| The report, which was commissioned by the NYC Employment and Training Coalition, calls for citywide improvements to jobs training access and an equity-focused approach to employment disparities. |
| NEW YORK (March 21, 2023) — Today, the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) released a report alongside the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School (CNYCA), and the Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI) with recommendations for rebuilding the New York City workforce post-pandemic. According to the report, vast disparities remain in employment, especially among the Black community and those without a four-year college degree. The report calls for directly addressing those disparities by putting funding into increased jobs training access and ensuring a livable wage for every worker. “We know firsthand that the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for New York — and workers across the city are still feeling its effects,” said Greg Morris, CEO, NYCETC. “If we want to rebuild our city, we need to reinvest in our workers, and we need to ensure that we’re building long-term solutions so that we can weather the next economic crisis. New York workers deserve to be empowered, and that must come with real investments in job training access and ensuring a livable wage for every job.” “As we emerge from the pandemic, all New Yorkers must share in the City’s prosperity,” said Blake Foote, Interim CEO, WPTI. This is a challenge as we face a rising cost of living, a digitizing economy, and a changing labor market – in which the jobs of today are not necessarily the careers of the future. An intentional, cohesive, and data-driven workforce development strategy that reflects the needs and capacities of workers, employers, service providers, and other key stakeholders is critical. These recommendations serve as a roadmap for policymakers to craft such a strategy.” “The pandemic turned the city’s labor market upside down,” said James Parrott, Director of Economic and Fiscal Policies, Center for NYC Affairs at The New School. “The worst thing we can do is assume that things will work themselves out on their own given enough time. We need an active labor market policy with a strategy to prepare more workers for careers and to get behind policies to improve the quality of jobs and raise wages.” ### About the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) Founded in 1997, the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) is the largest city-based workforce development association in the country. NYCETC works to ensure that every New Yorker — especially those who have been historically marginalized and disenfranchised and cut off from workforce opportunities — has access to the skills, training, and education needed to thrive in the local economy and that every business is able to maintain a highly-skilled workforce. About the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School The Center for New York City Affairs is an applied policy research organization. The Center works where people’s lives intersect with government and community organizations to illuminate the impact of public policy on the lives of individuals and communities. Our research focuses on practical solutions, rigorous analysis, and provides real-time feedback for policymakers, providers, and communities. The Economic and Fiscal Policies team has built a strong track record of publishing evidence and arguments that have facilitated change in low-income New Yorkers’ lives, such as labor protections for gig workers, reforming unemployment insurance, and increasing pay for childcare and social service workers. About Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI) WPTI increases the effectiveness of people, programs, and organizations that are committed to generating pathways out of poverty through employment. Our three-tiered approach strengthens capacity at all levels of the workforce development system. *Professional Training: Develop the skills and careers of practitioners *Organizational Consulting: Maximize productivity of programs and teams *Systems Building: Create linkages, foster research and influence funding and best practice priorities |