Putting People at the Center of Our Economy Through Workforce Development That Works

During my two decades in workforce development, I’ve heard people joke that few people set out to build a career in this field – that most of us happened into it while working on other issues facing working families.

While I think many of us can relate, the joke reveals something deeper: in the U.S. workforce development has too often been treated as an afterthought, something that supports other priorities, rather than being a priority in its own right.

But that’s a mistake. Workforce development isn’t peripheral. It’s a top issue for millions of working people and our economy. There’s no way to address our nation’s major challenges — whether that’s keeping pace with AI, building new roads and bridges, or caring for children — without the skills and contributions of working people. In a nation where 3 out of 5 adults don’t hold a bachelor’s degree, we must think differently about how we value and respect the careers of the people who power our economy.

If we truly want to support working families, workforce development shouldn’t be an afterthought. It should be a national investment in our nation’s greatest asset: people.

Workforce development isn’t just about “second chances.” It’s about first choices.

For too long, our nation’s policy leaders have treated workforce development as a second chance system for people who are seen as having “fallen short” in school or work. That misguided view has hindered investment, innovation, and the scale of what’s possible.

That narrative never fit – and it definitely doesn’t fit now. Workers in every sector are navigating rapid technological changes and big industry shifts. They’re looking for pathways that help them adapt and advance in their careers over time. And they overwhelmingly support public investment in skills training: 82% of voters want more federal funding for workforce programs.

Yet the U.S. spends significantly less on workforce programs than almost every other OECD nation. This underinvestment is a deliberate policy choice, not an economic inevitability – one shaped by outdated assumptions that dismiss working-class careers and overlook the talent of people pursuing skills training.

It’s time to flip the script and start treating workforce development as a first-choice investment: one that unlocks every person’s potential, treats workers with dignity and respect, and helps workers and local businesses gain from technological change.

Our workforce policies should value today’s workers

Our nation’s workforce looks different than it did even a generation ago. Almost half of the working class is women, and 47 percent is made up of people of color. Today’s workforce spans five different generations. Millions of workers are immigrants, parents, and family caregivers.

This rich diversity is one of our nation’s greatest strengths. It sparks American innovation and prosperity. But to truly strengthen our nation and our economy, we must make sure that workers of every background can share in the prosperity they help create. Many of our current systems were built on the legacy of past policies that blocked equal access to education, training, and good jobs based on race, gender, and zip code.

In America, we’re connected by the belief that everyone deserves the chance to pursue their dreams and build a better life for themselves and their families, no matter where they start. At its best, that’s the promise that workforce development should deliver to each and every worker.

In fact, that’s what workers tell us they want from skills training: access to a better life through flexible, affordable training pathways that result in good jobs, create financial stability, and support them in reaching their ambitions. Paired with policies that boost job quality, ensure fair treatment, and make the cost of living more affordable, workforce development can help create an economy where every worker can thrive.

When people have meaningful careers and economic security, they can imagine and act on a better future for themselves and their families. That kind of agency strengthens communities, builds a resilient economy, and bolsters the ideals of our democracy.

Let’s build a workforce system that matches workers’ needs and dreams

If we want a workforce system that truly delivers for working people, benefits local businesses, and strengthens our nation, it needs to embody a few key principles:

• Affordability: Training should never force people to choose between learning new skills and paying the bills. The workforce system should offer a range of high-quality, affordable training opportunities and supportive services that fit people’s lives.

• Equity: A person’s race, gender, or zip code should not determine their opportunities or outcomes. The workforce system should give every person, not just those who are already advantaged, a real shot at success.

• Connection: Workers should not have to navigate their careers alone. The workforce system should help people build networks, access mentors, learn at work, and connect with employers in ways that open new doors and make hiring and advancement fairer.

• Job Quality: People should not be pushed into dead-end jobs. The workforce system should provide pathways to good jobs that offer fair pay and benefits, a safe workplace, meaningful opportunities to grow and provide input, and an environment where everyone is respected and included.

• Adaptability: Workers should benefit from industry growth and innovation. As industries change, the workforce system must evolve to help workers successfully navigate transitions, whether driven by AI, climate adaptation, or other new changes.

Let’s think beyond what’s been done

This last year has made clear that affordability, job quality, and economic opportunity for working people are increasingly the focus of national politics. But real action has lagged behind the rhetoric.

Policy wins like Workforce Pell show what’s possible when policymakers come together to deliver for working people and their careers. But the dearth of these wins also reveals how much further we have to go.

Even as we fight to protect the modest public investments we’ve managed to secure, we must push for a bolder future for workforce development — one that reflects the diversity and dreams of today’s workers, is rooted in fairness and opportunity, and delivers on a new promise of work: valuable skills, good jobs, and shared economic prosperity.

In 2026, National Skills Coalition will engage the field in building that promise. We’ll continue forging coalitions across workers, students, labor, businesses, practitioners, and partners to make workforce development a more central part of our nation’s economy.

Together, we’ll urge policymakers to invest in the careers of working people – not just as a second chance, but as our first choice for building a stronger and fairer future. I hope you’ll join us.