Communities that Work Partnership

Skilled workers and good jobs are essential for ensuring robust economic growth, a thriving middle class, and broadly shared prosperity. Increasingly, companies and public agencies — including those in education, workforce, and economic development — are partnering to design innovative ways for workers to gain skills and earn credentials that companies will value and reward. These efforts facilitate the creation of good jobs, support strong businesses, and build healthy communities.

In April 2015, the Economic Opportunities Program’s Workforce Strategies Initiative jointly launched the Communities that Work Partnership with the US Economic Development Administration and additional support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Joyce Foundation. The purpose of this initiative was to document and accelerate the development of employer-led regional workforce initiatives across the country. Seven competitively selected sites — in Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Georgia, New York (upstate and NYC), and Texas — participated in a learning exchange focused on bridging economic and workforce development to strengthen local talent pipelines and improve access to quality employment.