A National Coalition of Business Leaders Committed to Hiring Black Talent Expands Its Partnership in New York City
NEW YORK, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — JobsFirstNYC, an organization dedicated to advancing economic mobility for young adults and their communities in New York City, announced today a new partnership with OneTen, a coalition of leading chief executives and their companies working together to hire and advance one million Black individuals without four-year degrees into family-sustaining jobs over the next 10 years. JobsFirstNYC, a nonprofit intermediary that drives social innovation and education and workforce solutions, will lead partnership development in the New York Metro area to assess and unite workforce developers and employers. It will strengthen the development ecosystem in New York City.
For Marjorie Parker, President and CEO of JobsFirstNYC, the partnership with OneTen is an extension of what has always been at the core of the organization’s efforts. “OneTen is a natural fit with JobsFirstNYC’s work to break down barriers and transform systems to increase economic mobility. OneTen’s focus on a skills-first approach is accelerating long-needed structural changes, unlocking opportunities for qualified Black individuals to access family-sustaining jobs and promoting a more inclusive economy.”
New York City has both the highest number of Black workers and family-sustaining jobs in the country, however, access to these jobs for Black talent can be limited. Through their partnership, JobsFirstNYC and OneTen will work with member companies to recredential jobs and provide jobseekers with skills training, eliminating two barriers to employment that have been particularly persistent in this region. The shift to skills-first hiring is an imperative for achieving greater equity and inclusion. By focusing on candidates’ skills and removing the requirement for a four-year college degree, employers will be able to break down barriers keeping Black talent on the sidelines.
OneTen supports employers in their endeavors to open job positions to a more competitive and diverse talent pool. With its decades of experience and 160+ partners, JobsFirstNYC has the right tools to connect New Yorkers to training. Together JobsFirstNYC, OneTen, and partners will place thousands of New Yorkers into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement in the years to come.
“There is immeasurable talent and opportunity in New York City, yet economic mobility is far too often out of reach for young Black individuals without college degrees,” said Maurice Jones, OneTen CEO. “OneTen’s partnership with JobsFirstNYC bringing together the City’s education and workforce development ecosystems will provide Black talent with the skills training and professional development they need to build their career confidence, and access services and supports that will put them on a path to economic and workplace success.”
Keri Faulhaber
917-459-0197
kfaulhaber@jobsfirstnyc.org
jobsfirstnyc.org
