U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson today launched the Communities that Work Partnership, a brand new joint project aimed at accelerating industry-led workforce development and training efforts.
As part of the Department’s “Skills for Business” initiative, the partnership will competitively select six teams around the country comprised of leaders in industry, government, education, workforce and economic development. These teams will receive technical assistance and participate in leadership development activities to strengthen regional skills development strategies that meet both businesses’ and workers’ needs. The results will inform and improve talent development efforts across the country. Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative (AspenWSI) will lead the initiative through a $500,000 grant, which the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded for the very first time.
“The Obama Administration has taken unprecedented steps to bring together businesses, educational institutions, workforce and economic development organizations, local governments, as well as non-profits to prepare workers for in-demand jobs," said Secretary Pritzker. “As part of the Department of Commerce’s ‘Skills for Business’ initiative, our partnership with Aspen will support worker training that meets businesses' and workers’ needs and keeps America competitive.” “I'm honored that Secretary Pritzker selected the Aspen Institute to help establish the Communities that Work Partnership,” said Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “The initiative's focus on promoting employer-led skills development is just the kind of innovative approach we need more of today to help address the inequality that has become all too pervasive in our economy.” Secretary Pritzker has made skills and workforce development a top priority for the Department of Commerce, and is working with the private sector and government leaders at all levels as part of the ‘Skills for Business’ initiative to prepare workers with the training needed to secure the 21st century jobs business leaders are seeking to fill.
At today’s event, it was announced that AspenWSI has published a website with information about the initiative here. Their national selection committee will competitively select six teams from different regions. AspenWSI will document the strategies and lessons learned from these six original teams and provide new learning tools and case studies that can help communities and regions across the nation develop their talent pipelines to fill in-demand jobs.
AspenWSI was selected from among a dozen other applicants to partner with Commerce because of its proven track record and innovative work with workforce and leadership development.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov ) The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners. www.aspeninstitute.org
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
