WORKER EQUITY INITIATIVE RESOURCES
This website was created to provide the WEI steering committee a repository of workforce development resources. These resources are tailored to advance learning among WEI participants and similar organizations working to advance equity in California's public workforce development system.
California Workforce Development System Worker Equity Initiative
Overview
The California Workforce Development Worker Equity Initiative (WEI) is a partnership between community and labor organizations and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) that seeks to transform the publicly funded workforce development system and promote high road, quality jobs and career pathways for the state’s most marginalized workers. Centered on a north star of advancing racial, gender, and worker equity in the workforce system, the initiative is anchored by a statewide steering committee and staffed by the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment/Labor Center and National Skills Coalition.
A central purpose of the initiative is to engage in joint learning and research and to develop strategic recommendations for increasing worker inclusion, equity, and positive outcomes in the public workforce development system, particularly in the context of COVID-19 and movements for racial equity. The initiative will identify ways that the public workforce development system–and in particular LWDA–can support marginalized workers in training for, connecting to, and thriving in quality careers in major industries. In doing so, the initiative seeks to center workers’ needs, voices, and career aspirations with a racial equity framework.
Overview
The California Workforce Development Worker Equity Initiative (WEI) is a partnership between community and labor organizations and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) that seeks to transform the publicly funded workforce development system and promote high road, quality jobs and career pathways for the state’s most marginalized workers. Centered on a north star of advancing racial, gender, and worker equity in the workforce system, the initiative is anchored by a statewide steering committee and staffed by the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment/Labor Center and National Skills Coalition.
A central purpose of the initiative is to engage in joint learning and research and to develop strategic recommendations for increasing worker inclusion, equity, and positive outcomes in the public workforce development system, particularly in the context of COVID-19 and movements for racial equity. The initiative will identify ways that the public workforce development system–and in particular LWDA–can support marginalized workers in training for, connecting to, and thriving in quality careers in major industries. In doing so, the initiative seeks to center workers’ needs, voices, and career aspirations with a racial equity framework.
Approach
Grounded in racial, gender, and worker equity, the Worker Equity Initiative is anchored by a steering committee comprised of cross-sector leaders from worker centers, nonprofit training providers, labor unions and labor-management partnerships, and a local workforce board to draw on their insights and experiences to ensure that the initiative:
Increasing worker inclusion, equity, and positive outcomes–especially for the most marginalized and COVID-19 impacted workers–in the public workforce development system is the guiding north star. The findings will serve as a foundation for developing strategic recommendations.
Project Milestones and Timeline
The Worker Equity Initiative includes three phases over the course of 18 months, each with significant milestones that include:
Recommendations
In offering our ideas to the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) on advancing racial, gender, and worker equity in the public workforce development system, we present the following framework of fundamental principles that we believe are essential to equity and that undergird our recommendations. We appreciate that the LWDA already is committed to and operating under many of these principles.
Recommendations for Advancing Worker and Racial Equity in the Public Workforce System
For more information on the Worker Equity Initiative, contact Ana Luz Gonzalez at [email protected] or Kate Kinder at [email protected].
In partnership with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, The Worker Equity Initiative is facilitated by the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment/Labor Center and National Skills Coalition and is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.
Grounded in racial, gender, and worker equity, the Worker Equity Initiative is anchored by a steering committee comprised of cross-sector leaders from worker centers, nonprofit training providers, labor unions and labor-management partnerships, and a local workforce board to draw on their insights and experiences to ensure that the initiative:
- Centers the voices and active engagement of diverse and directly impacted communities.
- Creates an opportunity for on-the-ground leaders in the workforce development and workers' rights arenas to learn from each other.
- Engages and is shaped by the expertise of community-based and grassroots organizations.
Increasing worker inclusion, equity, and positive outcomes–especially for the most marginalized and COVID-19 impacted workers–in the public workforce development system is the guiding north star. The findings will serve as a foundation for developing strategic recommendations.
Project Milestones and Timeline
The Worker Equity Initiative includes three phases over the course of 18 months, each with significant milestones that include:
- Phase 1 (July 2020- March 2021) - Identify, establish, and conduct initial co-design and planning activities with the steering committee
- Phase 2 (March 2021 - August 2021) - Conduct culturally and linguistically responsible and effective joint learning and research process that results in concrete recommendations for workforce development systems change
- Phase 3 (September 2021 - December 2021) - Develop and share strategic recommendations with LWDA and other stakeholders with key action steps for workforce development systems change
Recommendations
In offering our ideas to the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) on advancing racial, gender, and worker equity in the public workforce development system, we present the following framework of fundamental principles that we believe are essential to equity and that undergird our recommendations. We appreciate that the LWDA already is committed to and operating under many of these principles.
Recommendations for Advancing Worker and Racial Equity in the Public Workforce System
For more information on the Worker Equity Initiative, contact Ana Luz Gonzalez at [email protected] or Kate Kinder at [email protected].
In partnership with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, The Worker Equity Initiative is facilitated by the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment/Labor Center and National Skills Coalition and is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.
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