Fragmented Systems Stall Good Investments
Funding alone does not fix structural gaps. Cities and regions need a shared way of organizing—a repeatable design and proven tools to align work, education, and community around young adults.
110,589
16- to 24-Year-Olds in NYC are Out of School and Out of Work
Misaligned paths from school to work hold thousands of young people back.
51%
of NYC Jobs Held by Young Adults are Part-Time
This limits access to stable income, benefits, and career advancement.
72%
of US Job Openings Will Require Some Postsecondary Training by 2031
The demand for credentials beyond a high school diploma continues to grow.
When Systems Align, Every Dollar Goes Further
JobsFirst partners with funders to coordinate local investment around a shared framework. We bring that foundation, proven to work by Local Drivers—local workforce intermediaries—across cities and regions. The result: capital that strengthens connected pathways to economic mobility.
A Proven Process for Investment in New York City
JobsFirst NYC aligns local and national investors within workforce funder collaboratives funding shared goals for New York City. We serve as the coordinating infrastructure ensuring every dollar enters a proven system connected to clear pathways to economic mobility for young adults.
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JobsFirst NYC
Learn More: Sector NetworksSector Networks
JobsFirst NYC’s Sector Networks, an expansion of our Young Adult Sectoral Employment Project (YASEP), are citywide workforce development partnerships in three New York City growth industries: the green economy, healthcare, and technology. The networks strengthen collaboration…
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JobsFirst NYC
Learn More: Transfer 2 Career CollaborativeTransfer 2 Career Collaborative
An innovative career development strategy for transfer high school students most at risk of becoming out-of-school, out-of-work.
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JobsFirst NYC
Learn More: Young Adult Sectoral Employment ProjectYoung Adult Sectoral Employment Project
A first-of-its-kind effort to test how sector strategies can be most effectively adapted to better serve young adults.
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JobsFirst NYC
Learn More: YES Bed StuyYES Bed Stuy
A collaborative building stronger education and employment pathways for young adults, with an emphasis on youth voice, skills training, and credentials.
Local Drivers Are Building Stronger Pathways—See Their Progress
JobsFirst Local Drivers use a shared process to incubate and scale solutions. Each Local Driver strengthens the system. Coordinated investment produces outcomes that are visible, measurable, and repeatable.
By 2030:
65
Solutions Advanced
Local Drivers incubate and advance models that replace barriers with paths to employment.
750+
Local Partners Aligned
Workforce, education, government, and philanthropy using a shared framework.
50,000
Young Adults Realizing Economic Mobility
Each new Local Driver increases coherence and durability across cities and regions.
Latest
See research and practitioner insights from Local Drivers across cities and regions.
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JobsFirst NYCRead More: Youth Employment and Unemployment in New York CityYouth Employment and Unemployment in New York City
This post continues our three-part series on the state of youth employment in New York City. In part one, Economic Mobility for New York City’s Young Adults: Where Progress Meets Persistent Barriers, JobsFirstNYC examined new findings…
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JobsFirst NYCRead More: Economic Mobility for New York City’s Young Adults: Where Progress Meets Persistent BarriersEconomic Mobility for New York City’s Young Adults: Where Progress Meets Persistent Barriers
Part One in a Three-Part Series on Youth Employment New data show that the number of young adults who are out of school and out of work (OSOW) is at an all-time low, but remains disproportionately…
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JobsFirst NYCRead More: Voices from the Green Frontline: A Call to Action from JobsFirstNYC’s Green Economy NetworkVoices from the Green Frontline: A Call to Action from JobsFirstNYC’s Green Economy Network
Insights from Workforce Organizations on Preparing Individuals for Clean Energy Jobs — And the Essential Supports They Need to Succeed The Green Economy Action Plan positions New York City to be the epicenter of climate innovation,…
Join a Network of Investors Fueling Local Economic Mobility in NYC
Find a clear, proven way to invest locally—and collectively. Every dollar you commit strengthens connected paths for young adults and the communities that depend on them.
FAQ
You can fund workforce development in New York City by investing through JobsFirst NYC’s coordinated model. Rather than backing isolated programs, your investment enters a proven system that aligns funders, workforce organizations, schools, and employers around shared goals—connected to clear pathways to economic mobility for young adults.
Fragmented systems stall good investments. Without a shared coordination structure, capital flows through separate tracks and produces isolated results. Investing through JobsFirst NYC’s model gives local and national investors a clear, proven way to align around shared goals.
JobsFirst NYC serves as the city’s coordinating workforce intermediary. We align local and national investors around a shared framework: proven tools, clear goals, and measurable progress for young adults. Every investment flows through a design built to produce outcomes that are visible, measurable, and repeatable.