Giving Compass' Take:

• The Aspen Institute is opening four new workforce leadership academies that provide skills training to inspire collaborative solutions to community issues. 

• How can philanthropists help support workforce development training? If successful, will these academies likely expand to all states? 

• Read the Giving Compass Workforce Development guide for donors. 

The Economic Opportunities Program is excited to announce plans to develop and lead Workforce Leadership Academies in four communities over the next two years in partnership with local organizations. These new Academies will build the professional skills and networks of workforce development professionals and provide a forum for local leaders to work collaboratively to identify common challenges and create shared solutions.

“We need strong leaders who can work effectively with businesses, workers and job seekers to get more people into quality jobs,” said Sheila Maguire, Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program. “The Academies provide a rare opportunity to invest in these leaders and bring the workforce development system’s stakeholders together to reflect on challenges and share strategies to address them.”

The new Academies are the latest in a series hosted in communities such as Hartford, Baltimore, Toronto, Detroit, and Seattle. Each Academy will bring together up to 25 professionals as Fellows in a series of retreats and workshops over the course of a year, teaching them new tools and helping them collaborate on challenges in their community.

Workforce development programs are a key tool for helping people develop the skills they need to compete for today’s jobs, and when done well can transform lives and strengthen economies,” said Jennie Sparandara, Head of Workforce Initiatives, JPMorgan Chase.

Read the full article about workforce leadership academies at The Aspen Institute