US Department of Labor announces $3.5M award to establish hub to improve services, outcomes for jobseekers, employers

WASHINGTON – On the heels of a strong jobs report, workers and jobseekers are taking advantage of opportunities to acquire new skills and explore better opportunities. Many of those workers will seek help from the public workforce system – a network of federal, state and local government-funded programs that provide services to workers, jobseekers and employers that lead to economic growth and improved skills for workers.

To continue its support of the public workforce system, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $3.5 million to Safal Partners LLC to establish a Workforce System Technical Assistance Collaborative that will facilitate peer learning and information sharing, and provide access to subject matter experts to help jobseekers obtain employment and employers hire and retain skilled workers.  

The funding supports a coordinated approach to technical assistance to help workforce boards and operators deliver quality services. Safal will partner with the National Association of Workforce Boards, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and Third Sector Capital Partners to form the collaborative.

“Establishing this Workforce System Technical Assistance Collaborative will provide valuable technical assistance to support local and state workforce partners and build their capacity to connect more Americans to good jobs at this critical time,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Angela Hanks. “The collaborative will also work with public workforce systems to not only comply with federal requirements but push to reach and deliver impactful services and equitable outcomes for American workers and communities.”

Together with the department’s national and regional office teams, the collaborative will respond in real-time to the needs of local and state programs and provide a broad range of technical assistance and subject matter expertise on the following topics:

• Virtual service delivery, reemployment, and other issues related to economic recovery.
• Integrated service delivery, career pathways, workforce board development.
• Fiscal, administrative, programmatic and operational strategies.
• Sector partnerships and employer engagement strategies.
• Performance and results. 

The collaborative will help the public workforce system deliver equitable services for people from underserved and underrepresented communities, including people of color and individuals with disabilities.