Giving Compass' Take:

• Brookings Institute explores the rise of "infrastructure academies" — training programs that teach skills targeted at jobs such as building roads and installing pipes (where there aren't enough trained personnel).

• This would have the dual benefit of preparing people for the future of work, while also improving our communities. In what ways can nonprofits support these academies? How should we define them?

• Here's more on why we should recognize the role of infrastructure as an economic anchor.

The need to hire and train a new generation of workers to construct, operate, and maintain the country’s infrastructure systems represents a pressing challenge in years to come. A wave of retirements, a lack of visibility, and a struggle to create a strong training pipeline have all contributed to a widening talent gap in the infrastructure sector. However, the emergence of “infrastructure academies” — institutions focused on infrastructure workforce development — offers a promising approach to connect more workers with opportunities in this space.

This brief aims to better define what “academies” mean in theory and practice, while examining why employers, educators, and other community leaders may want to establish them as part of a more comprehensive infrastructure workforce strategy. It highlights the evolving role and major limitations of infrastructure academies, before outlining several ingredients essential to their successful design and implementation. To prepare workers for long-lasting infrastructure careers and achieve greater economic opportunity, regional leaders need to consider whether infrastructure academies contribute to a more visible, proactive sector strategy.

Read the full article about "infrastructure academies" addressing workforce gaps by Joseph Kane and Lara Fishbane at Brookings.