Who is the “Frontline” of the Workforce Development Field?

Who is the “Frontline” of the Workforce Development Field?

The Workforce Field Building Hub (The Hub) at Workforce Professionals Training Institute’s (WPTI) 2020 Survey of NYC Frontline Workforce Professionals aims to gain a deeper understanding of the workers directly serving clients across New York City’s workforce development system. In particular, we will explore the ways in which their day-to-day work and longer career trajectories are influenced by the structures and challenges of the broader system.

Over the next several months, The Hub will be releasing a series of short briefs on topics related to frontline worker experience, job quality, and contextual factors affecting the workforce field.New York City’s workforce development system is diverse, containing organizations serving a wide range of target populations and providing an array of workforce and workforce-related services, including efforts to engage and support employers in connection with the hiring process. Programs such as the city’s Workforce1 system serve a broad range of jobseekers, while other organizations focus on populations with specific needs – such as individuals with prior criminal justice involvement, immigrants and refugees, or young adults. While some organizations provide intensive sector-specific technical skills training or adult basic education and/or high school equivalency preparation, others focus entirely on direct job placement. Many maintain contact with both the client and his or her employer after the client enters a job, offering support to help the client succeed. As many unemployed and underemployed individuals have needs beyond employment, some organizations offer wraparound services, including but not limited to housing assistance, legal support, benefits assistance, and mental health services. The diversity of the system is reflected in the ways in which organizations are staffed, including job titles and functions and internal structure.

Click here to read Brief 1 - Who is the "Frontline" of the Workforce Development Field?