Here's a page with links to my 1980s/early 1990s job training critiques.

Stephen has faith that the programs can run well.  I have no faith that the feds can fix a program they have bungled for more than half a century.

Stephen and Marty both urged me to come up with constructive suggestions. But I've seen the feds try practically every reform in the book – and still shaft would-be trainees.  Doing harm is worse than doing nothing. For generations, politicians have won applause by promising to give young people valuable skills and betrayed them year after year.  Federal job training is a prime example of the incorrigibility of a government intervention.

I cited several evaluations of federal programs which showed that "training" actually reduced participants' subsequent earnings. Marty suggested that rather than relying on past evaluations, we should use logic to come up with a better program. I laughed and said it was a peculiar type of logic that begins by disposing of the evidence.