JobsFirst NYC | JobsFirst NYC

Workforce Preparedness is an AI Safeguard

Good afternoon, Speaker Menin and members of the Council. My name is Keri Faulhaber, Senior Vice President at JobsFirst NYC.

JobsFirst NYC works with more than 200 partners to strengthen workforce systems and expand economic opportunity.

As the Council considers the risks and safeguards associated with artificial intelligence, workforce preparedness needs to be part of that conversation.

AI is reshaping jobs, skills, and how employers find and develop talent in ways that are difficult to quantify. The impact of a trial and error approach to safety is a risk that AI companies should bear, not New York City’s young adults. Our immediate concern is what happens when the first rung of the career ladder changes faster than our workforce system is enabled to respond.

That matters especially for the more than 110,000 young adults who are out of school and out of work, and the more than 236,000 who are in part-time low-wage jobs earning an annual median wage of $6,091 –– more than 39% of all 16- to 24-year-olds.

As entry-level work changes, they could face even greater barriers to getting their foothold in the workforce.

Workforce preparedness is an AI safeguard.

AI readiness should be part of New York City’s workforce infrastructure, from education and training through hiring and advancement. That means understanding how jobs and skills are changing, translating those changes into education and training, preserving ways for young people to gain experience, and ensuring the workforce organizations serving New Yorkers can use AI responsibly themselves.

For more than a decade, JobsFirst NYC has worked to understand how technology is reshaping access to work and to develop decision-making tools that help reduce emerging AI-related risks. Our work has examined online and algorithmic hiring, tested skills mapping to better connect people to career opportunities, built the Tech Sector Network, and brought workforce partners together to examine how AI is changing their work. More recently, we published Harnessing AI Responsibly in Workforce Development and developed an AI Decision Framework through our work with the CUNY Public Interest Technology Lab.

Today, we are using AI to strengthen workforce systems, scale what works, and shrink the distance between education and training and getting a job. Our work with SOLV.world is extending that approach as JobsFirst expands to other communities across the country.

That experience points to several actions New York City can take now.

Build real-time intelligence about how entry-level work is changing

New York City needs a clearer and more continuous picture of what AI is doing to entry-level work. We need to understand which tasks are changing, which skills employers increasingly value, how hiring practices are shifting, and where traditional entry points into careers may be narrowing or changing.

That intelligence also needs to move quickly into practice. Employers, educators, workforce organizations, researchers, and young adults need ways to identify changes in the labor market and translate them into curricula, training, career navigation, work-based learning, and hiring practices.

This cannot be a periodic research exercise. AI and employer practices are moving too quickly. The City can build on existing sector partnerships to create a continuous feedback loop between what employers are seeing and how education and workforce organizations prepare New Yorkers for work.

Invest in sector-based AI fluency

AI is changing every sector differently. The skills required in healthcare will not be the same as those required in technology, construction, or the green economy.

The City should invest in sector-based AI fluency, bringing employers, education, and workforce partners together to define how jobs and skill requirements are changing within specific industries and translate that intelligence into training and career pathways.

AI fluency should begin early and continue throughout a person’s career. Young people need to understand how to use these tools, where they add value, how to assess their output, and when human judgment is essential. Employers also need a role in defining what AI readiness looks like in actual jobs rather than leaving education and workforce systems to anticipate those requirements on their own.

Protect and create paid pathways into work

Preparing young people for an AI-enabled economy requires opportunities to use these skills through work.

Entry-level jobs have long been where young people learn how organizations operate, develop judgment, receive feedback, build relationships, and demonstrate what they can do. As AI changes or absorbs some entry-level tasks, those opportunities need to be intentionally preserved and redesigned.

The City should invest in internships, apprenticeships, project-based work, and a civic corps model that gives young adults paid opportunities to build AI fluency and sector skills through real work.

This is especially important for young adults who are already outside school and work. If the first rung changes, we need to build new ways onto the ladder.

Build responsible AI capacity across the workforce system

The workforce development field also needs the capacity to use AI responsibly.

AI can strengthen skills assessment, labor-market analysis, learning, career navigation, organizational capacity, and connections to employment. Those applications also raise questions about privacy, bias, transparency, equity, and the appropriate role of human judgment.

The City should invest in the ability of workforce organizations to evaluate, test, and responsibly adopt AI tools, with clear safeguards and mechanisms for sharing what works and what does not.

Young adults should have a direct role in this work. Systems and tools that affect how they find training, apply for jobs, demonstrate their skills, and navigate careers should be informed by their experience.

A workforce-system response

We cannot predict precisely how AI will change every occupation. We can build a workforce system capable of recognizing change earlier and responding faster.

That requires better intelligence about how work is changing, sector-specific AI fluency, paid opportunities to learn through work, and responsible use of AI across the workforce system.

AI is changing more than jobs. It is eroding pathways to how young people get their start.

For young adults, the stakes are whether they can get that first opportunity, gain experience, build skills and judgment, and move forward in the labor market.

Every young person deserves a first chance at a good job. As AI changes work, New York City has to make sure that first chance is still there.

JobsFirst NYC welcomes the opportunity to serve as a resource to the Council as it considers the workforce implications of AI and develops its policy response. We would be glad to share what we are learning through our work with industry, education, and workforce partners and contribute to future discussions. I can be reached at kfaulhaber@jobsfirstnyc.org.

Thank you.
Learning Briefs: The Sector Networks
Insights from Three Years of Implementing Sectoral Employment Solutions for Economic Mobility

The Green Economy Network, Healthcare Sector Network, Tech Sector Network, and JobsFirst NYC have been designing, refining, and implementing citywide sectoral employment partnerships across New York City since 2020. Together, these partnerships have trained more than 8,000 jobseekers, and are changing how New York City connects people to training and employers to talent.

As the networks move into the “integrate” phase of our five-step process, we are releasing a series of Learning Briefs that capture key practice shifts, systemic outcomes, and recommendations for the field to sustain and expand impact.

Read the Learning Briefs

The Abundance Mindset: Building Employer Relationships Across Networks

More Than the Sum of Our Parts: Partnership Brokering in the Sector Networks

No Wrong Door: Building
a Connected Ecosystem
of Opportunity

The Sector Networks: Building Unified Workforce Pathways

Built on lessons from the Young Adult Sectoral Employment Project, the Sector Networks are partnerships built by JobsFirst NYC and network members that bring together education and workforce development organizations, employers, and government stakeholders across New York City growth industries.

A fragmented workforce development ecosystem cannot be solved by any single organization working in a silo. The Sector Networks were built to bridge these gaps, turning competition into collective action. By aligning training pathways, sharing labor market intelligence, and coordinating industry relationships, the networks create a unified infrastructure that builds direct routes to employment for jobseekers while providing employers with reliable, skilled talent pipelines.

1

Investigate

We listen and we learn first.

2

Imagine

We ideate community-inspired solutions.

3

Incubate

We grow ideas into an outcome-driven action plan.

4

Implement

We launch and continuously refine new ways of working together.

5

Integrate

We evaluate our performance, assess what’s next, and advance what works.

Through JobsFirst NYC’s five-step process, these networks evolved from problem definition into active learning communities, working groups, and executive committees advancing shared visions for the field and individual sector strategies:
- Investigate: Defining systemic workforce fragmentation, mapping local market assets, and identifying critical skill gaps across New York City’s changing economy.
- Imagine: Building cross-sector consensus on the problem statement, setting shared goals, and co-designing systemic interventions.
- Incubate: Developing actionable implementation plans, assembling necessary resources, and securing commitment from core network partners.
- Implement: Facilitating trusted working groups, executive committees, and learning communities to test, refine, and execute sectoral action plans.
- Integrate: Scaling proven strategies and embedding core practice shifts across the ecosystem to achieve lasting systems impact.
Shared Learnings & Practice Shifts

The Learning Briefs detail three core practice shifts generated across the Green Economy Network, Healthcare Sector Network, and Tech Sector Networks:
- Centering an abundance mindset: Anchoring employer outreach in labor market data so workforce trainers shift from competing for employer relationships to building shared talent pipelines that expand employers’ access to qualified candidates across the networks.
- Establishing a “no wrong door” approach: Linking jobseekers to a shared ecosystem of training and services so candidates find the right fit regardless of where they enter.
- Partnering to expand opportunity: Building new cross-sector partnerships to combine expertise, develop new training models, and expand internship and employment opportunities.
Looking Ahead: The Integrate Phase

Moving into the integrate phase means embedding these shared insights into institutional practices and broader field strategies, and advancing policy and funding recommendations to sustain and expand their impact.

To explore the findings and actionable recommendations, read the full series:
Explore the Green Economy Network, Healthcare Sector Network, and Tech Sector Network and our partners at jobsfirstnyc.org

Interested in connecting with the Sector Networks? Reach out to Malia Darby, Manager of Work Solutions, at mdarby@jobsfirstnyc.org
Sector Networks

The Challenge

Across New York City, individuals who are out of school and out of work tend to live in communities with the highest poverty rates. Reduced access to work-based learning opportunities and cutbacks in comprehensive support services are occurring alongside increased demand for workers in various sectors, making it critical to develop a collaborative approach that simultaneously prepares jobseekers and meets labor market demand. By enhancing workforce development capacity, increasing employment opportunities, and influencing policy and investment, these sector networks seek to uplift New Yorkers into good careers.

When JobsFirst NYC launched the Sector Networks in 2020:

16%

of young adults were out of school and out of work

10.3%

of youth were unemployed

31%

of young Black workers were unemployed

26%

of young Latinx workers were unemployed

Approach

The Sector Networks organize and expand effective skills training, strengthen collective mechanisms to partner with employers, customize training to meet targeted hiring demands, and increase employment opportunities for young adults and their communities.

Target sectors include: Green Economy, Technology, and Healthcare.

The Green Economy Network establishes effective practices and aligns current systems to create green jobs and career paths in New York City, prioritizing access and sustainability.

The Healthcare Sector Network customizes skills training with employer collaboration and promotes fair pay and quality healthcare jobs in New York City.

The Tech Sector Network fosters an inclusive tech industry in New York City by facilitating customized training for in-demand roles and connecting employers with skilled tech talent.

Impact

10,200

People Served

7,250

Certifications Earned

2,000

People Placed

280+

Stakeholders

Partner with Us

Get in touch
Designed to Lead: What Young Adults Taught Us About the Future of Work

Day 2 of Adapting to the Future of Work: Movement by Design asked the question at the heart of this year’s convening: What does it mean to design your own path in a workforce that is evolving by the day? On July 30, hundreds of young adults gathered at NYU’s Kimmel Center as strategists, change-makers, visionaries, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders to explore that question. The day centered young people not simply as participants preparing for a future someone else has designed, but as the contributors shaping what comes next.

Emcee and entrepreneur Heison Marte gets Movement by Design in motion.

Emcee and entrepreneur Heison Marte guided attendees through a full day of programming focused on an empowering premise: today isn’t just about preparing for the future of work, but recognizing your power to shape it. A Bronx native, Heison challenged young adults to claim their agency and their power to build what comes next. Drawing on a borough with a long history of youth leadership, creativity, and community action, he urged participants to be “intentional about where you’re going, what you’re building with, and the impact you want to make along the way.”

Marjorie Parker, CEO and President of JobsFirst and JobsFirst NYC, brings the energy as she welcomes young adults and sets the stage for a day of ideas and connection.

Commissioner Sandra Escamilla-Davies, NYC Department of Youth and Community Development shares her story and encourages young adults to shape their own paths.

The day began with a riveting spoken word performance by Delaney Jocelyn, slam poet, playwright, and teaching artist. Marjorie Parker, CEO and President of JobsFirst and JobsFirst NYC, then reflected on why the convening now in its 11th year, remains a priority for the organization. “Your creativity. Your hustle. It is what brings us here every year,” said Parker.

Commissioner Sandra Escamilla-Davies of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) picked up that thread, urging the young people to find their purpose. “If we are really listening and really noticing the things that we love, that move us and bring energy, that is where our purpose lives. Being able to change your mind doesn’t mean that you are confused,” Escamilla-Davies said.

Colin Rocker, Founder of For the Firsts and Career Colin, engages the audience with a thought-provoking presentation.

Master Class

Your story is part of your career capital.

Keynote speaker Colin Rocker challenged young adults to create their own career narrative instead of trying to fit someone else’s definition of the ideal job candidate. He connected skills and AI, relationships, personal visibility, and wealth-building while reminding participants that humanity remains their edge. One attendee later shared that employers are not only hiring a resume; they are hiring the experiences, values, and perspective a person brings.

The Future of Work is Bigger Than Any One Industry.

Ten breakout sessions opened doors into AI and immersive technology, the green economy, creative industries, sports and entertainment, entrepreneurship, housing and health, independent culture, personal branding, civic engagement, and early-career development.

Garrett DeGraffenreid, Public Policy Manager at STRIVE, leads a powerful and interactive policy session.

In survey feedback, young adult attendees said they learned about new industries, pathways, and tools. Some also described discovering a possible career direction, while others learned ways to enter a field they are curious about.

Participants lean in, listen, and connect as meaningful conversations unfold throughout the day.

Networking becomes useful when young people can practice it.

After exploring the range of career possibilities available to them, participants had opportunities to build relationships that can help them move forward. In Kenya George’s “Sharpening Your 21st Century Pitch” warm-up activity, the entire audience developed elevator pitches and practiced micro-networking in real time. Young adult attendees shared that they made meaningful connections, and attending another networking event was one of the most common next steps identified in survey feedback.

Hot Takes panel with host Payton Johnson, Youth Coordinator, Headstream Innovation, Dylan Oriundo, Founder & CEO, The Builder Series, Vanessa Lopez, Next Gen Advisor, NAMI New York State, Paris Interdonato-Carreras, CEO & Co-Founder, Mastery Rising, and Jenna Scherma, CEO, Learn Mobo.

AI literacy requires both skill and critical thinking.

Across sessions on prompting, ethical technology, and the Hot Takes panel, participants examined AI as a tool, a collaborator, and a powerful force requiring deliberate, responsible use, consideration, and responsibility. Speakers encouraged young people to use emerging tools without surrendering their judgment, creativity, or values. Feedback also called for even deeper future conversations about AI’s benefits, risks, and effects on work and society.

Youth voice grows through real opportunities to lead.

During the My City, My Community Social Impact Pitch Competition, three finalist teams presented community-based solutions, received live feedback, and competed for $5,000 in prizes, including an Audience Favorite award. Finalists said coaching helped them strengthen their presentations and turn critical feedback into action. They also emphasized that visible youth leadership makes change feel attainable and encouraged other young adults to apply next year.

Stephany Garcia, Director, CommunityINC, at JobsFirst NYC, presents first-place winner Prestige Guedegbe with his check in the My City, My Community Social Impact Pitch Competition.

My City, My Community Social Impact Pitch Competition finalists, Kazi Tamim Nomany, Judge Dylan Oriundo, Ania Tegels, Prestige Guedegbe, and Kristopher Noel.

Confidence grows when young people move beyond comfort.

Young adult attendees walked away with renewed confidence and a drive to explore new career and leadership opportunities, turning the day’s inspiration into immediate, tangible action. Participants committed to concrete next steps – from updating resumes and applying for internships to launching business ideas and attending future networking events – with one young adult sharing, “More than anything, this event pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I introduced myself to professionals I admired, started conversations with people I had never met, and even participated in the Q&A… This experience reminded me that growth begins the moment we decide to step beyond what’s comfortable.” Ultimately, these personal breakthroughs and actionable commitments serve as the clearest measure of the day’s lasting value.

Designing What Comes Next

Young minds, bold ideas, and a shared vision for designing the future.

Young Adult Day affirmed what JobsFirst NYC and our partners see every day: young people are ready to navigate change, build relationships, test ideas, and lead when they have access to information, trusted support, and meaningful opportunities to practice. Program staff rated the event highly for supporting participants’ growth and career readiness, and speakers repeatedly highlighted young adults’ engagement, questions, and willingness to contribute.

We are grateful to the young adults who showed up with curiosity and courage; to the speakers, facilitators, judges, volunteers, partners, and staff who built the space alongside them; to DYCD for its continued partnership; and to our sponsors for investing in young people’s futures. Together, we are not only adapting to the future of work. We are helping the next generation design it.
The Sector Connector: Your September Work Solutions Update
This is a space dedicated to sharing updates from the Green Economy, Healthcare, and Tech Networks; reporting on goals and insights, relaying program openings and recruitment opportunities, and fostering cross-network collaboration.

Cross-sector convergence in action! Interested in learning more about Network Co-Chair roles? Reach out to mdarby@jobsfirstnyc.org

Connecting the Sector, Together 🔄

The Sector Networks are growing! We are expanding our impact by bringing in new perspectives to build on strong partnerships that shape and advance a more effective workforce development system. Each Sector Network is welcoming new members. Are you ready to join us?

What You Get as a Member

📊 Labor Market Intelligence and Employer Insights

Access to real-time hiring trends, employer priorities, and dynamic profiles of emerging skills needs across Green, Healthcare, and Tech.

🔄 No Wrong Door Referral Pipeline

Utilize shared referral tools that expand training, certification, and specialized support options for participants across Network members.

💡Knowledge Exchange & Spotlight

Showcase your proven models, operational lessons, and emerging best practices to help shape sector-wide standards and elevate your organization’s work in quarterly working sessions.

📣 Amplified Field Voice & Advocacy

Opportunities for greater visibility and influence through collective policy briefs, public briefings, advocacy, and funding opportunities.

The Member Commitment
- Quarterly Participation: Designate at least one representative to join and contribute to quarterly sector learning communities of up to three hours, with optional opportunities to to lead or join time-bound task forces.*
- Amplify Best Practices: Adopt and share field learnings, referral practices, and policy insights within your own organization.
- Collective Intelligence & Insights: Share high-level outcomes and operational takeaways to help us capture, synthesize, and demonstrate the true impact of sector strategies across NYC.
*There will be opportunities for leadership roles within our Networks. Reach out to mdarby@jobsfirstnyc.org to learn more

👉 CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND JOIN OUR KICKOFF WEBINAR

Green Economy Network

Climate Week in Full Force

Climate Week NYC is coming up! See below for where our members will be featured 👇
- Catch Malia Darby, JobsFirst NYC, Nikki Tourigny, The Hope Program, and Stephanie Klocke, NYC Talent, speaking on The Future of Green Jobs at Green Jobs Pavillion on September 21st
- Join JobsFirst NYC, LESEN, Henry Street Settlement, The Green Launchpad, Willdan, Stacks + Joules, and Con Edison at Pathways to Power: Building Sustainable Careers on September 22nd at Abron Arts Center
- Bring your young people to Youth WINS’ Green Energy Symposium at College of Staten Island Center for the Arts on September 23rd
- Visit The Brant event space at Solar One’s Environmental Education Center on September 24th to attend The Economics of Clean Energy & Investment Symposium
We are looking forward to a jam-packed week full of great insights and climate action from our GEN members!

Healthcare Sector Network

Upcoming Fall Trainings

Talent Developers and Educators: Respond to our Voices from the Healthcare Frontline Survey to have your voice represented in our upcoming brief!

Looking for September referral opportunities? HSN members have upcoming trainings 👇
- Goddard Riverside at Stanley Isaacs Center — Certified Nursing Assistant Training
- St. Nicks Alliance — Rolling opportunities for CNA and Hemodialysis Technician. Info Sessions on Fridays
When you refer to a Healthcare Sector Network member, you access the entire Network’s resources. Thank you to our Referral Task Force for ensuring that there is no wrong door to a healthcare career!

Tech Sector Network

Empowering Nonprofits Through Tech Talent

Talent Developers and Educators: Respond to our Voices from the Tech Frontline Survey to have your voice represented in our upcoming brief!

✨Highlighting a work-based learning model within the Tech Sector Network: Per Scholas’ Salesforce Administrator Fellowship.

Through this program, nonprofit partners can host a fully trained, full-time Per Scholas Salesforce Administrator Fellow for an eight month placement.

A Reciprocal Win for Tech Capacity and Sector Network Pipelines
- Tech-Enabling the Sector: Participating CBOs gain dedicated, full-time technical capacity to build custom dashboards, implement AI-powered workflows, streamline operations, manage donor databases, and track participant outcomes—allowing nonprofits to leverage enterprise-grade tech without sacrificing critical program budgets.
- Real-World Work-Based Learning: These fellowships provide full-time, hands-on experience solving complex operational challenges within real-world environments for graduates. Fellows apply their certifications, build vital social capital, and accelerate their tech careers.
- Cross-Sector Impact: Embedding skilled technical talent directly into community-based organizations ensures that local providers across all three networks have the digital infrastructure needed to operate efficiently, measure impact, and scale their services.
We encourage all partners looking to upgrade their digital tools to take advantage of this opportunity. Contact NYSF-Fellowship@perscholas.org to learn more.

Now Hiring 🧑‍💻

The Doe Fund
- Workforce Development Specialist
Goddard Riverside
The Hope Program
- Crew Supervisor
Solar One
- Manager of Green Workforce Training
St. Nicks Alliance
YM & YWHA – Washington Heights and Inwood
- Director of Social Services for Workforce Development Center
📩 Ready to Connect?

Whether you are a training provider looking to expand candidate access, an employer seeking job-ready talent, or an educational institution aligning career pathways, we invite you to learn more about joining the Sector Networks. Reach out to mdarby@jobsfirstnyc.org
Movement by Design: Reimagining the Future of Work Together
“Movement by Design means moving past big ideas and into deliberate, concrete action.” That’s how JobsFirst NYC Board Co-Chair Gregory Hambric opened the organization’s 11th annual Adapting to the Future of Work convening—and it set the tone for everything that followed. From unpacking the structural impacts of AI and skills to hands-on breakout sessions on data, policy, and design, the day connected macro-level trends to actionable strategy, grounding economic policy in real-world impact and putting the young people who will power the next generation of work front and center.

Sarah Steinberg, Head of Global Public Policy Partnerships, LinkedIn, Annie Martinez, Regional Market Lead, Year Up United, and Jerelyn Rodriguez, Co-Founder and CEO, The Knowledge House

“Movement by Design means moving past big ideas and into deliberate, concrete action. It means aligning our resources, our policies, and our relationships so that every young person in our city has a clear pathway to upward mobility.”

— Gregory Hambric, Board Co-Chair, Senior Director, Talent Acquisition
Warner Music Group

The concept—movement by design—captured the intentionality of the room: workforce practitioners, government, philanthropy, employers, startup founders, and community leaders, all in the same space.

Gregory Hambric, Board of Directors, JobsFirst NYC

Choosing Optimism While Designing the Future

Following Greg Hambric’s opening remarks, JobsFirst and JobsFirst NYC CEO and President Marjorie Parker took the stage. Reflecting on the organization’s growing reach, she highlighted strong regional partnerships in Southern Nevada and Northeastern Pennsylvania, and welcomed a new partner from Memphis, Tennessee—underscoring how local solutions are successfully scaling across the country.

Debbie Roman, Community Workforce Development Program Manager, National Grid, and Tara Gardner, Executive Director, Day Care Council of New York

Turning to the day’s core theme, Parker emphasized that the primary responsibility of workforce leaders isn’t to play catch-up with the future, but to anticipate and shape it—a task made urgent by the sector’s pivot to artificial intelligence—especially in the overarching mission to solve poverty and create sustainable economic mobility.

“We are in the business of trying to solve poverty. That is really the business that we are in… To gauge the true health of our economy, look at young people and how they are doing. When the systems that serve them are leaky, busted, and broken, young people and their communities are the first to feel it.”

— Marjorie Parker, CEO & President, JobsFirst and JobsFirst NYC

Nothing for Us, Without Us Young Adult panel with Author and Creator, Timm Chiusano

Fireside Chat with Andrew Stern, President Emeritus, SEIU and Matt Sigelman, President, Burning Glass Institute

High-energy, with an audience fully engaged, diving into the future of work

AI and the State of Our Sector

Marjorie then moderated a fireside discussion with Andrew Stern, President Emeritus, SEIU, and Matt Sigelman, President, Burning Glass Institute, exploring how AI is reshaping the economic systems, public policies, and social contract underpinning work.

Stern challenged convening participants to move beyond reactive retraining and act before systemic harm takes hold, drawing on historical industrial shifts to caution that AI threatens both professional and traditional jobs alike. Reinforcing this urgency, through a systems-data lens, Sigelman pointed out a structural vulnerability: AI is actively altering key economic mobility pipelines by concentrating job loss in administrative and customer service roles that have long served as gateway positions to middle-class advancement for women and workers of color.

“Right now, there are so many workforce organizations out there doing heroes’ work. We are program rich and system poor. What are the resources we need? What’s the foresight we need? What’s the intelligence that we need that no individual organization has the capacity to do by itself? How do we make sure that all of us have that view?”

— Matt Sigelman, President, Burning Glass Institute

The takeaway: driving true mobility will require shared infrastructure, real-time market intelligence, and forward-looking policy that reshapes the talent ecosystem from the ground up.

Mapping the Modern Career: Rethinking Upskilling in the Future of Work

Leaders from global policy, corporate investment, and community tech examined how to modernize talent pipelines amid AI-driven shifts. Moderated by Shanie Mohamed, Executive Director, JobsFirst NEPA, the panel made the case for moving beyond short-term training toward resilient, human-centered workforce infrastructure — using real-time data, breaking down degree barriers, and shifting employer practice.

Annie Martinez, Regional Market Lead, Year Up United, captured the core strategy required for long-term impact: “Myth busting is that partnership is nice to have. Partnership IS the strategy.”

Sarah Steinberg, Head, Public Policy, LinkedIn, highlighted the double disadvantage facing women as AI disrupts clerical and customer service roles, while Jerelyn Rodriguez, Co-Founder and CEO, The Knowledge House, called on employers to look past traditional degrees and evaluate how candidates practically apply AI in real-world workflows.

Martinez summed up the ultimate goal of these modern career pathways simply: “Economic mobility is where economic justice lies.” She urged the sector to push past entry-level access and focus on sustained systems change that drives advancement from within.

Tactical Solutions for Tomorrow

Focused on the future. Attendees tune in before breaking out to explore new toolkits, collaborate, and translate big ideas into real-world action.

Interactive afternoon breakout sessions provided participants with hands-on tools to advance workforce development strategy across data, AI, inclusive design, policy, and community evaluation.

Measure of America showcased DATA2GO, an open-source platform pairing public datasets with internal metrics to help leaders pinpoint local trends, identify service gaps, and drive data-informed strategies.

Lead with AI, led a workshop on building single-purpose AI assistants, showing how automating tasks can free up 20% to 50% of staff capacity for high-touch mentoring.

An inclusive design session introduced Universal Design for Learning (UDL), equipping organizations to remove learning barriers from the start rather than retrofit around them.

A parallel discussion on Designing the Architecture of Belonging examined how physical space and unspoken culture shape workplace accessibility— from creating “sacred spaces” for early-career talent to dismantling “pedigree norms,” through flexible access models like Croissant.

The NYCETC led a policy session on translating on-the-ground experience into evidence-based recommendations for a “low hire, low fire” labor market, emphasizing employer partnerships built on demonstrated business value.

MDRC and Slingshot Memphis grounded the day’s insights in practice, showing how combining quantitative census data with qualitative lived experience builds both sharper strategy and long-term community trust.

Words in motion: Delaney Jocelyn brings passion, vision, and truth to the stage.

Poetry, Possibility and the Power of the Moment

Public Poets Fellow Delaney Jocelyn (@laneythepoet) delivered two powerful spoken word performances, both receiving standing ovations. Her readings moved through ancestral connection and trauma, radical self-love and resilience, and echoed last year’s convening theme that all hope is local.

Nothing for Us, Without Us: How Young People are Designing their Own Career Pathways

Introduced by JobsFirst NYC intern Janelle Prince and moderated by corporate-vet turned content creator Timm Chiusano, this candid and reflective this session centered on young adults—Avionte (Marcy Lab School), Keeshawn (Stacks+Joules at Henry Street), Marcus (Roundabout Theatre Company), and Jack (Reel Works) who called on corporate leaders and training programs to move past generational stigmas, embrace two-way mentorship, and rethink rigid program designs.

“We need these employers to trust that this new generation… were trained by professionals to become professionals,” said Marcus. On the topic of AI, the panel emphasized using technology as an empowering tool rather than a replacement for human thought. Avionte reflected on navigating tech interviews in a shifting landscape, noting, “Use it, but understand what it’s doing… don’t have it do everything.” Meanwhile, Keeshawn urged workforce organizations to go beyond transactional training by offering proactive, empathetic guidance: “Don’t give up… build a relationship with every single one.” Closing the session, Chiusano reminded the room that meeting young workers with genuine culture and communication is essential, emphasizing that “attitude is 1,000% a skill” and that the next generation holds the key to reshaping the future of work.

The Future of Work in NYC: What Comes Next

Picking up where the young professionals left off, this discussion brought together leaders across public education, clean energy, childcare, and philanthropy—Jane Martinez-Dowling, Chief, Office of Student Pathways, NYC Public Schools; Debbie Roman, Program Manager, NY Workforce Development, National Grid; Tara Gardner, Executive Director, Day Care Council of New York; and Randy Moore, Foundation President, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Foundation. Moderated by Chantella Mitchell, Program Director, New York Community Trust, the panel addressed a fundamental question: As burgeoning investments, industries, and budget priorities reshape New York’s economy, who is responsible for ensuring workers have what they need to thrive?

“Access is an event, economic mobility is a system”

— Randy Moore, Foundation President, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

From scaling local infrastructure to navigating city and state budgets, the speakers emphasized that building sustainable career pipelines requires cross-sector collaboration, systemic flexibility, and deep investment in human talent. Reframing workforce development, Roman pointed out that while utility job titles stay fixed, core skills like safety and problem-solving are constantly evolving—adding that true progress requires moving employers beyond superficial volunteer efforts into genuine hiring partnerships. Martinez-Dowling pressed the urgency of aligning public education directly with high-demand, livable-wage sectors while centering youth voices.

“How do we ensure that we’re meeting the promise of having a livable wage, and that students and young people are able to live and thrive and stay?”

— Jane Martinez-Dowling, Chief, Office of Student Pathways, NYC Public Schools

Gardner brought vital visibility to the early childhood workforce, pushing for pay parity and structural respect for Black and Brown women who sustain the city’s care economy. Moore closed the panel with a challenge to philanthropy: stop treating AI as a “gloom and doom” threat and start managing it as change; stop treating CBOs as grantees and start treating them as talent-solution providers who need unrestricted support to drive real mobility.
Designing Lasting Mobility, Together

Collaboration in action! Teams from JobsFirst NEPA, JobsFirst SNV, and SlingShot Memphis gather to share insights, build connections, and strengthen partnerships for the future.

As we reflect on another powerful edition of Adapting to the Future of Work, the day’s discussions returned to a central truth: achieving true economic mobility requires rebuilding workforce development systems around the actual needs of workers and communities. Navigating rapid technological change, shifting budget priorities, and labor market shifts demands deep cross-sector alignment and sustained investment in human talent.

Core Insights & Action Steps:

Human capabilities remain irreplaceable. Even as AI reshapes technical demands, adaptability, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication remain the true foundations of long-term career growth.

Co-investment replaces token engagement. Progress requires moving employers past superficial advisory roles and CSR volunteer hours and into active co-design—investing directly in talent pipelines, wage equity, and clear advancement opportunities.

Removing artificial barriers. Organizations and businesses must strip away unnecessary degree mandates, refine application procedures, and open viable doors for non-traditional learners and early-career talent.

Collective action over isolated efforts. Breaking down silos between philanthropy, government, education, and private enterprise is the only way to tackle deeply entrenched wage disparities and systemic workforce challenges.

Leading with the energy of emerging talent. From training program graduates to young professionals demanding livable wages and career clarity, the next generation’s creativity and resilience are driving the vision for the future of work.
The Sector Connector: Your August Work Solutions Update
This is a space dedicated to sharing updates from the Green Economy, Healthcare, and Tech Sector Networks; reporting on partnership goals, insights and impacts, relaying program openings and recruitment opportunities, and deepening cross-sector collaboration.

Curious what’s next and how to get involved? Our Integrate phase announcement is at the end of this newsletter ⬇️

Sector Networks: Implement Phase in Review 🎉🔥

What a year! The Sector Networks have completed 3 years of Implementation, as part of the JobsFirst NYC 5-Step Process for partnership development. Together, we built the foundation for a strong, interconnected network of networks that organizes and expands effective skills training, strengthens how partners work with employers, customizes training to meet hiring demand, and increases employment opportunities for young adults and their communities.

Since 2023, the Green Economy, Healthcare Sector, and Tech Sector Networks have strengthened systems impact through core practice shifts:
- Creating a No Wrong Door for Jobseekers and Employers: When one jobseeker walks through the doors of a network member, they unlock access to dozens of other training programs and services. If the first program they enter is not the right fit for their circumstances or career aspirations, there are options. Similarly, employers can access thousands of talented people through any one member of the Sector Networks.
- Centering an Abundance Mindset: Working together can be easy, but building trust is not. Through anchoring employer outreach conversations in labor market data, the Sector Networks have adopted an abundance mindset—that there is far more demand for talent and future pipelines than there are seats in training programs. We produce better results when we work in collaboration rather than competition.
- Partnering to Expand Opportunity: By participating in the Sector Networks, organizations have built new partnerships to expand training pathways and strengthen curricula. The Sector Networks are truly interconnected networks of organizations and people dedicated to improving services and programs through collaboration, with impact that extends beyond any single organization.
Reflecting back on our Cross-Sector Network convening at Solar One Environmental Education Center, where partners from all three Sector Networks collaborated to solve K-12 connections to workforce development programming at Runway Green.

Green Economy Network

FY 2026 Highlights

GEN made significant strides this year in raising visibility for green career pathways and driving policy recommendations from our members. We believe an inclusive green economy must provide all New Yorkers with family-sustaining careers that reinvest in local communities

This past year, the GEN:
- Released the full Voices from the Green Frontline Brief outlining the realities of green workforce training.
- Built a new website and training exploration tool to bring more awareness to green career pathways.
- Published policy recommendations for the Mamdani administration pushing for an inclusive and coordinated green transition that prioritizes New Yorkers’ careers.
- Hosted Clean Energy Connect Expo and a strategic policy briefing, connecting policy and practice to real opportunity for jobseekers in search of a green career.
Clean Energy Connect “connected” our programs, jobseekers, and employers, offering an up close look at the different green pathways. From building management at the Doe Fund to horticulture at the Hort, there was something for everyone.

Powering NYC’s clean energy future through local talent and innovation!🔌 💚

Healthcare Sector Network

FY 2026 Highlights

HSN dove deep into understanding the young adult healthcare workforce landscape, recognizing that healthcare is one of the most difficult yet critical sectors to work and thrive in.

This past year, the HSN:
- Uncovered the on-the-ground realities of entering healthcare via workforce training programs in our Careers in Care Focus Groups, translating findings into organizational and Network practices.
- Embedded participant feedback into our Referral Task Force processes by evaluating participant fit when making program recommendations, understanding that clinical pathways require intensive, hands-on training that may not align with learner personality and long-term goals.
- Collected healthcare workforce training provider stories, challenges, and bright spots to synthesize and release in Voices from the Healthcare Frontline this fall
- Partnered with the Bronx Opportunity Network to share and educate post-secondary professionals on the viability of healthcare training as an option for educational and career pathways.
Young adults remain curious and dedicated to becoming part of the care workforce. Our Careers in Care focus group revealed that even with generational differences in how caregivers show up to work, our learners remain steadfast in their pursuit of a career in healthcare.

A healthier NYC starts here, fueled on the front lines by dedicated caregivers.❤️🩺

Tech Sector Network

FY 2026 Highlights

With the rise of AI and contraction of traditional tech jobs, the TSN worked creatively to connect job seekers with new opportunities, sectors, and skill sets in demand.

This past year, the TSN:
- Connected waitlisted training seekers with TSN programs and referral partners at Opportunity Day, ensuring that anyone who enters the doors of a TSN member is met with the resources they need to succeed and pursue a career in tech skills.
- Built a social capital network with 30 learners and graduates from TSN programs during the Social Capital Building Experience, hearing and learning directly from alumni now employed at marketing firms, museums, schools, and financial institutions.
- Collected tech workforce training provider stories, challenges, and bright spots to synthesize and release in Voices from the Tech Frontline this fall.
- Finalized Version 3 of the Digital Pipeline, with capabilities to digitally refer candidates across the platform and post training opportunities, videos, in-person and virtual resources, and more!
Opportunity Day was an inside look into the motivation and excitement of New Yorkers pursuing careers in tech roles. The alumni panel and subsequent resource fair illustrated an honest assessment of the tech job market and how young people can take advantage of the program rich ecosystem the TSN provides.

NYC tech isn’t just growing, it’s breaking boundaries with homegrown talent!💡💻

➡️What Comes Next: Transitioning to the Integrate Phase

As we look back on an incredible year of impact across the Green Economy, Healthcare, and Tech Sector Networks, we are gearing up for our most transformative year yet!

Transitioning into the new fiscal year and JobsFirst NYC’s Integrate phase, Sector Network membership evolves into a broader platform to extend the reach and impact of the Networks, elevate Network insights, spotlight proven models, and align systems citywide.

💡What to Expect: Sector Network Membership

Sector Network Members (Green Economy, Healthcare, and Tech), gain direct access to a network of training providers, employers, CUNY partners, and system leaders.

What You Get as a Member

📊 Labor Market Intelligence and Employer Insights

Direct access to real-time hiring trends, employer feedback loops, and dynamic skills profiles across Green, Healthcare, and Tech.

🔄 No Wrong Door Referral Pipeline

Utilize shared digital tools to cross-refer participants to complementary training tracks, certifications, or specialized wraparound supports.

💡Knowledge Exchange & Spotlight

Share your proven models, operational lessons, and emerging best practices to help shape sector-wide standards and elevate your organization’s work.

📣 Amplified Field Voice & Advocacy

Representation in collective policy briefs, public briefings, and grant opportunities.

The Member Commitment
- Quarterly Participation: Designate at least one representative to join and contribute to quarterly sector learning communities of up to 3 hours and opt in to lead or join time-bound task forces on a rolling basis.
- Amplify Best Practices: Adopt and share field learnings, referral practices, and policy insights within your own organization.
- Collective Intelligence & Insights: Share high-level outcomes and operational takeaways to help us capture, synthesize, and demonstrate the true impact of sector strategies across NYC.
📩 Ready to Connect?

Whether you are a training provider looking to expand candidate access, an employer seeking job-ready talent, or an educational institution aligning career pathways, we invite you to learn more about joining the Sector Networks.

We are officially kicking off Integrate in September – join us!

👉 CLICK HERE TO OPT IN TO LEARN MORE AND JOIN OUR KICKOFF WEBINAR

Together, we are transforming how New York City builds talent, partners with employers, and drives equitable economic mobility. Thank you for a fantastic year—we look forward to growing with you!

For more about Sector Networks, contact Malia Darby, Manager of Work Solutions at JobsFirst NYC via email at mdarby@jobsfirstnyc.org.
Transfer 2 Career Collaborative

The Challenge

When JobsFirst NYC launched T2C in 2017-2018, there were 53,000 over-age, under-credited high school students attending NYC public schools. Many of these students – approximately 15,000–attended transfer schools–small schools that are not organized by age or grade but instead by credit accumulation to help off-track students graduate with a high school diploma. These schools were not equipped to integrate career readiness into their curricula, provide high-quality work-based learning experiences, or connect graduating students to post-secondary education and training that leads to careers. At the time…

25%

transfer high school graduated enter postsecondary within 6 months

15,000

over-age, under-credited students attended transfer schools in New York City

54%

transfer high school students graduated with a high school diploma by the age of 21

70%

of all jobs would require some post-secondary education or training after high school by 2027

Approach

The small-school design of transfer high schools provides a unique opportunity to enrich student experiences through a sequence of high-quality career development activities that form a core part of their education. The Transfer 2 Career Collaborative capitalizes on this opportunity by offering a multiple-phase student experience that includes a core and enhanced curriculum; high-quality work-based learning experiences across the career development continuum; individualized career development support; and case management and wraparound support services. The approach is designed to help students recover credits, graduate from high school, experience success in postsecondary education and training, and launch careers in growing industry sectors. Importantly, this framework is organized in competency-based phases rather than by age or grade, allowing students to progress through the initiative at their own pace.

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Impact

Leveraging the small school design of Transfer High Schools with intensive wrap around support services and internship stipends, JobsFirst NYC and New Visions for Public Schools are building partnerships between 12 Transfer High Schools within the New Visions network and select workforce development and training organizations with a track record of working with out-of-school, out-of-work young adults. These partnerships form the School Design Team made up of School principals, Learning to Work Program Directors and Internship Coordinators, and leaders from workforce development organizations. By operationally integrating these workforce development organizations into the schools, these school-based partnerships will: 1) provide career awareness and exploration services to all student; 2) integrate advanced career development into the school design; and, 3) build bridge programs to sector-specific postsecondary opportunities.

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27

Learning Communities Convened

40

Partners in a Community of Practice

12

Industry-Recognized Certificates Available to Students

3766

Students Engaged in New Career Development Opportunities

Our Partners

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Young Adult Sectoral Employment Project
The Challenge

Young adults in New York City are contending with unprecedented difficulties in the local labor market. The long-term trend of public sector disinvestment in training and employment services, combined with employers increasingly basing their hiring decisions on demonstrable skills and previous work experience, has created an almost impossible situation for young adults without a college education who seek stable, career-track employment at a family-supporting wage. This is particularly the case in New York City, where job growth has concentrated at the extremes of the labor market: high-paying jobs, which require education and skills that young adults often lack; and low-wage, low-skill jobs, for which young adults must compete against older jobseekers who typically have the advantages of relevant work experience and strong references.

118,000

out-of-school and out-of-work young adults were in New York City

61%

of jobs held by young people were part-time

31%

of New York City college students worked while in school, and fewer students were finishing their degrees

70%

of all jobs would require postsecondary education by 2027

Approach

JobsFirst NYC’s Young Adult Sectoral Employment Project supported the development of 11 partnerships between workforce development organizations and employers. Each partnership is focused on a specific sector (such as healthcare, technology, transportation) and carries out employer-driven training for unemployed and underemployed young adults.

These programs offer young adults enough time and preparation to master the competencies necessary for success in the workplace while also integrating sufficient employer input to ensure that participants who complete training programs are ready to contribute from their first day on the job.

Benchmarking for YASEP – JobsFirst NYC is partnering with the Workforce Field Building Hub at the Workforce Professionals Training Institute and a group of JobsFirst NYC’s YASEP member organizations and CareerLift partner, Seedco to baseline, test and strengthen their capacity to engage employers, using the Success Drivers developed through the Workforce Benchmarking Network.

SectorBOOST for YASEP – Change Machine (formerly The Financial Clinic) partnered with a cohort of JobsFirst NYC’s YASEP member agencies to bring financial coaching services to young adult jobseekers and to build the capacity of participating organizations to deliver similar coaching services in the future. You can learn more here at SectorBOOST.

Visit the YASEP Website
Impact

Eleven partnerships have been established under YASEP’s framework, and ten launched industry-based training programs. Each partnership is focused on a specific sector and carries out employer-driven training for unemployed and underemployed young adults.

Ten new partnerships were developed and sustained their partnership structures throughout the duration of the project. These included:

Comprehensive Youth Development and the Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY prepare students for careers in healthcare while earning a Certified Medical Assistant credential.

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation partners with transportation and logistics employers to offer a career pathway into the transportation sector with a robust career ladder, living wages, and union protections.

Green City Force partners with Con Edison, L+M Development Partners, C+C Management, and NYCHA’s REES offer career pathways for young adults into the sustainability sector.

The Knowledge House, partnering on the Bronx Digital Pipeline with Hostos Community College and Per Scholas, is developing pathways into cutting edge technology jobs.

Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute partners with the Cooperative Home Care Associates to train young adults for jobs in the healthcare sector.

Per Scholas and The Door created TechBridge to offer young adults to expand access into the information technology sector.

Phipps Neighborhoods, in partnership with Hostos Community College and Montefiore Medical Center, prepare young people for careers in allied healthcare.

Queens Community House, Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement House, Ocean Bay Community Development Corp, and Sunnyside Community Services — together as Queens Connect — prepare young adults for success in the food industry.

Roundabout Theatre Company in partnership with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and The Door provide training for access to careers in technical theatre.

Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center partners with employers to train young adults for careers in hospitality and food service. Isaacs Center also offers training in community health and education and child development.

$15M

Funds Raised and Invested in New Partnerships

50

Employers Engaged

2335

Young Adults Served by our Partners

11

Partnerships Funded
Our Partners

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YES Bed Stuy
The Challenge

At the time of the YES Bed Stuy’s first convening in 2018, Bedford-Stuyvesant was home to one of New York City’s highest rates of out-of-school, out-of-work young adults. The community was in need of more services aimed specifically at young adults aged 18–24 and innovative solutions to connect young adults to work and education. Community stakeholders highlighted the following challenges in Bedford-Stuyvesant at the time:

29%

of young adults were out-of-school and out-of-work

9%

higher poverty rate than NYC as a whole

4,588

out-of-school, out-of-work young adults

32%

of young adults receiving SNAP benefits
Approach

YES Bed Stuy’s mission is to pursue equity and to empower all young adults in Bedford-Stuyvesant to achieve long-term success in the workforce. This community-led, demand-driven workforce partnership offers a coordinated set of skills training, educational services, and wraparound support services to help young adults secure jobs in growing areas of the economy. It also works with employers to streamline their hiring processes and better connect job seekers to career-ladder jobs.

YES Bed Stuy is committed to:

Preparing and connecting Bedford-Stuyvesant youth to local and in-demand jobs and meaningful careers by increasing their educational attainment, awareness of opportunities, and training.

Designing an integrated community-based system—based on the input of young adults—that offers access to a wide range of programs, services, customized supportive services, and leadership opportunities with an eye toward job connection, career growth, and long-term financial stability and economic mobility.

Promoting young adults’ job retention and advancement by providing the necessary support to address the challenges that they and their employers face.

Identifying, engaging, and partnering with employers who commit to hiring YES Bed Stuy’s trained and supported youth.

To achieve these goals, YES Bed Stuy focuses on the following:

Youth Leadership Committee that puts young adults’ voices front and center with regard to the collaborative’s activities.

Centralized Community Hub, a community space where young adults, particularly those who are out of school and out of work, can …

Providing customized, one-on-one case management and service planning for young adults.

Organizing and distributing a pool of job vacancies with local employer partners shared across YES Bed Stuy partners for a broader reach in sectors and job opportunities for young adults.

Ensuring a dedicated coordinator for education, workforce, and supportive services in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community.

Visit the YES! Bed Stuy Website
Impact

Since its launch in 2021, YES Bed Stuy has worked with stakeholders in the community—over 40 leaders from multiple sectors—to build stronger pathways for young adults to access economic opportunities through education, training, employment, and wraparound services.

$365,187

Funds Raised & Leveraged

10

Youth Leadership Community Members

40

Community Stakeholders Participating

15

Partners Engaged

Our Partners

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