This issue brief is part of a study funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Chief Evaluation Office that explores the implementation and impact of the America’s Promise Job Driven Training grants, which 23 organizations received in 2016. These four-year grants, funded by DOL’s Employment and Training Administration, support creating and expanding regional partnerships—including workforce development agencies, institutions of higher education, economic development agencies, employers, and community-based organizations—aimed at preparing workers for careers in middle- to high-skilled industries and occupations.

This brief draws on 31 interviews with employer representatives—providing a range of perspectives across target industries and business sizes and types—to describe why they chose to participate in regional workforce partnerships, how they helped shape partnership activities, what they perceived as successes and areas for improvement, whether they planned to sustain involvement, and what findings might provide insights for employer engagement more broadly.

Major findings from 31 interviews with employers include:

• Employers identified five reasons for participating: to (1) help shape workforce system strategies, (2) strengthen talent pipelines, (3) fund training development and work-based learning, (4) show commitment to their communities, and (5) diversify their workforces.
• Employers described playing multiple roles in the America’s Promise partnerships, but most often served on advisory boards, support work-based learning opportunities, and employ individuals who complete training.
• Interviewed employers perceived regional partnerships as successfully supporting high quality training, improved employee retention, industry growth and collaboration, and a stronger and more diverse pipeline of skilled workers.
• Select employers highlighted the need for more training funds, further tailoring of training to industry needs, and child care and transportation supports for participants.
• Of 31 employer respondents, 30 stressed that collaboration to advance workforce development in their regions would continue beyond the America’s Promise grant.
• Four employers planned to continue training established under the grant, while 26 highlighted the need to identify additional funds to sustain training activities.