The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown millions of Americans out of work and challenged libraries to find creative ways to help jobseekers and adult learners navigate an uncertain and fast-changing landscape. This webinar will feature national policy experts who will provide big-picture context, data, and resources to help library staff to strategically connect with local, state and national workforce policy conversations.
Participants will get an overview of major federal policies that support workforce development and find out how libraries fit into this conversation. Presenters, including Amanda Bergson-Shilcock and Jessica Cardott of National Skills Coalition, as well as Larra Clark of the American Library Association and Stephanie Holcomb and Liana Volpe of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, will share recent data on American workers’ digital skill gaps and identify opportunities for libraries to use this data in educating policymakers about the need for additional funding and the roles libraries play in this space. Presenters will also provide practical recommendations for how librarians can make their voices heard in the workforce policy arena and help to narrow racial equity gaps in skill-building opportunities. This is the first in a planned series of events focused on public libraries, workforce development programs and services, and economic recovery.
