuminate the value of billionaires to society.Mentioned During the ShowLeon Cooperman Washington Post Hunter CollegeUniversity of Pennsylvania School of DentistryColumbia Business SchoolBob DanforthUnion Carbide Compound Interest Tables Goldman Sachs Ken LangoneCooperman College Scholars Elizabeth Warren2% wealth taxLarry SummersNavient Student Loans Wealth Tax Across Countries Bill Gates Jeff Bezos Bernie Marcus

First Workings provides multifaceted support for disadvantaged students from New York City, including access to internships, mentorships, and trainings. These mentors often occupy senior positions at major finance, media, health, or law firms, and help participants master both work and the social connections that make advancement possible. But the benefits of these internships also extend to the host firms through the diversity and life perspective they provide.In this third and final episode of our graduation season Mentoring Miniseries, two First Workings mentors, Dr. Jamilia Sly of Mount Sinai Hospital and Matthew Lustig of Lazard, a leading financial services company, discuss their vocational paths and the benefits of these mentoring opportunities for the students, mentors, and sponsoring organizations. Mentioned in the EpisodeDr. Jamilia SlyMatthew LustigFirst WorkingsFirst Workings Mentees’ ExperienceMcNair Scholars ProgramDr. Wanda LewisDr. Vicky Phares University of South FloridaGeorgetown University Walsh School of Foreign ServiceChase Manhattan Bank David Rockefeller Real Estate Lending Drexel Burnham LambertLazardKevin DavisMount Sinai Dr. Eyal ShemeshFirst Workings alumniNoncognitive skills Code-switchingLazard New Visions...

The First Workings mentoring program is a unique experience for disadvantaged high school students from New York City. First Workings helps students access paid internships, training, and mentoring relationships at major finance, media, health, or law firms. The skills, experience, and social capital resulting from these opportunities are crucial for building access to well-paid career opportunities. In this second episode of the Mentorship Miniseries, three First Working alumni reflect on their vocational pathways and the benefits afforded to them through their involvement with First Workings. We also discuss “code-switching”, work culture, and social capital. Mentioned in the EpisodeFirst WorkingsFirst Workings Alumni networkKevin DavisKevin Davis on his Finance Career and the Impact of First WorkingsUniversity of California Viacom CBS (now Paramount Global)NBC UniversalWarner MediaUniversity of PennsylvaniaGirl ScoutsGirl Scout Leadership InstituteDemocracy Prep Public SchoolsSchool of the Future  InvestopediaDartmouthCode-switching Lazard MTV Movie & TV Awards   

Social capital and internship experiences are crucial to finding opportunities in the labor market and building a successful career. However, many students from disadvantaged backgrounds often lack the networks that can help them find and successfully navigate early work experiences. First Workings is a non-profit organization that seeks to create access and support by connecting youth from disadvantaged New York City communities to paid internships, training, and mentors at firms looking for young, talented, diverse workers. In this episode, Kevin Davis, Founder and Chairman of First Workings, describes his career in finance and his vision for helping young people find the first rung of career ladders. Together, we discuss the inequalities in opportunity for the young people he serves, and the importance of social capital, relationships at work, diversity in the workplace, and vocation. Mentioned in the EpisodeFirst WorkingsFirst Workings partners First Workings alumni network Kevin Davis BiographyChicago Board of Trade (merged with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in 2007)Financial FuturesED&F Man (Commodities division)Man GroupMan Financial (Man Group brokerage division which was separated from Man Groupin 2007)London Exchange Refco’s bankruptcyNY Stock Exchange Enron CorporationNew York University (NYU)U.S. Workforce Demographics Lazard Frères & Co.Morgan StanleyMount Sinai Lenox Hill HospitalU.S. College graduation rates and Drop-Out rates

For college students, professionals young and old, and career changers across the nation and the world, graduation season is filled with hopes, dreams, and a search for direction. Access to mentors, professional networks, and job opportunities is often an essential step in these new vocational journeys. To commemorate this season of life, Hardly Working will spotlight First Workings, an organization showcasing an innovative approach to mentorship and vocation with underserved youth in New York City. We’ll begin the series speaking with Kevin Davis, the Founder and Chairman of First Workings, about his own professional journey and the ideas behind the organization, followed by discussions with mentors and alumni of the program. Tying this all together is the theme of relationships, which are the key drivers in vocational discernment and career development. We hope that wherever you are in your vocational journey, you will find these episodes helpful as you discern your next move, contemplate the meaning of where you are, or help others find their direction during this graduation season. Mentioned in the episodeFirst WorkingsKevin Davis

The choices we make and who we make them with are theprimary factors shaping how we live. Few people know this better than RobertWood. In the final episode of our March miniseries on criminal justice topics,Robert and I dive into how his perspectives, priorities and choices changedduring his stint in prison, and how his association with the Prison ScholarFund led to new beginnings. Mentioned in the EpisodeTerminal Island Lompoc Prison, CaliforniaUNICOR Federal Prison Industries – Scholarship California Board of Governors Grant for prison educationJudge M. James LorenzAllenwood, PA Medium Security PrisonFirst Step Act Alpha Sigma LambdaPrison Scholar FundAdams State University (Print Based Prison College Program)Adams State Online MBAWhat is the Universe

In this episode of Hardly Working, Theresa Matheson shares her story of crime, incarceration and change. She highlights the role of community within prison in helping her step away from the beliefs and behaviors of her criminal life and her pursuit of education as the primary means of building a new and better life after incarceration. This episode is also a window into the less-discussed world of corrections facilities for women and their unique challenges and opportunities. Mentioned in the Episode California COVID rental relief fundJVS So-CalWorksourcePrison to employment programSustainability program Washington Corrections for WomenFreedom Education project of Pugeot SoundPrison Scholar FundOhio State CorrespondenceLSU Correspondence Tacoma Community CollegeSheppard, Gilda | The Evergreen State CollegeThe IF projectThe Freedom Project

Incarcerated and justice-involved individuals are people with desires, goals, dreams and gifts, just like those of us “on the outside.” Dirk van Velzen, the founder and CEO of the Prison Scholars Fund, knows first-hand what it takes to discover and actualize the potential of people who are involved in our criminal justice system. In this episode, Dirk dives into the factors that led to his incarceration, and how his education in prison and in re-entry led to starting PSF, a nonprofit that helps other incarcerated and justice-involved individuals to build on their unique educational and vocational interests, skills, and abilities. Through the work of PSF, lives are changed and cycles of incarceration, recidivism, crime and poverty that hamper families and communities are being broken. Mentioned in the EpisodePrison Scholar Fund History of the Prison Pell program Penn State Organizational Leadership University of Colorado Boulder Psychology David G. MyersPhil Zimbardo Stanford Prison ExperimentAnnenberg FoundationBannerman FoundationBernadette ClavierStanford Social Innovation Jack Keroac- On the RoadAtomic Habits Prison Scholar Fund Coding Program Coding DojoBard Prison InitiativeCoding DojoBard Prison Initiative

The passage of the First Step Act in 2018 jolted criminal justice issues into the forefront of the public consciousness, and it has remained there since. As COVID ravaged prisons and unrest shook the country in 2020, the nation grappled with the role of the justice system in securing our society while bettering the lives of those all those affected by the burden of incarceration. Meanwhile, policymakers worked tirelessly to maintain bipartisan consensus around these important issues.To discuss these issues in context, I am joined Brett Tolman. Prior to his work with Right on Crime, Tolman worked in corporate compliance, white collar and government investigations. As a US Attorney in Utah, Brett worked on a range of apposite cases ranging from adoption fraud to national security issues. He has regularly testified before the US Congress and has been on the leading edge of drafting and advocating for numerous pieces of criminal justice legislation, including the First Step Act.

Desistance, the decision to abandon criminal behavior,is one of the great puzzles in criminal justice policy. Shawn D. Bushway of theRAND Corporation argues that desistance depends on achieving a new,noncriminal, pro-social identity, which is often a long and arduous processsupported by empirical evidence. This rebroadcast of our December 14 event contains a discussion moderated by Brent on Dr. Bushway’s report “Reentry, desistance, and identity achievement.” The event features remarks from Dr. Bushway, followed by comments from Rashawn Ray of the Brookings Institution, Bret Bucklen of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, and Julio Medina of Exodus Transitional Community.Mentioned During the ShowRe-entry, Desistance and Identity Achievement Shawn BushwayRashawn RayBret BucklenJulio MedinaRay PaternosterPaternoster and Bushway 2009 PaperRhodes et al. studyMarcus Bullock-flikshopHawaii Hope programDavid Farabee: Rethinking RehabilitationCOMPASS: Correctional Offender Management Exodus Transitional Community Risk-Needs-Responsivity ModelGood Life Model

Where do prisoners go when released? How can policy create a better framework and process to prevent a quick return to incarceration? How can policy humanize the incarcerated while upholding standards of justice? Few people are more qualified to answer such questions than Jeremy Travis. To kick off our Hardly Working March miniseries for Criminal Justice Reform Month, Brent and Travis dive deep into the past, present and future of re-entry and criminal justice reform. Travis’ wealth of experience in legal aid, at NYPD, clerking for future Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and his multiple contributions in criminal justice research brought forth seminal re-entry texts like But They All Come Back: Facing Challenges of Prisoner Re-entry that changed the way we look crime, criminal behavior, and the justice system. Mentioned During the ShowRev. William Sloane CoffinFrederick Douglass Martin Robison DelanyVera Institute of JusticeRuth Bader Ginsburg Commissioner Benjamin WardMayor Ed KochCommissioner Lee Brown National Institute of Justice 1994 Crime BillBut They All Come Back: Facing the Challenges of Prisoner ReentryUrban Institute2004 State of the Union note on reentryPrisoner Reentry initiative Nothing works - Martinson article Fortune Society NYCSquare One ColumbiaShadd Maruna- Making Good READY Project ChicagoPat SharkeyEqual Act<a href="https://www.arnoldventures.org/"...

Mentioned in the trailerU.S. is losing $1 trillion every year due to crimeNational Criminal Justice Month

Throughout America’s history, its people formed churches, social and fraternal organizations, and neighborhood groups at an astonishing pace. When we talk about “American exceptionalism” this is what we’re really talking about: the self-organizing community that solves its own problems.In second half of the 20th century, however, scholars and pundits have pointed to a decline in American neighborliness and propensity for joining civic organizations. Church attendance is down, social organizations are dissolving, and two-parent families are declining. What can the data on American attitudes toward community tell us about why this is happening?Today, I am pleased to welcome Ryan Streeter and Dan Cox to discuss the state of American communities. Streeter is a Senior Fellow and Director of Domestic Policy Studies at AEI. He studies topics of civil society, community, localism and religion. Dan Cox is the Senior Fellow in Polling and Public Opinion at AEI and the Director of the Survey Center of American Life. He specializes understanding American attitudes toward politics, youth culture, identity, and religion. We discuss highlights from AEI’s fall American Community survey, which can be found on the AEI website. We’ll also discuss their vocational journeys and professional lives and the role of civic engagement in building a happy and fulfilling life.&nbsp; Mentioned During the EpisodeRyan StreeterDan CoxAmerican Community Survey Stephen GoldsmithAdam Smith David Hume Social network analysis Pew Research CenterPublic Religion Research Institute Karlyn BowmanThe Moral Sense- James Q. WilsonIrving Kristol Michael NovakTo Empower PeopleThermostatic OpinionSam Abrams on public libraries

In this episode of Hardly Working, Brent’s research staff turn the tables on the host and interview Brent.&nbsp; In the last 64 episodes, Brent has hosted guests to discuss everything from the welfare system to neuroscience to Waffle House. This episode is a long-awaited (by us!) window into the host behind the scenes. What is the elusive “vocation” that Brent talks about with guests? What is the core of Brent’s theory of workforce development research? How was this theory developed and who influenced it? All these questions and more are finally answered. You will hear about Brent’s own vocational journey, the people that guided it, his vocational and policy philosophy, and even a few of his favorite books. We also provide a sneak peek at our spring podcast line up. Enjoy getting to know the researcher and the research behind Hardly Working! -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jake Easter, Jessie Wall, and Hunter DixonMentioned During the EpisodeBrent Orrell AEISam Nunn (GA)Faith Based and Community Initiatives Bush Administration Administration for Children and Families (HHS)Ryan Streeter AEI93% of parents would encourage their kid to pursue engineeringC.S. LewisAdam Smith, Theory of Moral Sentiments Susan HowatchRange by David EpsteinIain McGilchrist (AEI page)The Master and His Emissary“How our brains make the world” (condensed paper from Iain McGilchrist)McGilchrist event with John CleeseEcon Talk Russ Roberts<a...

Housing policy in America is inextricably linked with employment opportunities, small business ventures, education access, and a host of other issues that directly impact economic opportunity. Understanding the history of low income housing in America is key to understanding and reimagining housing policy today. On this episode of Hardly Working, I am joined by Howard Husock to discuss his new book, The Poor Side of Town and Why We Need It. The book lays out a history of American housing policy and a thesis on how low-income housing that allows for private ownership can serve as a gateway to upward mobility, rather than the concentrated and intergenerational poverty that characterizes low-income housing today. Husock is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute where he focuses on urban housing policy, civil society, and municipal government. He has held positions at the Manhattan Institute, the Harvard Kennedy School, and has worked as Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker. We discuss the history of low income residencies in America, the loss of social capital in low income neighborhoods, how much of this is due to public policy interventions, and solutions to rethink housing policy. You can find Howard’s book on the AEI website. I hope you enjoy the conversation.Mentioned During the ShowThe Poor Side of Town and Why We Need ItPrinceton School of Public and International AffairsEdward Banfield: The Unheavenly CityJacob Riis: How the Other Half LivesMarket FailureCatherine Bauser: Modern Housing Brookline, Mass. Town MeetingZoningPortland Urban Growth BoundaryJane Jacobs BioJane Jacobs: Death and Life of American CitiesJane Jacobs: The Economy of CitiesJane Jacobs: Cities and the Wealth of NationsRobert Moses (housing...

In this episode of Hardly Working, Brent Orrell is joined by AEI nonresident fellow and cultural critic Thomas Chatterton Williams. Williams’s two books Losing My Cool, published in 2010 and Self Portrait in Black and White, published in 2019, tie together personal memoir and philosophy to provide a fresh perspective on America’s history of racial discrimination and present reckoning with defining race and understanding its impacts. Williams discusses the importance of liberal arts education in shaping his own vocation, his motivation for writing, and importantly, his philosophy on race and identity in America.Mentioned During the ShowThomas Chatterton Williams’ AEI WebpageSelf-Portrait in Black and WhiteChatterton on Searching for Plato with His DaughterBard Prison Initiative DocumentaryFrance’s “Color-Blind” Race PolicyHillbilly ElegyThe Common Ground of Human DignityAEI’s 10th Annual Housing ConferenceBrookings’ Study on Housing Appraisals

Amidst today’s labor shortage, employers are learning an important truth: we have no “extra” people. Unfortunately, many qualified workers are “hidden” from real consideration for jobs by ineffective artificial intelligence hiring screens, overly strict credentialing requirements, or a narrowmindedness from companies on how seemingly disparate skills could might serve to strengthen business operations. These barriers contribute to the existence of 27 million “hidden workers” in the US, including mothers returning to the workforce, those with physical disabilities, neurodivergent workers, and veterans. To discuss this problem, I am joined by AEI non-Resident Fellow and Harvard Business School professor Joe Fuller. In addition to his work at AEI, Joe co-leads the Managing the Future of Work project, and has published reports through HBS as well as numerous popular press outlets. Mentioned During the ShowJoe Fuller's Harvard WebsiteJoe Fuller’s AEI WebsiteStephen Fuller RememberedMichael Porter’s Harvard WebsiteHidden Workers: Untapped Talent ReportNew York Times Article on Automated HiringYoung People Marry Later than Previous GenerationsWhat Walmart is Doing RightIBM Commits to Skill 30 Million by 2030Unilever on Upskilling Its EmployeesManaging the Future of WorkThe Project on Workforce

With automation changing the nature of work before our very eyes,it is more important than ever that we begin to re-think our approach toeducation, the workforce, and yes, even thinking itself.In this episode of Hardly Working, Brent is joined by journalistand acclaimed science writer Annie Murphy Paul to discuss how we can tap intoour bodies, surroundings, and other people to think better in an increasinglycomplex economy and society. We discuss some of the insights from Murphy’slatest book The Extended Mind, including why thinking of the brain as acomputer is problematic, the inherently social aspect of learning, and how toshape a world that works for the kind of thinking our brains evolved to do.Mentioned During the ShowThe Extended Mind – Annie Murphy PaulOrigins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our LivesThe Cult of Personality TestingThe Extended Mind – Andy Clark and David ChalmersHow Our Brains Make the World - Iain McGilchristStanford University – Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence The Master and His Emissary – Iain McGilchristSt. John’s College The Liberal Sciences and the Lost Arts of Learning &nbsp;

When we hear the word “vocation”, many people think vocational training and technical education. But, the word “vocation” has deeper roots in the idea of a calling or an occupation to which a person is especially drawn, suited, trained, or qualified. By no means is this calling obvious, and in fact finding vocation often means a series of unpredictable twists and turns until one finds themselves in a career they would never have imagined at the beginning of their journey.For this episode of Hardly Working, I am joined by Andrew Donaldson to discuss his own vocational journey. He is a writer at Ordinary Times magazine and “Yonder and Home” where he ties together politics, history, culture, food, faith, and place through words and stories. We discuss Andrews upbringing in West Virginia, his military career and vocational transition out of the military, the ongoing crisis of opioid addiction in Appalachia, and of course his writing on everything from Waffle House to the bifurcation of conservatism. Donaldson’s story reflects relentless perseverance, profound sense of place, and the sorts of connections – to family, food, and faith – that sit at the heart of what it means to be human. Mentioned During the ShowOrdinary Times Glenville Extension (State College)VA Tuition AssistanceGI Bill Benefits Yonder and Home- History of Waffle HouseWaffle House Index Hillbilly ElegyJD VanceChristmas in Appalachia (video)Study on Opioid abuse in coal and non-coal producing countiesMidnight Mass: Nearer my God to TheeLogan LuckyYonder and Home- A Poem, A Prayer &amp; A Promise: The Power of Take Me Home, Country RoadsHallelujah Chorus (not in WV)Andrew Donaldson Twitter<a

In the 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson began the so-called War on Poverty, expanding the federal government’s role in reducing poverty in the United States. At one level, this effort has been an overwhelming success: consumption poverty (the number of people who cannot afford basic goods and services) has fallen from 30 percent to 3 percent. At another level, the War on Poverty has failed, severe poverty continues to persist especially in terms of social dysfunction like unmarried births, educational failure, addiction and incarceration.&nbsp; The U.S. last reformed its welfare system in 1996, bringing significant new reductions to welfare dependency and child poverty. Some policymakers have begun to suggest that a new round of reform that seeks to shift public benefit programs more toward empowerment rather than maintenance of individuals and families. &nbsp;They hope to create opportunities for Americans by strengthening communities, increasing social capital, and spurring economic growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;On this episode of “Hardly Working”, I am joined by Paul Ryan, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and founder of the American Idea Foundation. We discuss how Ryan reconciles his commitment to the free market with his Catholic faith, his efforts to advance evidence-based policies to fight poverty, and modern-day populism and the future of conservatism.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mentioned During the Episode: Jack KempChicago School of EconomicsAustrian School of Economics Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam SmithAEI’s Adam Smith SeminarBowling Alone by Robert PutnamNurse-Family PartnershipRaj ChettyAmerican Idea FoundationThe Evidence ActStudy on Upward Mobility and Geographic IndicatorsOffice of Management and BudgetMany Americans Make More on Unemployment

Expanding economic opportunity for working and middle-class families has been a policy priority for decades, but there are better and worse ways to approach this end-goal. In fact, policies of the past have at times ended up being counterproductive, putting further constraints on working-class families or discouraging healthy behaviors like two-parent child rearing. Understanding the interplay between policy prescriptions and incentive structures on the one hand and family formation, social capital, and intergenerational mobility on the other hand, is a key part of supporting workers and working families.AEI director of poverty studies, Scott Winship’s recent report, Reforming tax credits to promote child opportunity and aid working families, explores just this interplay when it comes to tax relief for families. In this episode of “Hardly Working”, Scott Winship and I discuss his recent findings, his policy proposals for tax credit reform, the current state and history of safety net programs, as well as how to support social capital development. The discussion centers on constructing a safety net that offering low-income families the support they need to achieve upwardly mobile life pathsMentioned During the Episode: Reforming tax credits to promote child opportunity and aid working familiesHow Did the Social Policy Changes of the 1990s Affect Material Hardship among Single Mothers? Evidence from the CPS Food Security Supplement Democratic Strategist MagazinePew Charitable Trusts – Economic Mobility ProjectScott Winship Twitter$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in AmericaThe Anti-Poverty, Targeting, and Labor Supply Effects of the Proposed Child Tax Credit ExpansionOpinion: Why extending the current child tax credit would do more harm than goodThe Demise of the Happy Two-Parent HomeJoint Economic Committee - Social Capital ProjectLove, Marriage, and the Baby Carriage: The Rise in Unwed ChildbearingZoning, Land-Use Planning, and Housing Affordability<a...

When the Federal pandemic-related UI programs ended on September 6th, 2021, many Americans became aware of what low-income, government program-dependent Americans have long been aware of – a benefits cliff. This cliff occurs when public benefits taper off or phase out quickly, forcing beneficiaries to choose between earning more or maintaining what is often a vital subsidy. It is a classic Catch-22. These cliffs impact both short-term work incentives and long-term opportunities for growth in wages. On this episode of “Hardly Working”, am joined by Dr. Alex Ruder, the principal advisor of Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Community and Economic Development team. We discuss Dr. Ruder’s vocational journey in workforce development policy, the Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecasting (CLIFF) tool that he helped develop, and the future of federal benefits and benefits cliffs post-pandemic.Mentioned During the Episode: AEI’s upcoming event on UI Reform&nbsp;St. Louis Federal Reserve Publication on 1918 InfluenzaBrent Orrell on how “Learning to Code” Isn’t EnoughAlex Ruder on Understanding and Overcoming Benefits CliffsAlex Ruder on Benefit PlateausChildcare Benefits Cliff Florida Case StudyEffective Marginal Tax Rate Series on Effective Tax RatesAlex Ruder on Benefits Cliffs and Career PathwaysEntry-Level Healthcare Workforce ReportPrograms on Smoothing Out Benefits Cliff Effects<a...

In March of 2020, the remote workforce skyrocketed from just 7 percent of the working population to nearly 40 percent at the height of the pandemic. The pandemic is winding down but it appears remote work is here to stay. In this episode of Hardly Working, I’m joined by Stanford economist Dr. Nicholas (Nick) Bloom to talk about the future of remote work, the worker-employer contest over returning to the office, and the productivity gains from different work arrangements: entirely remote, in-person, or some form of hybrid work. After nearly a decade of researching remote work, Dr. Bloom brings with him extensive quantitative knowledge of the subject and a clear, logical framework for understanding what remote work means for workers and businesses. Mentioned During the Episode:Dr. Bloom's Personal WebsiteBrent’s Recent Report: Looking back on a year of remote work to see the way forward Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS)Who Can Work from Home? The Productivity Boost from Remote WorkWorkers Would Take a 6 Percent Pay Cut to WFHJ.P. Morgan Requires Employees to Return to the Office Deutsche Bank Unveils Hybrid Work ModelPatent for Technologies that Support WFH Increased during COVID-19Michael Strain: COVID-19 Taught Me to Stay Home When SickBloom: Don’t Let Employees Pick Their WFH DaysCOVID-19’s Impact on City CentersCompanies Raising Wages during COVID-19<a...

In the age of rapid economic development and changing workforce demands, noncognitive skills are “master skills” which serve as a foundation for and amplify cognitive and technical skills. Communication, integrity, and organizational soft skills are in top demand by employers, and building and strengthening these characteristics is an essential part of preparing a strong workforce for the future.This episode of "Hardly Working" is a rebroadcast of an event surrounding the publication of AEI’s recently released edited volume “Minding our workforce: The role of noncognitive skills in career success.”This is Part II of a two-part podcast series of this event. You will hear from Harry J. Holzer of Georgetown University on the application of noncognitive skills to the labor market and the limitations of what we know about noncognitive skills and noncognitive skill development. Then, Elisabeth Babcock of Economic Mobility Pathways will discuss noncognitive skills, mentoring, and coaching for low-income, welfare-dependent families. Part I featured Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach of Northwestern University.Mentioned During the EpisodeMinding our workforce: The role of noncongnitive skills in career successMinding our workforce live event at AEIEpisode 54- Minding Our Workforce, Part 1Harry HolzerElizabeth Babcock, MCRPDiane Schanzenback on Noncognitive Skills Becoming a Man ChicagoEMPath Leadership Network

In today’s rapidly changing economy, noncognitive skills development is the key to building a flexible, resilient, and strong workforce for today and in the future. Such skills include communication, integrity, and organization. They are in top demand by employers today, and uncovering how to develop them is an essential workforce policy area.This episode of "Hardly Working" is a rebroadcast of an AEI event on noncognitive skills this past summer. The event served as a follow-up to AEI’s recently released edited volume “Minding our workforce: The role of noncognitive skills in career success.” This is part I of a two-part podcast series of this event. Stay tuned for part II. Part I features several of the contributing authors to the volume, including Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach of Northwestern University. In part II, you will hear from Harry J. Holzer of Georgetown University and Elisabeth Babcock of Economic Mobility Pathways.Mentioned During the EpisodeMinding our workforce: The role of noncognitive skills in career successSTEM without fruit: how noncognitive skills improve workforce outcomesStem perspective: Attitudes, opportunities, and barriers in America's STEM workforceElisabeth BabcockAlbert ChengHarry HolzerDiane Whitmore Schanzenbach

Twenty-first century automation is fueling an ongoing debate around the future of work. Is the end to human labor around the corner? Will robots replace us? The short answer is no. The longer answer is that work is changing fast and will likely require the capacity to adapt and constant upgrading of skills. In this episode of "Hardly Working", I was joined by Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of the Lumina Foundation to discuss what automation means for work. We discussed his most recent book Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines, the connection between education and employment, the value of human abilities, and what the future workforce may look like and require of us.&nbsp;Mentioned During the Episode:&nbsp;Jamie Merisotis’s Website&nbsp;Human Work in the Age of Smart MachinesAmerican Needs TalentTwitter: @jamiemerisotis&nbsp;Lumina Foundation WebsiteOn Automation of Repetitive TasksMinding Our Workforce: The Role of Noncognitive Skills in Career Success On Technology Creating JobsBrent Orrell on the Real Value of WorkBrent Orrell on “Soft Skills” and University EducationKen Goldberg on Human-Machine ComplementarityJamie Merisotis on Human WorkHardly Working on Restoring the Dignity to WorkGallup Poll on Work That MattersJames Merisotis On Universal basic income<a...

The liberal arts are a frequent political punching bag for partisans on both sides of the aisle. Progressives have gotten used to “deconstructing” the “dead White males” of Western classics, leading populists to view them as either irrelevant for finding work or an actual threat to students’ well-being.&nbsp;What if neither view was right? What if the liberal arts are more important and more beneficial than they get credit for?&nbsp;One place where this idea has been put into practice since the 1930s is&nbsp;St. John’s College&nbsp;in Annapolis, Maryland. St. John’s is famous for&nbsp;its great books curriculum, which takes the foundational texts of Western civilization seriously as the starting point for a life well lived and, somewhat surprisingly, a strong foundation for work and career. St. John’s president,&nbsp;Pano Kanelos, joined the podcast for a conversation about what the liberal arts are and why we need them more than ever.Mentioned during the show:Critical race theory debateSt. John’s websiteAbout Pano Kanelos&nbsp;University Professors Program&nbsp;at Boston University&nbsp;Derek WalcottGeoffrey HillRoger Scruton&nbsp;Saul Bellow&nbsp;University of Chicago Committee on Social ThoughtMark Strand&nbsp;‘The Life of the Mind: The Groundbreaking Investigation on How We ThinkKnow thyselfHistory of St. John's CollegeBrent Orrell’s visit to St. John’sMachiavelli’s ‘The Prince’St. John’s College wineryPano Kanelos’ new funding model<a href="https://www.sjc.edu/news/farewell-conversation-pano-kanelos" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

The declining birth rate has come for most advanced countries, and the US is no exception. Now, we are starting to see what a labor market reshaped by years of low fertility looks like and what the future may hold.&nbsp;Ron Hetrick of Emsi and Rob Sentz, formerly of Emsi, joined me to discuss their&nbsp;report&nbsp;on what they’re calling a “sansdemic” — literally, “without people” — labor market. They focused on how this low fertility will affect the economy and what, if anything, the government can and should do in response to these developments.Show notes:What to expect when no one’s expectingEmsi&nbsp;Emsi reportOn the strong labor market before the pandemic&nbsp;On the retirement of boomersOn the lower engagement with the workforce among some AmericansOn the April Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey reportOn the great wealth transfer&nbsp;&nbsp;On women in the labor force&nbsp;On the declining birth rate within the USOn the issues with prime-age men&nbsp;&nbsp;National Bureau of Economic Research video games study&nbsp;On the young people who need jobs&nbsp;&nbsp;On the tight labor market todayOn the coming lack of work&nbsp;&nbsp;On why automation won’t take your job&nbsp;&nbsp;CGP Grey video about automation&nbsp;Brent Orrell on the labor...

Helping workers transition to new careers has taken on new importance during the COVID-19 recovery. This has led to special attention being given to worker transition systems and the existing inadequacies in our current programs, especially when compared to those from other countries.&nbsp;Rachel Lipson and David Deming recently wrote an&nbsp;AEI report&nbsp;that provides an overview of what we know about the opportunities and challenges in reforming worker transition programs. I was pleased to invite them and Visiting Fellow Mason Bishop for a discussion about these issues and where policymakers should go from here. This episode of “Hardly Working” is a recording of that discussion.&nbsp;&nbsp;Show notes:The search for stability: A review of worker transitions&nbsp;&nbsp;Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others CollapseMen Without Work: America's Invisible CrisisDeaths of Despair and the Future of CapitalismRachel Lipson’s websiteDavid Deming’s websiteRachel Lipson’s presentation&nbsp;

For America’s workforce, the past year has been, if not the worst of times, certainly one of the most challenging in the nation’s history. Pandemic lockdowns have been associated with not only burnout and stress but also the discovery of the potential benefits of remote work.&nbsp;Laurel Farrer, a remote work consultant and strategist, joined us on “Hardly Working”&nbsp;to explain how the pandemic has accelerated a transition that was already underway and how to distinguish between the challenges of remote work and the problems created by the pandemic.&nbsp;Mentioned during the show:&nbsp;Chronicle of the Black DeathLaurel Farrer’s websiteDefining virtual work jobs: Here's what each term meansInfographic: The impact of remote working on talent acquisitionDistribute consultingRemote work for economic development: A conversation with Laurel Farrer&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On remote work and social isolationOn work from home and change managementOn remote work and its effect on operationsOn remote work and diversityThe environmental benefits of remote working&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On how remote working is changing attitudesOn managing remote workers&nbsp;&nbsp;On remote work and equityOn why remote work (as practiced) is illegalLegal problems with remote work<a...

Job Corps&nbsp;is a program that dates to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. The initial goal — help young people develop the skills they need to succeed in the workforce — was laudable. However, as tends to happen with government programs, the results have fallen short of the vision.On this episode of “Hardly Working,” I’m joined by Anne Kim, who listeners may recognize from&nbsp;her first appearanceon the show. Kim talked about a&nbsp;recent article&nbsp;she wrote for Washington Monthly looking at the promise of Job Corps and the disappointment it has left in its wake.&nbsp;Show Notes:Anne Kim’s first appearance on ‘Hardly Working’Anne Kim’s essay in Washington Monthly&nbsp;Anne Kim’s bookGeorge Foreman repaying Job Corp&nbsp;On Job Corps not workingPast Job Corps audits (1,&nbsp;2)Job Corps handbookMathematica Job Corps evaluation2018 Job Corps audit&nbsp;On why doing nothing can be better than doing somethingYearUpOn the wrong people benefiting from Job CorpsJob CorpsPhiladelphia Youth NetworkMinding our workforce: The role of noncognitive skills in career successEconomic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)On Job Corps trouble in COVID-19 times<a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/young-workers-covid-recession/" rel="noopener...

Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash all represent a new kind of company — one that seeks to connect individual workers to fluid market demands. These electronic gig networks have not only spread prosperity but also made it clear how important people’s talents are to the economy as a whole. They also hold promise in providing people with ways to develop new skills and business opportunities and to become their own bosses rather than working for someone else. But the gig economy is imperfect and has uncertainties regarding paychecks and health care. Dynamism, and the mobility and opportunity it provides, has always been a hallmark of a US economy that has delivered unprecedented wealth and well-being to more people than ever before in human history. How do we retain this dynamism without leaving ever larger numbers of workers exposed to unpredictable economic trends and events?To help understand some of these trade-offs and how to maximize the benefits of the gig economy, we’re joined by Liya Palagashvili of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Palagashvili has published several new papers looking at women in the gig economy, the importance of this sector during and after the pandemic, and what the future of gig economy regulation might look like. Show notes:&nbsp;Employee vs. independent worker: A framework for understanding work differences by Liya Palagashvili and Paola Suarez &nbsp;Women as independent workers in the gig economy by Liya Palagashvili and Paola Suarez &nbsp;Claudia Goldin&nbsp;A grand gender convergence: Its last chapter by Claudia Goldin&nbsp;Independent contractors in the US: New trends from 15 years of administrative tax data by Katherine Lim et al.&nbsp;Startup innovation: The role of regulation in entrepreneurship by Liya Palagashvili&nbsp;ABC Test | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute&nbsp;&nbsp;Freelancing in America 2019&nbsp;New Upwork study finds 36 percent of the US workforce freelance amid the COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;Liya Palagashvili’s website&nbsp;Liya Palagashvili’s Mercatus Center website&nbsp;Liya Palagashvili’s Twitter

The liberal arts have been having a rough time. The left tends to see them as part and parcel of a racist system that must be overthrown, and the right sees them as either a waste of time or part of the woke industrial complex. All this leads us to ask: Are they doomed? Should they be?&nbsp;This week, I sat down with Ted Hadzi-Antich of the Great Questions Foundation for a conversation about the essential role the liberal arts and “great books” play in personal formation, career success, and long-term happiness. &nbsp;Show Notes:St John’s CollegePlato’s RepublicBaruch SpinozaNiccolò Machiavelli Austin Community CollegeUniversity of Strasbourg Allegory of the CaveGreat Questions FoundationAEI STEM reportDavid Deming social skills reportRamayana Sundiata Euclid’s ElementsTeagle Foundation

Nontechnical skills — communication, creativity, and teamwork — are important to career success. Unfortunately, they often aren’t well-defined, and we have trouble “teaching” them in a classroom. David Deming of the Malcom Wiener Center on Social Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government has spent several years researching the role noncognitive and nontechnical skills play in workforce success.On this episode of “Hardly Working,” I sat down with Deming to learn more about his career and the impact of job outcomes. He also spoke about the launch and development of the new Harvard Skills Lab and how state and local workforce agencies, training organizations, community colleges, and others can gain access to more information about what works in workforce preparation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Items mentioned during the podcast:STEM without fruit: How noncognitive skills improve workforce outcomes Early childhood intervention and life-cycle skill development: Evidence from Head StartMalcom Wiener Center on Social Policy “The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children”Harvard Project on Workforce Harvard Skills LabDavid Deming’s 2017 paper on noncognitive skillsDavid Deming’s 2020 paper on team players Community of practice&nbsp;webinarDavid Deming’s TwitterDavid Deming’s personal website &nbsp;Scholars mentioned during the podcast:Susan Dynarski Lawrence KatzDavid Autor &nbsp;

Remote work went from niche to mainstream due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A practice that was initially exclusive became the new normal for much of the white-collar workforce. Businesses and employees may not be keen to go back to the way things used to be.&nbsp;&nbsp;This episode of “Hardly Working” is a companion episode to the one that ran two weeks ago and contains the second half of AEI’s remote work panel discussion from last year. We finish the conversation by looking at the pluses and minuses of life in the home office and how working from home is affecting employers and employees.&nbsp;

Remote work exploded in popularity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A practice previously used by a fraction of the workforce suddenly became the new normal for many white-collar workers. Many businesses have already suggested they may never return to the "old normal."In this episode of "Hardly Working," we look at the pluses and minuses of life in the home office and how working from home is affecting employers and employees. It is a two-part conversation so stay tuned for the next episode to hear it all.

Of all the things we take for granted, parental love is pretty high on the list, and yet few things are as important in setting our expectations and opportunities in life. But what happens when a child can’t depend on his or her parents? This is the story of Alexis and Justin Black, two young adults who grew up in the nation’s foster care system, and how, as young adults, they have overcome traumas of abandonment, abuse, and neglect to build a more hopeful life together. &nbsp;Alexis (who was my student in AEI’s Summer Honors Program) and Justin joined me for this episode of “Hardly Working” to discuss their upbringing; what families, community, and government need to do to better help foster and at-risk youth; and their recent book, “Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat the Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness, and Love” (Global Perspectives Publishing, 2020).

In 2016, the idea of ‘deaths of despair’ went from a social science term to a much more widespread one as the forgotten man (and woman) played an integral part in electing President Trump. How are things now, and what comes next? The authors of 2020’s Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism, Angus Deaton and Anne Case joined me on this episode to talk about this problem and what needs to be done about it.&nbsp;

Entry-level workers face a myriad of obstacles to finding, keeping, and advancing in their careers that can hamper progress toward achieving family-sustaining employment. These obstacles are inhibit company productivity and company efforts to reduce turnover and strengthen and diversify workforces. Employer Resource Networks are a potential solution to this problem.This episode of Hardly Working is the second in a two-part sequence of a recent event hosted at the American Enterprise Institute, entitled “Employer Resource Networks: Improving employment retention and building career opportunities for low-wage workers”.

Entry-level workers face a myriad of obstacles to finding, keeping, and advancing in their careers that can hamper progress toward achieving family-sustaining employment. These obstacles inhibit company productivity and company efforts to reduce turnover and strengthen and diversify workforces. Employer Resource Networks are a potential solution to this problem.This episode of Hardly Working is the first in a two-part sequence of a recent event hosted at the American Enterprise Institute, entitled “Employer Resource Networks: Improving employment retention and building career opportunities for low-wage workers”.

Cases of COVID-19 are rapidly accelerating around the country, diminishing hopes that life will return to a pre-pandemic normal anytime soon. Health concerns are not all the country has to worry about, though. To discuss the economic and financial impacts of COVID-19 in America and in emerging markets, Brent is joined by Desmond Lachman, a Resident Fellow in Economic Policy for The American Enterprise Institute. They discuss monetary policy, our economic future, and predictions for the months ahead.&nbsp;

Are prisons designed to punish, rehabilitate, or a combination of the two?&nbsp;At age 17,&nbsp;Chris Wilson&nbsp;was sentenced to life in prison, but he developed a list of goals — his “master plan” — to help him become the man he knew he wanted to be, despite being behind bars. Sixteen years later, Chis was granted parole. Since then, he has dedicated his life to giving back to his community, building multiple businesses, and supporting returning citizens.In this rebroadcasted episode, Chris joined&nbsp;Brent&nbsp;to discuss&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;in prisons, prison culture, and Chris’ new book, “The Master Plan: My Journey from a Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose.”

Children who are born and raised in two-parent families are significantly more likely to avoid poverty and other adverse social outcomes but how that happens is unclear.Brent talks to Scott Winship, Director of Poverty Studies at AEI and co-author of a new report on family structure in America entitled “The Demise of the Happy Two-Parent Home”. They discuss family stability, economic security, and how family structure contributes to the success for children.&nbsp;

Over the past five years, Americans have become more pessimistic about the nation’s economic future. We’ve weathered two recessions and now a pandemic that has put millions out of work. For some, these events have been a sign that free markets aren’t all they are cracked up to be and that stronger government interventions are needed. But does the data support this view?Brent talks to Michael Strain, a Resident Scholar and Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, as well as the author of “The American Dream is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It)”, about what the data tell us is really going on with employment, wages, and intergenerational economic mobility.&nbsp;

For decades society has awarded social prestige and financial benefits to those who acquire a college degree and enter the so-called “knowledge economy”. Skilled manual labor and the caring professions, however, have too often been left behind. Why are these workers not as valued as they should be? And how do we create a more equitable labor force to ensure that all workers are respected for the value they provide to our society?Brent talks to David Goodhart, the author of “Head, Hand, Heart: The Struggle for Dignity and Status in the 21stCentury”, about the markers of a successful life, the value of skilled crafts and the caring professions, and the need to reconsider our priorities in training and educating students and workers.&nbsp;

The accessibility of a college-level education in prison has been a controversial topic for decades. While some view it as an innovative solution to reduce recidivism and help prisoners better understand themselves and the world around them, others see it as a waste of taxpayer funded resources. Brent talks to Max Kenner, the founder and Executive Director of the Bard Prison Initiative, a fully-accredited college program in the New York State correctional system, about the importance of educational equity, the history of education in prison, and how the liberal arts can set prisoners up for success in the modern workforce.

For many years it was thought that the only industries at risk of being automated were those that did not require human intelligence. Artificial intelligence is bringing automation to increasing numbers of tasks and forcing human beings to work in concert with technology. Some say, AI is actually rewriting the playbook of work altogether and may undermine the role as a source of meaning and purpose.Brent talks to Daniel Susskind, a Fellow in Economics at Balliol College, Oxford, and the author of “A World Without Work: Technology, Automation, and How We Should Respond”. They discuss technological unemployment and the role of work in personal fulfillment. Along the way, they sort the science of artificial intelligence from the science-fiction.&nbsp;