2023-2024 Local Workforce Leadership Academy Partners

Since 2014, the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program (EOP) has worked with local organizations to deliver 14 Workforce Leadership Academies in 11 cities with nearly 250 participants. Workforce Leadership Academies bring together leaders from across local workforce ecosystems into a Fellowship community to deepen networks, strengthen systems leadership skills, apply race equity and systems change frameworks to leaders’ work, and deepen understanding of effective strategies and programs. By investing in leaders’ knowledge, skills, and relationships, the Workforce Leadership Academies are well positioned to build nimble collaboration so important to the ecosystem’s success.

In 2022, EOP issued a Request for Applications seeking partners committed to advancing this work at scale. The eight partners below were selected from a competitive pool of applicants from 24 states and represent a powerful diversity of institutional types and communities across the country. These partners will launch Academies in 2023.

#Workforce Leadership Academies bring together leaders to deepen networks, strengthen leadership, advance equity, and enhance understanding of effective strategies and programs. And @AspenJobQuality announced eight new partners for 2023! Learn more.

  • Center for the Future of Arizona and Pima Community College
    Center for the Future of Arizona and Pima Community College

    Tucson, Arizona

    arizonafuture.org and ce.pima.edu

    Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan “do-tank” driven by the mission of bringing Arizonans together to create a stronger and brighter future. CFA leads statewide impact initiatives and programs in the areas of education, workforce development, and civic engagement, in order to advance economic prosperity, quality of life, and opportunity for all. Pima Community College is CFA’s partner to deliver the Tucson Academy. Since its inception in 1969, Pima Community College has sought to reflect the diverse communities that call Pima County home and is proud to be recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Today, Pima has more than 30,000 learners in over 100 transfer, degree, and certificate programs.

  • Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
    Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

    Detroit, Michigan

    skilledwork.org

    Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) is a national workforce policy nonprofit that catalyzes change in educational and labor market systems, policies, and practices to increase economic mobility, particularly for people of color and others historically excluded from success. For more than 30 years, CSW has focused on achieving scalable improvements in worker skills, lifelong learning, and job quality. CSW has extensive experience developing the capacity of workforce organizations and workforce practitioners, including through our Workforce Benchmarking Network cohorts, facilitating multiple Workforce Leadership Academies, and most recently leading an equity learning community focused on centering learner voice.

    • The Greater Memphis Chamber
      The Greater Memphis Chamber

      Memphis, Tennessee

      memphischamber.com

      The Chamber serves as the voice of industry through public policy advocacy, economic development, and workforce development. Founded in 1838, the Chamber is one of Memphis’ oldest institutions with roughly 1,500 members today, including many of the region’s largest employers. As part of its data-driven approach to economic development, the Chamber recently released MemMeasures, a dashboard of important economic indicators that are critical to achieving prosperity for all.

    • New York Association for Training and Employment Professionals
      New York Association for Training and Employment Professionals

      Buffalo, New York

      nyatep.org

      The New York Association for Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP) is a statewide intermediary that brings together government, nonprofit, education, and training organizations to foster more effective and equitable workforce systems. NYATEP is the state’s primary advocate in Albany and operates a statewide Workforce Policy and Advocacy Academy to train workforce leaders. Additionally, NYATEP provides training for frontline workers in the sector and their partners, including regularly convening the local Workforce Development Boards.

      • The Ohio Workforce Coalition with the Northeast Ohio Workforce Coalition in Cleveland
        The Ohio Workforce Coalition with the Northeast Ohio Workforce Coalition in Cleveland

        Cuyahoga County, Ohio

        ohioworkforcecoalition.org

        The Ohio Workforce Coalition (OWC) convenes, informs, and mobilizes workforce stakeholders to identify and drive policy and practice change for workers, employers, and workforce systems. OWC works in partnership with local affiliates (i.e., Northeast Ohio Workforce Coalition convened by Towards Employment) to develop and release policy priorities, research, and analysis; host legislative briefings; and build statewide alliances to address workforce issues. Through monthly webinars, calls-to-action, and professional development offerings, OWC supports and builds the capacity of workforce systems and has contributed to creation of a cabinet-level workforce official, increases in state-level investments for sector partnerships, and revised incumbent worker training policies.

      • Scranton Area Community Foundation
        Scranton Area Community Foundation

        Scranton, Pennsylvania

        safdn.org

        As a public community foundation, SACF manages nearly 300 charitable funds and private foundations established by philanthropic individuals and businesses in the northeastern Pennsylvania community. In addition, SACF leads several regional initiatives including NEPA Thrives, an equity-driven workforce-based partnership, as well as the Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, established to serve the capacity-building needs of nonprofit organizations.

        • The United Way of Central Maryland
          The United Way of Central Maryland

          Baltimore, Maryland

          uwcm.org

          United Way of Central Maryland promotes equity, creates opportunity, and improves lives by increasing access to basic needs, including employment. United Way supports the economic advancement of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households and others in need with programs including job training and financial literacy for SNAP recipients and overall employee/employer supports to address barriers to employment.

        • Workforce Solutions Alamo
          Workforce Solutions Alamo

          San Antonio, Texas

          workforcesolutionsalamo.org

          Workforce Solutions Alamo (WSA)–the governing board for the 13-county regional workforce system—serving a labor force of over 1.2 million people, partners with local government, educational institutions, employers, non-profit partners and community stakeholders to strengthen the regional economy by growing and connecting talent pipelines to employers, utilizing a sector-based industry model. As part of the Sector Based partnership model, WSA has launched a workforce ambassador program and established the Alamo Workforce Consortium convening strategic partners to help San Antonio residents access education, training, and sustainable jobs.