NEW YORK, NY – June 3, 2025 – The New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC), in partnership with Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) and with generous support from The Pinkerton Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Ira W. DeCamp Foundation, and Deutsche Bank, is midway through the 2025 Workforce Benchmarking Network (WBN NYC) cohort—deepening a field-wide commitment to accountability, performance, and systemic equity across New York City’s workforce development ecosystem.
Now in its second cohort, the WBN NYC initiative is a foundational component of NYCETC’s broader Workforce Development Agenda and a renewed effort in the city to convene and train providers around shared performance metrics, peer learning, and data-driven decision-making. WBN NYC helps providers move beyond compliance and toward continuous improvement, equity, and stronger labor market outcomes.
“Workforce accountability is about transparency, collaboration, and an honest look at how we serve New Yorkers,” said Gregory J. Morris, CEO of NYCETC.”Benchmarking is how we build trust with job seekers, funders, and employers. It’s how we show what works, push each other to grow, and ensure that more New Yorkers move into stable, good-paying jobs. This effort is key in building a smarter, fairer workforce system that delivers real results.”
Launched in late 2024, the 2025 WBN NYC cohort brings together 16 organizations—ranging from local nonprofits to national workforce intermediaries—for monthly learning forums, performance tracking, and field-wide data collection. Metrics extend beyond basic job placement, encompassing retention, wage progression, and access to benefits such as employer-sponsored health insurance. With more than 100 workforce professionals engaged across two cohorts, NYCETC is laying the foundation for citywide performance alignment and shared accountability.
This work is especially urgent in light of NYCETC’s recent report, Putting Our Dollars to Work, which revealed that only 16% of the city’s $640M in workforce funding reaches prime-age adults, despite this group making up the majority of NYC’s underemployed workforce. Benchmarking becomes a tool to identify imbalances, bringing visibility to who is served, how outcomes differ, and where policy and funding need to shift to support inclusive economic growth.
The initiative also reflects NYCETC’s commitment to data-driven decision-making as a cornerstone of its agenda. The Workforce Development Agenda calls for benchmarking not only to optimize provider impact but to drive broader systems change, including expanding employer engagement, aligning training with labor market demand, and embedding workforce strategy into every major economic investment.
Participating organizations meet monthly for structured learning forums facilitated by the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce to explore how to define and measure success beyond contractual obligations. The first WBN NYC pilot launched in April 2024, and with the second cohort now underway, workforce practitioners from 25 organizations are on track to participate in benchmarking activities by the end of the year. The initiative promotes cross-cohort collaboration to enhance knowledge sharing and sector-wide learning.
Organizations participating in the 2025 cohort include: All Star Code, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Commonpoint, Drive Change, East Side Settlement House, Genspace, Grace Institute, Greenwich House, Hope Program, Jericho Project, Manhattan EOC, Osborne Association, Phipps Neighborhoods, Red Hook Initiative, Solar One, and Upwardly Global.
“At The Doe Fund, accountability isn’t just about numbers—it’s about people,” said Jennifer Mitchell, CEO and President at The Doe Fund. “Tracking outcomes like employment and long-term stability helps us make sure our programs truly change lives. Sector-wide benchmarking strengthens our ability to learn from one another and stay focused on what matters most: helping New Yorkers build lasting futures.”
“We serve New Yorkers who face systemic barriers to employment. Without strong, consistent data, it’s impossible to know whether our interventions are closing opportunity gaps or unintentionally reinforcing them,” said David Garza, President & CEO at Henry Street Settlement. “Sector-wide benchmarking gives us the information we need to refine programs, strengthen partnerships, and fight for equitable workforce outcomes citywide.”
“For refugees, asylees, and survivors of trafficking, employment offers dignity and a new beginning. But the workforce system must prove it’s delivering real opportunities, not just initial placements,” said Dr. Kira O’Brien, Interim Executive Director at Emma’s Torch. “We support efforts that prioritize transparency, long-term outcomes, and the kind of rigorous data that drives continuous improvement and holds us all to a higher standard.”
“This partnership reflects a deeper commitment to measuring what truly matters—not just graduation rates, but wage growth, career stability, and long-term economic security for women. It’s not simply about placing someone in a job; it’s about building pathways to lasting, meaningful careers,” said Andrew De Silva, Director of Recruitment and Retention at Grace Institute. “Grace’s journey in this year’s WBN cohort is a powerful signal that our collective efforts as workforce providers are making a real difference. It’s inspiring to witness the growing collaboration across organizations, and my colleagues and I are energized by the opportunity to keep learning and evolving to better serve women of New York City.”
“For internationally educated immigrant and refugee professionals, systemic barriers often preclude them from the U.S. workforce,” said Lourena Gboeah, MSW, Program Director, New York at Upwardly Global. “This initiative is enabling us to go beyond anecdotal success and demonstrate, through hard data, how quickly our participants re-enter their industries and how their incomes grow over time. This strengthens our programming along with our ability to shape employer practices and public policy.”
“Success for our students means stable employment, wage growth, and a clear path to upward mobility. By participating in this data-driven effort, we’re building robust strategies for tracking how our programs translate into career outcomes, rather than just classroom achievements,” said Carmel Urbaez, Director of Operations at Manhattan EOC and Anthony Watson, Executive Director at Manhattan EOC. “This transparency will allow us to adjust in real time and keep pace with the changing needs of adult learners in New York City. The team has expressed how powerful it is to have dedicated time as a cross-functional team to ask questions, design, and implement strategies to support some of New York City’s most vulnerable adult job seekers on their path to sustainable careers.”
“At Drive Change, we believe data isn’t just about measurement, it’s about momentum. Our Fellows deserve more than a foot in the door; they deserve lasting opportunities to lead,” said Nicholas Matthew Stanton, Chief Program Officer at Drive Change. “When we track progress with care and consistency, we are able to advocate boldly and design systems that truly reflect the potential of justice-involved young people in the food and hospitality industry and beyond.”
“Career pathways in biotech are notoriously non-linear and access to the field remains limited to those with awareness, resources, and a sense of belonging,” said Casey Lardner, PhD, Executive Director at Genspace. “By refining how we measure participant outcomes, we are clarifying for trainees and prospective employers alike what success in the life sciences looks like, and how it can emerge from a wide variety of backgrounds. Data is central to how we ensure our programs are opening doors and growing the next generation of diverse STEM professionals.”
“Individuals impacted by the criminal legal system need more than just job referrals to secure employment; they require clear career pathways that ensure lasting stability and security, which ultimately benefits their communities, said Carler Dinnold, Senior Director, Workforce Development at The Fortune Society. “Analyzing data on wage growth, job retention, and professional and personal advancement provides insight into whether we are fulfilling that promise. Creating sector-wide standards establishes a framework for measuring success and advocating for the systemic changes our participants deserve.”
About New York City Employment and Training Coalition
As the largest city-based workforce development association in the country, the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) supports the workforce and economic development community to ensure that every New Yorker has access to the skills, training and education needed to thrive in the local economy; and that every business can maintain a highly skilled workforce. Throughout its history, NYCETC has sought to increase the availability of and access to investments and supports that position underserved New Yorkers — primarily New Yorkers of color, New Yorkers with low- or moderate incomes, New Yorkers with multiple barriers to employment, and New Yorkers who have been left out of the growing economy due to systemic and historic marginalization – for success in the workforce. Currently, more than 220 organizations are members of the NYCETC. These organizations are responsible for serving the needs of 200,000+ New Yorkers seeking access to education and employment opportunities each year. The primary recipients of services are women, young adults (aged 18-24), public housing residents, individuals impacted by the justice system, and immigrants.
Press Contact
For more information, please contact Emily Kaufold at emily@hayesinitiative.com or (203) 295-5783.