Improving Services and Outcomes for Diverse Populations in America’s Workforce Development System
Recommendations from the Workforce Transformation Policy Council
The Workforce Transformation Policy Council (WTPC) is a select group of
over 20 workforce development leaders convened by Jobs for the Future
(JFF) and the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). Its aim
is to identify policy changes that are needed to transform the U.S.
workforce development system, so it is better able to meet the complex
needs of todays and tomorrow’s labor market. Together, WTPC
participants draw on their expertise and experiences to provide practical
insights on what good policy looks like; what challenges U.S. workers and
employers face; and what changes are needed to have a more effective,
resilient, and equitable workforce development system. This is the first in a
series of policy papers created by WTPC members to inform
policymakers.
In 2023, Jobs for the Future (JFF) and the National Association of
Workforce Boards (NAWB) formed the Task Force on Better Serving
Diverse Populations in the U.S. Workforce Development System, an
offshoot of the Workforce Transformation Policy Council. The task force
comprised executives from different workforce development boards
from across the country with special interest and expertise in this topic.
Together, through a series of three meetings and subsequent
interviews, the task force explored how federal policies can better use
existing workforce systems to deliver people-first, equity-centered
results for all through the workforce system’s adult and youth
programs. The resulting principles and recommendations outlined in
this report lean into the power of the nation’s workforce development
system as a whole while remaining locally responsive and data-driven.
