New York City Employment and Training Coalition

Governor Hochul’s State of the State reflects an understanding that New York’s economic future depends on aligning education and workforce investments with high-growth industries. The focus on SUNY and CUNY Reconnect, Career Connect, and sectors such as life sciences, healthcare, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing reinforces the recognition that workforce pipelines must be directly connected to real labor-market demand and the jobs driving New York’s economy.

The Governor’s commitment to moving New York toward universal, affordable child care is equally significant. By easing pressure on working families and expanding credentials and micro-credentials for early childhood educators, New York is both enabling greater workforce participation and strengthening the child care workforce itself.

By welcoming employers to the table, as the Governor has championed, the State will be doing exactly what we have long sought to do: serve as a connector—plugging employers into solutions that support workers, strengthen families, and make workforce participation possible.

The Governor’s leadership in confronting wage theft is a critical pillar of a fair workforce system—affirming that work must pay, workers must be protected, and responsible employers should not be undercut by bad actors. Similarly, the Governor’s commitment of an additional $250 million in capital funding to accelerate affordable housing production will have meaningful workforce impacts by reducing turnover and barriers to training and advancement. But those connections remain largely implicit, rather than intentionally designed, measured, and leveraged as part of a comprehensive workforce strategy.

The absence of a clear, worker-centered workforce strategy is striking. While the State frames job creation and credential attainment as economic tactics, it does not center wage growth, job quality, or career advancement as explicit policy goals. The State’s approach remains rooted in an assumption that training and job placement will, downstream, lead to stability and mobility. But affordability pressures and wage stagnation make that assumption incredibly fragile.

Workforce policy remains largely a supply-side exercise, focused on preparing workers for available jobs rather than shaping labor markets. Worker protections and job quality standards are treated as enforcement issues, disconnected from economic development and workforce investments, missing the opportunity to reward high-road employers and set clear expectations for job quality.

While the Governor’s agenda aligns conceptually with system-building, it lacks clear follow-through. There is limited visibility into sustained investments in data infrastructure, the Office of Strategic Workforce Development’s grantmaking, or the operational capacity needed to support Workforce Pell and new work requirements at scale. And while affordability is addressed across multiple policy areas, the framework stops short of confronting benefits cliffs, expanding wraparound supports, or stabilizing the human services workforce that underpins many of the State’s priorities.

New York has a rare opportunity and a responsibility to lead as one Empire State, aligning State and City leadership around a shared vision of prosperity in an economy shaped by rapid technological and demographic change. NYCETC stands ready to work alongside elected officials across the state, philanthropy, labor, higher education, employers, and entrepreneurs to connect upstream and downstream strategies and deliver an economy that works for all New Yorkers in 2026.

The election of a new Council Speaker comes at a decisive moment for New York City’s workforce system. More than 30 city agencies touch workforce development in some way, yet no standing Council committee is accountable for results, coordination, or outcomes associated with this effort. As affordability pressures intensify, the Council has a clear opportunity to bring coherence to this fragmented landscape, elevating our City’s workforce development efforts from a set of unaligned programs to a resourced and strategic central strategy for mobility.

Affordability is workforce policy. Aligning workforce and economic development, sharpening oversight, and ensuring public investments translate to good jobs with real pathways to advancement are essential to delivering on New Yorkers’ priorities. Council leadership will determine whether the city’s workforce system truly works for jobseekers, employers, and communities alike.

NYCETC looks forward to working with the Speaker and the City Council to advance a more coordinated, accountable, and inclusive workforce system that upholds worker rights, supports business expansion, and promotes inclusive economic growth across New York City.

NYCETC welcomes Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s decision to appoint Julie Su as New York City’s first Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice.

Su has spent her career standing up for workers and making sure economic policy actually reaches the people it’s supposed to serve. Her work ensuring fair pay, protecting workers’ rights, strengthening labor standards, and expanding opportunity reflects a deep, lived commitment to working people. Her leadership at the U.S. Department of Labor demonstrated what it looks like when economic justice is treated as a foundational operating principle.

Economic justice is foundational to New York City’s future, and this role signals a clear intent to put working New Yorkers at the center of City Hall’s agenda.

This role creates an opportunity and immediate responsibility to bring workforce development, worker protections, and economic policy into alignment for New Yorkers who are working, training, and striving to advance.

Affordability is workforce policy. Without coordination across training, economic development, employment systems, and essential supports like childcare and transportation, New Yorkers remain disconnected from the jobs economic justice efforts are meant to grow.

NYCETC believes this moment calls for a coordinated workforce system that invests in quality training, supports workers on and off the clock, and delivers good, high-wage jobs with real career pathways. We stand ready to align the City’s workforce system around the principles Deputy Mayor-designate Su has championed throughout her career: fair treatment, good jobs, and real economic mobility.

As this administration gets to work, NYCETC looks forward to partnering with Deputy Mayor-designate Su to stabilize workforce funding, elevate job quality, and treat workforce providers as core partners in the City’s economic strategy.

We also welcome and congratulate Leila Bozorg on her appointment as Deputy Mayor for Housing. As noted during our recent panel, “Coalitions as Catalysts: Advancing Housing, Aging, and Economic Opportunity Across New York” expanding housing supply must be paired with intentional workforce and economic development strategies so affordability gains translate into real stability—and the ability to remain in the city—for working New Yorkers.

NEW YORK, NY, December 15, 2025 – The New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) convened its 2025 Annual Conference: Advancing Affordability Through Jobs, Wages & Wealth, on December 9 – 10 at The Times Center in Midtown Manhattan, gathering more than 500 leaders from business, government, higher education, labor, philanthropy, and community organizations.

The two-day convening marked a pivotal moment for shaping a more equitable economic future for New Yorkers, bringing renewed focus to the systems and investments required to connect affordability, job quality, and long-term mobility. Leaders and practitioners examined how New York’s workforce systems must evolve to meet shifting labor-market demands, particularly in technology, healthcare, infrastructure, and climate resilience.

“Affordability is workforce policy,” said Gregory J. Morris, CEO of New York City Employment and Training Coalition. “When wages, supports, and systems fall out of sync, workers can’t move and employers can’t hire. Workforce development, and the people we serve, must anchor every vision for the city’s future. Aligning our systems and investing in job quality and real supports is how New York delivers stability, mobility, and a more affordable future.”

Leaders from government, higher education, major employers, philanthropy, finance, and community-based organizations explored the trends and challenges defining the city’s workforce landscape. Experts across technology, healthcare, human services, construction, climate and green infrastructure, finance, and education brought forward insights on preparing workers for an AI- and technology-driven economy; expanding pathways in growing health and social care fields; modernizing apprenticeships and credentialing; strengthening regional partnerships; and applying innovative financing models to sustain long-term workforce investments.

“At Citizens, we’re committed to helping New Yorkers meet the complex and evolving needs of a dynamic workforce,” said Rebecca O’Connell, New York City Metro President at Citizens. “By investing in people and supporting a coalition to build pathways to future-ready skills, we’re strengthening communities and creating a more resilient New York metro.”

Participants also emphasized the essential role of wraparound supports, including childcare, housing stability, transportation, mental health care, and digital access, in ensuring job retention and upward mobility. Together, these discussions highlighted the cross-sector collaboration required to build a more affordable, equitable, and resilient New York.

“New York’s future will be built at the intersection of innovation, talent, and transformative technology,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and Chief Impact Officer, IBM. “IBM is committed to expanding access to vital skills and tools through IBM SkillsBuild, enabling talent to succeed in the AI economy. Together with NYCETC, watsonX AI Labs in the heart of Manhattan and our network of global partners and engineers, we’re supporting local opportunities to thrive and innovate.”

Across both days, policymakers reinforced a shared message: economic growth is only meaningful when it expands access to family-sustaining jobs. Leaders stressed that targeted investment, coordinated strategies, and better-aligned systems are necessary to ensure the city’s economic strength benefits every community.

“Family-sustaining careers shouldn’t be the exception, they should be the norm,” said Kiersten Barnet, Executive Director of the NY Jobs CEO Council. “Our employers are united around one priority: expanding high-quality pathways that offer New Yorkers economic mobility and drive our economy. This conference reaffirmed that when we coordinate our efforts, we can accelerate progress with what workers deserve.”

“Workforce development succeeds when practitioners have the tools, resources, and data to meet workers where they are,” said Sherazade Langlade, CEO, WPTI. “The conversations this week underscored what we see every day: investing in frontline providers is investing in New York’s economic future. We’re proud to partner with NYCETC to raise the standard for quality, equity, and impact across the field.”

The conference also featured relaunch of NYCETC’s Opportunity Awards, which honored individuals and organizations whose leadership is redefining the city’s workforce future. Honorees were recognized for advancing employer engagement, strengthening worker supports, and expanding access to high-quality jobs for historically marginalized communities. The awards celebrated the work of visionary leaders committed to ensuring every New Yorker has a pathway to stability and upward mobility.

“New York’s economic strength has always depended on our ability to grow talent and expand opportunity,” said Kathryn Wylde, President & CEO of the Partnership for New York City and 2025 Opportunity Award Honoree. “This recognition underscores the urgent work ahead: deepening collaboration between employers, educators, and government so every New Yorker can participate in and benefit from the city’s economic future.”

“When we invest in people, we strengthen the resilience of the entire city,” said Nancy Shannon, Senior Vice President of People and Supply Chain, Con Edison 2025 Opportunity Award Honoree. “This honor affirms our commitment to building a skilled, diverse workforce and supporting the communities that power New York’s growth. Opportunity must be a shared asset, and we’re proud to help expand it.”

“Economic mobility is a right, not a privilege, and policymakers have a responsibility to clear the barriers that stand in people’s way,” said New York State Assembly Member Amanda Septimo, 2025 Opportunity Award Honoree. “This recognition is a reminder that bold, collaborative, community-driven solutions can create real pathways to prosperity for families across the Bronx and the city.”

Across all programming, the conference advanced a unified call to action: safeguarding New York’s affordability and competitiveness requires sustained alignment between employers, education institutions, community organizations, and policymakers.

As New York heads into 2026 under a new mayoral administration, the conference helped set the tone for the work ahead. By sharpening regional strategies, strengthening essential supports, and leveraging targeted investments, the city can build a workforce ecosystem where opportunity is accessible and prosperity is shared.

“When New Yorkers can access good jobs, the entire city rises,” said Leslie Abbey, Co-Chair, NYCETC Board and CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen. “Creating pathways to economic mobility—with the right wraparound supports—is essential to driving meaningful, lasting change. But this work requires sustained commitment and long-term investment by our government and industry partners. Real transformation doesn’t happen overnight.”

“This conference made clear that New York’s affordability crisis is inseparable from its opportunity crisis,” said Christopher Watler, Co-Chair, NYCETC Board, Executive Vice President, Center for Employment Opportunities. “By centering workers and listening to communities, we can build a fairer labor market, one where justice, equity, and economic mobility are not just ideals but daily realities.”

“The energy transition demands an inclusive workforce strategy, one that prepares New Yorkers for the high-quality jobs shaping our future economy,” said Debbie Roman, Co-Vice Chair, NYCETC Board, Program Manager, NY Workforce Development, National Grid, 2025 Conference Co-Chair. “This convening showcased exactly what is possible when employers, educators, and community leaders unite around a shared purpose: broad, lasting opportunity for every neighborhood.”

“Young people deserve pathways that honor their potential, not their past,” said Kalilah Moon, Co-Vice Chair, NYCETC Board, Executive Director, Drive Change, 2025 Conference Co-Chair. “New York’s workforce system is strongest when it builds trust, expands access, and opens doors for those historically pushed to the margins. This conference reaffirmed that possibility, and the collective responsibility we share to make it real.”

About the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC)

The New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) is the largest city-based workforce development association in the country, supporting over 220 member organizations that serve more than 200,000 New Yorkers annually. NYCETC works to ensure every New Yorker—especially individuals historically excluded from economic opportunity—has access to the skills, education, and support needed to thrive in the local economy. Its members primarily serve women, young adults, public housing residents, justice-impacted individuals, immigrants, and New Yorkers of color.

Press Contact

For more information, please contact Emily Kaufold at emily@hayesinitiative.com.

As the Mayor-Elect’s team launches its transition website and opens the door for New Yorkers to share their expertise and interest in serving this city, we noticed something important missing.

Workforce Development isn’t listed as an option on the resume submission form.

Workforce development isn’t the same as economic development—but the two are inseparable, and we’ve long championed the need to link them.
And we are wholly committed to worker justice, in partnership with skilled organizers and powerful coalitions. Worker justice is essential to workforce development.

At a time when connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, training, and career pathways is vital to our city’s recovery and long-term economic health, leaving workforce development off the list sends the wrong message, particularly when affordability is the rallying cry and the federal government strips access to essential benefits.

NYCETC represents hundreds of organizations working every day to ensure that every New Yorker has access to stable, high-wage careers. We urge the transition team to correct this omission and make sure workforce development is front and center in shaping the next administration’s priorities.

The people building and connecting NYC’s workforce deserve a seat at the table from day one.

With yesterday’s election ushering in new city leadership, New York stands at a turning point to reimagine its economy around working people, small businesses, and the communities that sustain them. NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris reflects on the path forward and the opportunity to shape a fairer, more connected city:

“New Yorkers have spoken—and with this election, a new era begins. Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has reminded us that our city’s power lives with working people, small businesses, and the neighborhoods that refuse to be written out of New York’s story.

We’re ready to partner with the new administration to refocus and revive our dormant economy while expanding opportunity, strengthening local pathways to good jobs, and ensuring affordability for all who call New York home.

This is a moment to harness the resilience that defines New York, and to build a future where growth and opportunity advance together, grounded in dignity, integrity, and shared purpose.”