Workshops

Workshop Session I
9:00–10:15 a.m.

Postsecondary Access and Success for Immigrant Youth: Lessons from Five States
Sarah Hooker, Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute
Margie McHugh, Co-Director, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, Migration Policy Institute
Rolita Ezeonu, Dean of Instruction for Transfer and Pre-College Education, Highline Community College

Track: Youth Workforce Development
Room: Cordoban

Latino immigrant youth comprise the fastest-growing share of the U.S. workforce, yet less than 20% are enrolled in postsecondary education. Learn about MPI’s comprehensive study of the needs, barriers, and opportunities for youth from immigrant families in the education and workforce development systems in California, Florida, Georgia, New York, and Washington. This workshop will also feature the strategic efforts of Washington State’s Highline Community College to increase the success of immigrant students, from ESL to degree and certificate completion.

Lessons from Detroit: Building a Union/Community Pre-Apprenticeship
Deborah Kobes, Senior Project Manager, Jobs for the Future
Art Lujan, Special Assistant to the President, Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
Paul Carter, Instructor, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice

Track: Strategic Partnerships
Room: Roman

This workshop presents the evolution of a new partnership in Detroit among community-based training providers, the Building Trades Council, and apprenticeship programs to develop a pre-apprenticeship program that increases the access of low-income and minority populations to high-quality careers. The session also highlights the contributions of philanthropy and national partners in brokering relationships and aligning resources to produce a sustainable improvement to the region's workforce system.

Latino Entrepreneurship: High Employment or Risky Detour?
Alicia Criado, Policy Associate, Economic and Employment Policy Project, NCLR
Andrea Harris, President, North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development
Jorge P. Silva-Puras, Regional Administrator, Small Business Administration

Track: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions
Room: Athenian

Hispanics are embracing entrepreneurship at an impressive rate in the United States. Yet new NCLR research finds that despite recent progress, Hispanic-owned firms lack adequate business development support. Workshop participants will learn about intervention efforts aimed at strengthening Hispanic-owned businesses and explore whether Latino entrepreneurship is on a path towards increasing employment opportunities or creating companies with limited success.

Workforce Development 101
Surabhi Jain, Senior Manager, Career Pathways Initiatives, NCLR
Karen Stran, Director of Career Development programs, Mi Casa Resource Center
Stacy Woodruff-Bolte, Consultant, Benchmarking Project

Track: Best Practices & Technical Assistance
Room: Corinthian

Come to this crash course on workforce development, and leave with a solid grounding on the best practices in participant recruitment and outreach, case management, and employer partnerships. We’ll explore the core components of a high-quality workforce program, examine program tools and resources from high-performing CBOs, and discuss how to replicate their successes and avoid pitfalls in program design. Participants will leave this introductory session ready to tackle the advanced topics being presented at this year’s Forum!

Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy
Van Ton-Quinlivan, Vice Chancellor, Economic Development, California Community Colleges
Emanuel Pleitez, Chief Strategy Officer, Spokeo, Inc.

Track: Strategies to Support Post-Secondary Education
Room: Mediterranean

The Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy framework is a replicable set of practices that communities can use to ensure that educational institutions are aligning workforce training with the needs of their regional economies—a strategy that is particularly important during a time of diminishing resources. Also discussed will be the change management process undertaken to develop this strategy of align investments against regional sector priorities.

Workshop Session II
10:30–11:45 a.m.

We Can't Program Our Way Out of This: Preparing High School Dropouts for the 21st Century Workforce
Lisa Salazar, Youth Workforce System Director, City of Los Angeles
Martin Flores, Executive Director, Los Angeles Youth Opportunity Movement–YO! Watts
Ozzie Lopez, Executive Director, Los Angeles Youth Opportunity Movement–YO! Boyle Heights
Kisha Bird, Campaign for Youth Project Director, CLASP

Track: Youth Workforce Development
Room: Cordoban

Approximately 97,000 L.A. youth between the ages of 16–24 have dropped out of high school. The City of Los Angeles and its youth workforce system convene a consortium that includes the school district, community colleges, and the chamber of commerce and is aimed at better deploying its WIA funds to combat this crisis. Presenters will share their innovative approach to working across systems to deliver successful education and career pathway programs leading to high school diplomas and employment.

CBO–Registered Apprenticeship Partnerships
Andrew L. Cortés, Director, Building Futures
Dawn Jones, Training Manager, Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
Daniel Villao, Director, CA Construction Academy/UCLA Labor Center

Track: Strategic Partnerships
Room: Roman

CBOs can play a crucial role in helping underserved groups gain access to apprenticeship, preparing them for rigorous training while ensuring that apprenticeship programs have access to a pre-screened and qualified pool of applicants. This workshop session will explore the key ingredients of successful CBO–apprenticeship partnerships, as well as some of the key challenges preventing partnerships from taking root. Participants will learn how to broker relationships with apprenticeship programs in their local areas.

Talking About Workplace Rights in “This Economy”
Maria Loya, Director of Responsible Hotels Project, Los Angeles for a New Economy (LAANE)
Vicki Shabo, Director of Work and Family Programs, National Partnership for Women & Families
Catherine Singley, Senior Policy Analyst, Economic and Employment Policy Project, NCLR

Track: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions
Room: Athenian

Like all Americans, Latino voters rank jobs and the economy as their top concerns during this election year. But translating frustration into action is challenging, according to new public opinion research commissioned by NCLR, especially when workers feel more vulnerable than ever to being fired for speaking up. This workshop will explore effective communication strategies to mobilize low-wage Latino workers who have the most to lose—and the most to gain—by advocating for stronger labor laws and better enforcement of workplace rights.

Workplace and Adult Literacy
Aida Cardenas, Executive Director, Building Skills Partnership
Paul Garza Jr., Board Chair, Centro Latino for Literacy
Cathay Reta, Adult Literacy Coordinator, Azusa Library
Mari Riddle, President and CEO, Centro Latino for Literacy

Track: Best Practices & Technical Assistance
Room: Corinthian

Over 1.6 million Latino adults in the U.S., mostly women, are functionally non‐literate in either Spanish or English. In L.A. County, 11% of adult Spanish-speaking immigrants are non‐literate. At this workshop, you will learn about an innovative pre‐ESL literacy solution that transforms lives, as well as the critical role that literacy plays in empowering the Latino workforce, family, and community.

Integrating ABE/GED with Career Pathways: The Nuts and Bolts
Andrés Enriquez, HEP Coordinator, DeltaLINC
Vickie Wheelis, Workforce Coordinator, DeltaLINC
Bob Hammack, Director of Workforce Development, Louisiana Delta Community College

Track: Strategies to Support Post-Secondary Education
Room: Mediterranean

Presenters will offer strategies for integrating ABE/GED into existing college and career readiness pathways using the I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) approach to integrated teaching and learning. Topics covered in the session will include the nuts and bolts of program design and execution, as well as the data collected from the pilot research. The audience will have the opportunity to participate in a demonstration of integrated instruction to help them better understand the benefits and challenges of integrated teaching.

Workshop Session III
1:45– 3:00 p.m.

Strategies for Reducing Employment Disparities for Young Latino and African-American Men
David S. Berman, Deputy Director of Programs and Evaluation, NYC Center for Economic
Opportunity
Melanie Hartzog, Family Services Coordinator, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health & Human Services, City of New York
Krystal S. Reyes, Senior Advisor for Children and Family Services, Office of the Deputy Mayor
for Health & Human Services, City of New York

Track: Youth Workforce Development
Room: Cordoban

This workshop will present best practices from the Young Men's Initiative in New York City, a comprehensive new effort to address a range of disparities experienced by young Latino and Black men. Through cross-agency collaboration and partnerships with dozens of community organizations, the programs connect young men to education, employment, health, and mentoring opportunities, seeking to improve employment and education outcomes, expand services for court-involved young adults, reduce neighborhood violence, and increase access to reproductive health services.

You Earned It: Ensuring that Workers Get Their Due
Ruben Rosalez, Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor—Wage and Hour Division

Track: Strategic Partnerships
Room: Roman

Join the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division to discuss how we can work together to ensure that Latino workers are paid the wages they have earned. The WHD is balancing enforcement and compliance assistance in industries with high labor violation rates, as well as developing partnerships with advocates and community organizations in order to connect with workers and empower them to know and exercise their labor rights.

Federal Workforce Policy Update
Neil Ridley, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP)

Track: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions
Room: Athenian

With unemployment stubbornly high, Congress and the administration continue to focus on efforts to put people back to work. Yet continuing battles of budgets and appropriations put funding for crucial programs at great risk. Participants will receive an overview of the prospects for federal workforce policy and how advocates are responding to this challenge. Come to this workshop to hear updates on the status of key federal adult education, workforce development, and postsecondary education policies.

Using Common Practices and Data to Improve Workforce Development Performance
Lowell J. Herschberger, Director of Career and Education Programs, Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation
Marty Miles, Consultant, Benchmarking Project
Stacy Woodruff-Bolte, Consultant, Benchmarking Project

Track: Best Practices & Technical Assistance
Room: Corinthian

Since 2004, the Benchmarking Project (formerly housed at Public/Private Ventures) has identified performance benchmarks for the workforce development field and increased provider capacity to use data. The Project will release a new report with best practices and recommendations for the field, and the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation will discuss their participation in the Project’s new pilot of a performance improvement model being launched in Chicago and NYC. Join this lively workshop and preview the performance improvement tools being developed for the field.

California's Career Advancement Academy: Innovation in College and Career Pathways for All
Luis Chavez, Director of Technical Assistance, Career Ladders Project
Linda Collins, Executive Director, Career Ladders Project
Rosendo Del Toro, Wood Tecnology Instructor, Laney College
Sonja Franeta, ESL Department Chair, Laney College
Naomi Tokuda, Director of Career Pathways, El Camino College

Track: Strategies to Support Post-Secondary Education
Room: Mediterranean

Challenging times require bold solutions. The Career Advancement Academies, a demonstration project sponsored by the California Community Colleges, is one of those bold solutions. Through innovative instruction, pathway design, and intentional employer engagement, the CAAs are creating change for all students, particularly populations with language barriers, high unemployment rates, and unacceptably low rates of success in post-secondary education. This session will focus on the success of the CAAs and highlight several college and career pathways.

Workshop Session IV
3:15– 4:30 p.m.

Cultivating a Career Stategy: Tips for Engaging Low-Income Youth
Karim Bouris, Director of Economic Development, MAAC Project
Olga Merchan, YouthBuild USA
Hector Perez-Pacheco, Interim Executive Director, LA CAUSA YouthBuild
Daryl Wright, YouthBuild USA

Track: Youth Workforce Development
Room: Cordoban

YouthBuild USA, a national leader in youth development, has developed a career preparation framework based on effective practices at top-performing YouthBuild programs. The workshop will address the question, "How do we systematically cultivate strategic thinking about careers while working with low-income young adults?" This interactive workshop is based on the results of YouthBuild USA's national Opening Career Pathways Initiative sponsored by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Connecting Homeless Jobseekers to Work
Marléna Sessions, CEO, Workforce Development Council of Seattle–King County
Rick Van Cise, Communications Director, Workforce Development Council of Seattle–King County

Track: Strategic Partnerships
Room: Roman

The Workforce Development Council of Seattle–King County has convened five workforce boards and their homeless system partners to launch a new initiative with the aim of identifying best practices in serving homeless jobseekers effectively. The group’s goal is to inspire and educate other workforce boards to open their One-Stop system to more homeless jobseekers, sharing replicable best practices and hosting an online community of practice for workforce development councils and homeless system agencies to access tools and tips and to share information.

Meeting the Demands of the 21st Century Economy: Advancing Sector Strategies in Federal and State Legislation
Diane Factor, Director, Workers Education and Resource Center
Adine Forman, Executive Director, Hospitality Academy of L.A.
Andrea Glispie, National Skills Coalition

Track: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions
Room: Athenian

While unemployment still hovers near record levels, there are many skilled jobs going unfilled in today’s labor market. This workshop will discuss one program model to address the structural nature of current unemployment rates, sector partnerships, and recent efforts to better align federal and state public policy to sustain the many sector partnerships that have sprouted up in California and across the country. Participants will learn how to support the development of sector partnerships and related strategies.

Training for Careers in Manufacturing
Thomas DuBois, Director of New Initiatives, Instituto del Progreso Latino
Jennifer McNelly, Executive Director, The Manufacturing Institute of the National Association of Manufacturing
Marc Smirciak, Associate Dean, Wright College

Track: Best Practices & Technical Assistance
Room: Corinthian

In Chicago, Latinos compose an estimated 60% of the manufacturing workforce, holding good jobs that offer career mobility. Hear about Instituto del Progreso Latino’s manufacturing career pathway bridge program, the oldest one in continuous operation, managed in partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago. The model incorporates contextualized learning, or applied academics within a technical specialty, and industry certifications from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council and the National Institute of Metalworking Skills.

The Importance of CBO Partnerships with Community Colleges
Jerome T. Countee, Jr., Director of Workforce Development, Prince George’s Community College
Tona Cravioto, Senior Manager, Employment Program, CASA de Maryland, Inc.

Track: Strategies to Support Post-Secondary Education
Room: Mediterranean

CASA de Maryland and Prince George’s Community College will present their partnership to improve workers’ self-sufficiency, job retention, and quality of life. Learn about how to replicate this model, including how to approach community colleges and establish partnerships and how to identify appropriate, effective, and relevant vocational training courses. This workshop will encourage participants to network, identify future partnerships, and share their experiences and best practices.
 

Workshop Session V
9:45–11:00 a.m.

Bridging Students to Life Sciences Career Pathways
Erika A. Aranguré, Industry/Education Coordinator, San Diego Workforce Parternship, Inc.
Marisela Chevez, Educational Outreach Coordinator, Kellogg School of Science and Technology at The Scripps Research Institute
Sharon Price, Outreach Coordinator, Southern California Biotechnology Center at Miramar College

Track: Youth Workforce Development
Room: Cordoban

The Introductory Life Sciences Experience was developed to reignite students’ interest in science and encourage them to focus on a career within the life sciences industry. Through a hands‐on approach, the program teaches research laboratory techniques, facilitates industry site visits and interaction with scientists, and offers participation in scientific activities. This workshop will highlight the program’s best practices and the strategic partnerships developed to make it highly successful in our region.

Lessons from the Center for Economic Opportunity's Social Innovation Fund Initiatives
Carson Hicks, Director of Programs and Evaluation, NYC Center for Economic Opportunity
David Berman, Deputy Director of Programs and Evaluation, NYC Center for Economic Opportunity
Plinio Ayala, President and CEO, Per Scholas
Lourdes Castro Ramirez, President and CEO, San Antonio Housing Authority

Track: Strategic Partnerships
Room: Roman

NYC Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO), an inaugural Social Innovation Fund Intermediary, will highlight best practices and policy implications from three workforce development programs currently being replicated and tested in eight cities. Project Rise offers education and paid internships to disconnected young adults, Jobs-Plus increases the earnings of public housing residents through on-site employment services and financial incentives, and WorkAdvance helps place adults on career pathways. Participants are encouraged to come share their own experiences in an interactive discussion!

Innovations in Immigrant Worker Organizing
Deborah Axt, Co-Executive Director, Make the Road New York
Amy Carroll, Deputy Director, Center for Popular Democracy
Victor Narro, Project Director, UCLA Labor Center

Track: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions
Room: Athenian

Join us for a discussion about the latest strategies and models for immigrant worker organizing. Immigrant workers are mobilizing to end legal violations such as wage theft and unsafe working conditions as well as to win better wages and benefits all across the country. We will share case studies of innovative campaigns, such as with workers in car washes and other low-wage industries, and foster a conversation about how to build strong alliances with the labor, faith, and business communities.

Supporting Unemployed Workers 50+
Susan Caicedo, Program Analyst, AARP Foundation
Kristina Payne, Workforce Investment Manager, Lane Workforce Partnership
Lori Strauss, Program Manager for Income, AARP Foundation

Track: Best Practices & Technical Assistance
Room: Corinthian

Over three million people ages 50+ are searching for full-time work, and more older workers have been out of work for over a year than any other age group. This workshop will highlight the unique challenges faced by 50+ hourly workers, as well as strategies and practices used to address them. We will share findings from focus group research and meetings with employers, service providers, and workforce development providers. Participants will walk away with practical examples from other organizations that have developed new re-employment strategies for Latino older workers.

Career Mobility and Good Jobs in the Restaurant Industry
Cathy Dang, National High Road Coordinator, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United
Jonathan Deutsch, Director of Culinary Arts, Kingsborough Community College

Track: Strategies to Support Post-Secondary Education
Room: Mediterranean

Learn about a unique partnership enabling restaurant workers who complete ROC’s workforce development program to receive college credit toward a degree in culinary arts or hospitality management in New York and Southeast Michigan. By professionalizing the restaurant industry, this model promotes career mobility and good jobs in this booming industry. In addition, learn about the Bruce Herman Memorial Fellowship Fund which will provide financial support to stellar program graduates to pursue higher education.

Workshop Session VI
11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Bridging Public, Private, and Political Forces: Youth Workforce Programs in Los Angeles
Michelle Cheang, Director of Youth WorkSource Center, Youth Policy Institute
Iris Zuñiga, Chief Operating Officer, Youth Policy Institute
Jorge Orozco, Director of Youth Workforce Services, Para Los Niños

Track: Youth Workforce Development
Room: Cordoban

This workshop will highlight two promising L.A. youth development models and the lessons learned in programs like these operating across the country. Youth Policy Institute and Para Los Niños both operate youth programs and cultivate strategic partnerships to provide support mechanisms to young adults and out-of-school youth. In addition, NCLR will showcase work it is undertaking to offer youth develoment programs customizable curriculum and replicable program tools, as well as technical assistance and peer learning opportunities.

Colleges and Workforce Boards: Helping Grow Small Businesses in Your Community
Jennifer Worth, Program Manager for Center for Workforce and Economic Development, American Association for Community Colleges
Tim Aldinger, Training & Professional Development Manager, National Association of Workforce Boards
Sheneui Weber, Executive Director, College Advancement and Economic Development, Long Beach City College
Marty Alvarado, Director, Institutional Resource Development, College Advancement and Economic Development, Long Beach City College

Track: Strategic Partnerships
Room: Roman

Community colleges and Workforce Investment Boards aim to increase the number of exceptional workers as well as sustainable and fulfilling employment opportunities in their communities. And each are working to support Latino workers starting small businesses—yet navigating these systems can be difficult. Join this session to hear about the kinds of entrepreneurship offerings individuals need and want and the constellations of the most viable partnerships for your community.

Home Care Workforce Development in the Caring Across Generations Campaign
Jason Negrón-Gonzales, Consultant, National Domestic Workers Alliance
Jodeen Olguín-Tayler, Campaign Director, Caring Across Generations/Field Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance

Track: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions
Room: Athenian

This workshop will examine the Caring Across Generations campaign as a case study of how one organization, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, is working to simultaneously address the needs for job creation, unionization, workforce development, and immigration reform. Special focus will be given to the NDWA’s work on developing pilot training that will allow domestic workers to better access work in the home care sector.

Integrating Financial Education and Skills Training
Terri Garcia, Executive Director, Southeast Community Services
Marissa Guananja, Director of CONNECT and Resident Asset Development, The Neighborhood Developers
Katrin Kark, Program Officer, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Guy Loudon, Executive Director, Jane Addams Resource Corporation

Track: Best Practices & Technical Assistance
Room: Corinthian

Learn about best practices for integrating financial education and coaching into skills-training programs to help working families achieve long-term economic stability. Hear from three community-based organizations that have incorporated the Financial Opportunity Center model into their skill training programs. This approach offers three services—employment, financial coaching, and access to public benefits—in a comprehensive or "bundled" fashion to help working families find employment, move from negative to positive monthly cash flow, improve credit, and build assets.

Focusing Local Postsecondary Success Partnerships on Hispanic Achievement
Casandra Kakar, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Phoenix College/Degree Phoenix
Andrew Moore, Senior Fellow, National League of Cities—Institute for Youth, Education, and Families
Amy Trethaway, City Lead, Mesa Counts on College

Track: Strategies to Support Post-Secondary Education
Room: Mediterranean

This workshop highlights early lessons learned from the Communities Learning in Partnership initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Learn about the efforts of community colleges, school districts, and city governments working together to significantly raise Latino postsecondary success rates. Learn about data-driven institutional policy and practice changes underway in Mesa Counts on College, San Francisco Bridge to Success, and Degree Phoenix, and consider opportunities for multi-sector strategies in your locality.

Workshop Session VII
2:00–3:15 p.m.

Serve Today, Lead Tomorrow
Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon, Director of Education, NCLR
Heather McManus, Principal, Camino Nuevo Charter Academy

Track: Youth Workforce Development
Room: Cordoban

As a growing majority, Latino youth represent our future workforce, voter base, and leaders. This interactive workshop for youth development practitioners interested in harnessing the power of youth voice will explore culturally relevant service-learning projects that assist in the development of leadership skills in conjunction with existing youth workforce development programs. Through service-learning, youth gain "soft" job skills transferrable to any work environment and are prepared for leadership roles.

Integrated Bridge Training
Oswaldo Alvarez, Director of Workforce Development, Erie Neighborhood House
Diana Peters, Executive Director, Symbol Job Training, Inc.
Mark Espinoza, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs, Walmart

Track: Strategic Partnerships
Room: Roman

Erie Neighborhood House has transformed its GED and Adult Education programs into occupational bridge trainings for the manufacturing industry. By reimagining its programs as ‘Semester 1’ of vocational training, Erie House and its partner Symbol Job Training are able to offer true career pathways to their participants. Learn about avoidable pitfalls and misunderstandings that can occur when starting your bridge program, and hear recommendations for staffing, assessment, recruitment, collaboration, and networking within the industry of interest.

The Family-Friendly Workplace: Winning Together
Leticia Barron, Executive Board Member, Communications Workers of America Local 9509
Jenya Cassidy, Education and Training Coordinator, Labor Project for Working Families
Sonya Jimmons, Political Director, SEIU Local 121RN

Track: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions
Room: Athenian

This workshop provides information on current law covering workers' rights such as flexibility, family leave, and paid sick days. Presenters will discuss efforts to expand these rights for U.S. workers and how to form partnerships at the local, state, and national level to create more family-friendly workplaces. Participants will leave the workshop with a basic understanding of current law, tools to educate their constituents, and ideas for making our workplaces more family-friendly for all.

Successful Culinary Arts Programs That Bridge the Skills Gap
Ana Reyes Albarracin, Career Specialist, Carlos Rosario Public Charter School
Steven Horsford, CEO, Culinary Academy of Las Vegas
Aracelly Watts, Workforce Program Manager, Carlos Rosario Public Charter School

Track: Best Practices & Technical Assistance
Room: Corinthian

The restaurant industry is one of the largest employers of Latinos, yet many entry level jobs pay low wages. The Culinary Arts program at Carlos Rosario School helps participants climb the wage ladder within the restaurant industry through its training program. The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas is a nonprofit training provider that offers vocational training for prospective and incumbent workers in the casino and hotel industries. Learn about these two different models for culinary arts training that bridges the skills gap for workers in the food service industry.

Advancing Lower-Skilled Adults through Post-Secondary Education and Training on the Texas–Mexico Border
Yvonne Gonzalez, Chief Executive, Workforce Solutions/Lower Rio
Juan Carlos Aguirre, Director, Continuing and Professional Education, South Texas College
Myra Garcia, Executive Director, Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement
Gloria Mwase, Program Director, Jobs for the Future

Track: Strategies to Support Post-Secondary Education
Room: Mediterranean

This workshop discusses Growing Regional Opportunity for the Workforce, an ambitious regional workforce and economic development initiative led by a consortium of five WIBs in the Rio Grande region of Texas. The consortium partners with regional employers, one-stop operators, community colleges, training providers, CBOs, and Jobs for the Future to align and strengthen workforce systems to accelerate credential attainment and career entry by lower-skilled adults to meet the workforce needs of employers.