Sustaining the Promise: Realizing the Potential of Workforce Intermediaries and Sector Projects

Publication Date: December 2008

Publisher: Jobs for the Future, Inc.

Author(s): Sarah Griffen

Research Area: Labor

Keywords: sustainability; adult education; workforce partnership; workforce development

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

Complex workforce development projects managed by intermediaries, usually focused on one industry or sector, provide a wide range of education, training, and support services for low-income adults. As this field matures, and as the seed funding that launched many of these projects expires, a key question emerges: how can workforce intermediaries and sector projects be sustained so that they can fulfill the promise of meeting both worker and employer needs?

According to Sustaining the Promise, sustainability lies in the ability of these projects to manage complex relationships and funding streams, meet multiple needs simultaneously, and stay ahead of the curve in their areas of expertise. Drawing on the experiences of key sector projects and practitioners around the country, this report says that projects must develop highly sophisticated infrastructures, identify and maintain diverse funding, and continually streamline and improve their operations.