No Halo News · Sourced development
Mathematica reported large early earnings gains among Great Jobs KC training graduates while cautioning that the estimate was not causal
Mathematica evaluated the first two years of Great Jobs KC’s tuition-free workforce program using records for about 7,000 trainees, employment outcomes for an early group with at least six months in the job market, and interviews. About eight in 10 participants stayed long enough to complete training or continue working toward completion. Among graduates with at least six months to seek work, 59 percent found employment. Average annual earnings among graduates rose 78 percent, from $14,634 before training to $26,037 afterward; employed graduates averaged $47,465. Mathematica expressly stated that the study did not prove the program caused the earnings increase.
Status matters. This page records a sourced development, not a completed No Halo investigation. An allegation is not a finding. Dismissals, settlements, judgments, corrections and final outcomes remain distinct.
Donor relevance
Why this matters
The program reached unusual scale quickly while combining free employer-linked training with transportation, technology, clothing, housing and other supports. The early earnings and placement figures are substantial enough to merit continued independent evaluation.
Attribution
Who reported or established this
The results were reported by Mathematica researchers Ira Nichols-Barrer, Vanessa Quince and Marykate Zukiewicz using Great Jobs KC program data and stakeholder interviews.
Evidence limits
What remains unverified
No Halo has not independently audited the underlying records. The study lacked a control group, covered only early cohorts and did not measure benefits, schedule stability or long-term advancement. Forty-one percent of graduates in the measured group had not yet found work.
Right of reply
Organization response
Great Jobs KC publicly highlighted the Mathematica findings and continued expanding the program. The evaluation also reported that staff sought additional personnel, language support and foundational-skills workshops to manage rapid growth and serve participants with varied needs.
Classification
How No Halo records this event
Event type: Independent Impact Evidence. Current state: Reported. No Halo preserves the current procedural state rather than treating every mention as a finding.
Published January 1, 2025 · Last verified September 16, 2026. See an error or a later outcome? Submit a correction or right of reply.