make work possible

For years, the District has had more jobs than people, yet the vast majority of those jobs are filled by non-residents. In 2010, DC’s labor market weathered the recession better than other major urban areas, gaining nearly 11,000 jobs. However, the data show that job growth hasn’t helped the more than 35,000 unemployed District residents. At a time of near record unemployment rates, it is critical for the District to improve its strategy for job creation and growth and connecting city residents to DC jobs – especially those jobs created with government subsidies.

To make work possible for all District residents, the District must develop a long-term, citywide economic-development plan that focuses on job creation and growth and workforce development and training that help residents prepare for, secure and retain family-sustaining jobs and careers.

To accomplish this, the District must:
1) Engage private employers, government agencies and organized labor as partners and co-investors in identifying and preparing the workforce for high-growth sectors;
2) Improve residents’ access to quality training and support services to build the District’s workforce capacity for available jobs;
3) Improve connections between training and employment to create pipelines to jobs and careers;
4) Prioritize services that and act as an intermediary to assist employers in recruiting, hiring and retaining qualified DC resident employees;
5) Strengthen hiring and retention efforts/incentives for newly employed District residents; and
6) Reduce duplication of services.

Our Recommendations for Change are:

Coming Soon.