A New Lab for Workforce Research in CEHD

The Workforce Development and Research Lab (WDRL) is an interdisciplinary nexus of scholars, researchers and students for addressing the needs and aspirations of a diverse workforce in the context of societal and technological transformation. The lab focuses on developing and testing possible solutions to complex workforce-related problems in collaboration with non- profit, public and private partners. Lab affiliates are drawn from the School of Social Work (SSW), Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD), and Curriculum and
Instruction (C&I), as well as from Mechanical Engineering (in the College of Science and Engineering). The Minnesota Council of Non Profits (MCN) is an organizational affiliate, and there are also individual affiliates from key community-based organizations.

SSW Professor John Bricout and OLPD Professor Alexandre Ardichvili are the Lab’s Co-Directors, with numerous additional CEHD faculty and students playing key roles.

Bricout sees particular opportunities for fostering innovative research and training aimed at addressing the workforce development needs and aspirations of marginalized populations, and the workers who serve them. This includes youth, people with disabilities, older adults, refugees, LGBTQ+, and communities of color.