Good Jobs Hawaiʻi participants see significant wage gains, UHERO finds

From UH News, July 7,  2025

Participants who completed the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi (GJH) program—a tuition-free, non-credit training program offered through the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges—experienced notable increases in earnings and transitions into higher-paying industries six months after completion, according to a preliminary analysis from the UH Economic Research Organization (UHERO).

UHERO said that participants who completed GJH training experienced an average increase of $1,800 in real quarterly wages—equivalent to about $7,200 on an annualized basis—compared to $780 for non-completers.

“These early findings offer encouraging signals,” stated Tim Halliday and Rachel Inafuku in the blog post. “The observed patterns suggest that Good Jobs Hawaiʻi may be associated with increased wages and shifts into higher-paying sectors—factors that align with broader goals of economic mobility. While the current analysis is preliminary, continued investment in data infrastructure will be critical for assessing the program’s long-term influence and understanding which components are most effective.”

Big gains for skilled trades, clean energy, healthcare

Wage gains were particularly significant in the skilled trades and clean energy sectors, where completers earned 35% more than non-completers. In healthcare, completers earned 19% more six months post-completion, rising to 23% more by the fourth quarter.

Geographic differences emerged, with UH Maui College participants seeing the highest post-program earnings growth at 22%.

The data also revealed shifts in employment sectors. Many completers left lower-wage industries, such as food service, and entered fields such as healthcare, construction and public administration. Participants who switched industries after completing training saw significantly higher wage gains than those who remained in the same field.

Disparities remain

While short-term gains were promising, disparities remained. Women, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander participants earned less than their peers. And those with a high school diploma or less saw the largest average increase—about $2,000 more per quarter than their pre-program earnings.

The authors note their analysis reflects a relatively new program with a small sample size—fewer than 2,000 individuals—and a short follow-up period of typically two quarters after completion. As a result, it does not capture longer-term earnings trends.

However, they said, “As the initiative progresses, programs like Good Jobs Hawaiʻi have the potential to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s economic resilience by creating pathways for residents to access higher-paying jobs.”

Read the entire blog on UHERO’s website.

UHERO is housed in UH Mānoa’s College of Social Sciences.