To compete in the 21st century economy, particularly higher wage industry sectors and clusters with growth potential, workers will have to acquire and regularly update a host of new skills. The young 18-24 year old with little more than a high school diploma and the older worker facing “downsizing” will the basic problem solving, reading, writing, communications, and math skills previously associated with preparation for college; and the technological expertise required to work in the companies that are rebuilding roads and bridges, upgrading and fortify transit and water systems, or expanding and transmitting renewable energy.

That is why building stronger and better aligned workforce training pathways—between academically rigorous career technical education high schools, to community/labor led pre-apprenticeship bridge programs, to industry-based community college workforce training programs-- in cities and regions is vital to the goal of expanding opportunity to all people.
PolicyLink works with a diverse cross-section community, business, labor, education and training, and public sector leaders and officials that are committed to expanding economic opportunity in the transportation and green sectors of the infrastructure arena, and in other industry and business sectors with the potential to serve as pathways to prosperity in select regions of the country.

Other project in the areas of workforce training include:

• Boys & Men of Color Network advocacy
• Workforce training advocacy to strengthen access to the middle skill infrastructure jobs created by federal, state and local investments.