The COVID downturn set off alarm bells among job developers.  WPTI responded with a BELL of its own.

With the support of the Pinkerton Foundation, WPTI launched the first cohort of the Business Engagement Learning Lab (BELL) in April 2021.  Successor to WPTI’s longstanding Job Developer Learning Group, the four-month BELL initiative sharpened the focus on employer engagement at a time of significantly heightened competition for jobs.

We are pleased to share the first article in a series of reflections from members of the WPTI team on workforce development policy and practice, their specific areas of expertise, and lessons learned throughout their careers.

In recognition of WPTI’s commitment to improving workplace mental health, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (formerly known as ThriveNYC) and its Thrive in Your Workplace initiative have named WPTI a Workplace Mental Health Champion for 2021. The award recognizes WPTI as part of “a cadre of industry leaders who actively fight the stigma of mental health, support employee mental health, and promote access to mental healthcare.

WPTI is pleased to announce the 2021-22 cohort for our Workforce Systems Leadership Program (WSLP), WPTI’s signature leadership development program for emerging senior leaders across New York City’s workforce development system. Operated in partnership with Coro New York, WSLP recruits a diverse group of leaders and change makers from across the field, representing government, community-based organizations, secondary and post-secondary educational institutions, and the private sector.

In January and February 2020, Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI) – in partnership with the Labor Market Information Service (LMIS) at CUNY – conducted a survey of 362 New York City frontline workforce development professionals – defined as those individuals providing jobseeker/client-facing services at programs and organizations focused on providing job training and placement, along with supportive wraparound services.

WPTI kicked off the first of four sessions of its Business Engagement Learning Lab (BELL) on Tuesday, May 11th.  This year’s diverse cohort includes 33 practitioners from 11 organizations across New York City that serve a wide variety of job seekers.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in New York City and left an economic crisis in its wake, which will impact our economy and the labor market for at least the next five years. The economic devastation impacted numerous industries in a range of ways.

2020 was a year like no other for New York City’s job developers.  In less than 12 months, thousands of businesses slashed payrolls.  Long-time employers shuttered their doors permanently.  Unemployment soared from historic low to historic high overnight.

On Tuesday, March 16, Workforce Professionals Training Institute hosted the fifth and final session in our series of Employer Symposiums, presented in partnership with New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). This session focused on both the construction and manufacturing sectors, and was attended by 70 workforce professionals, representing 44 organizations and agencies.

On Tuesday, March 9, 2021, Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI) hosted the third briefing in connection with its Voices from the Frontline initiative. This briefing followed the third report in connection with the initiative, Voices from the Frontline: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for NYC’s Frontline Workforce Development Professionals, which offered compelling data on the impact of race and gender on workforce professionals with regard to their salaries, their opportunities for advancement, and their day-to-day workplace experience.