Greater Houston is the nation’s fourth largest metro economy and has enjoyed four years of extraordinary growth, creating more than 480,000 jobs since the bottom of the recession—three jobs for every one lost. But this growth has also intensified employers’ struggle to fill key occupations, particularly in middle-skill careers and professions. UpSkill Houston, and the local leaders involved in the Communities that Work Partnership (CTWP), have adopted a series of innovative prototypes to speed workforce innovation and to scale what works to meet the demand for these middle-skill jobs.
About the 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 Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative jointly launched the Communities that Work Partnership with the US Economic Development Administration. 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.
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