Jobs for the Future Unclaimed

Facilitate pathways to quality digital jobs through partnerships and innovative training solutions.

Empowers organizations to effectively implement skills-based practices for workforce improvement.

Enables effective work-based learning to connect education with workforce demands.

Transforms education and workforce systems to prepare youth for meaningful careers.

Empowers education leaders to create impactful programs for incarcerated students.

Transforming state systems to expand educational and career opportunities for individuals with incarceration histories.

Empowers farmworkers through innovative training, supports, and partnerships for economic mobility.

Enhances workforce programs through state-led modernization and integration strategies.

Provides a comprehensive analysis of digital jobs, aligning skills and credentials with market needs.

Enhance workforce agility and innovation through effective skills-based talent management.

Empowers populations facing barriers to achieve economic success through evidence-based solutions.

Transform Talent Strategies By Centering Employee Well-Being.

State And Regional Workforce And Education Leaders

State agencies and regional boards seeking data-driven, coordinated workforce delivery.

Employer Partners Embracing Skills-Based Talent Practices

Mid- to large-size employers seeking modern, skills-based hiring and workforce development.

Community‑Based Organizations Advancing Equitable Opportunity

Nonprofits and community groups expanding access to education and work for underserved populations.

Higher Education And Workforce Partners

Colleges, universities, and workforce boards aligning curricula with labor market needs.

Capabilities that maintain skills taxonomies and employee profiles, match people to internal roles, support career pathways and reskilling, and increase retention and internal mobility to align talent with business needs.

Design, implementation, and scaling of secondary‑to‑postsecondary and employer-linked pathways, including work‑based learning, short-term credentials, and regional pathway strategies.

Programs, training, and policy guidance that remove barriers to employment for justice‑involved individuals and support postsecondary attainment and employer inclusion.

Services that redesign workforce systems, create high-quality career pathways, coordinate workforce programs (e.g., SNAP E&T, TANF, WIOA, apprenticeships), and engage employers to improve job placement and retention.

Digital Jobs for the Future

Digital Jobs for the Future is a platform to build pathways to digital careers by partnering with employers, educators, and regional stakeholders to modernize training, strengthen talent pipelines, and deliver data-driven insights that create a future-ready workforce. It focuses on expanding opportunities in fields like cybersecurity, data analytics, and AI, and operates through five levers: employer practices modernization, learning pathway strengthening, regional and sector collaboratives, credential signaling, and actionable insights generation. The initiative tracks broad reach and impact, including 50+ active or completed digital workforce projects nationwide, 75+ employers engaged, 1000+ workers and learners supported, and 10+ published reports and playbooks for field leaders.

• Demonstrates Broad Impact
  Highlights the initiative's effectiveness and ongoing commitment to expanding access to quality jobs.
• Generates Data-Driven Insights
  Empowers stakeholders with critical information for informed decision-making in workforce development.
• Enhances Hiring Practices
  Enables firms to identify and recruit candidates based on skills rather than traditional qualifications.
• Validates Skills to Employers
  Ensures that credentials meet labor market demands, improving job seekers’ employability.
• Fosters Community Partnerships
  Brings together stakeholders to support local workforce development initiatives.
• Aligns Training with Industry Needs
  Facilitates the creation of relevant educational programs that prepare learners for actual job demands.

Skills Navigator

Skills Navigator is a decision-support tool that helps employers identify their next skills-based wins. Built on JFF’s Impact Employer Model, it organizes actions across six talent management levers and provides templates and data sources to connect initiatives to measurable business outcomes. It guides users from idea to action, enabling prioritization and rapid deployment of concrete practices.

• Holistic Approach
  Addresses various aspects of talent management to ensure comprehensive workforce solutions.
• Utilize Proven Insights
  Employers leverage data and insights from the Impact Employer Model for informed decision-making.
• Accelerate Results
  Focus resources on practices that yield fast, measurable benefits to the workforce.
• Focus Efforts Strategically
  Helps organizations define key areas to address for immediate impact in talent management.
• Access Essential Resources
  Offers resources that facilitate implementation and tracking of skills-based initiatives.

Work-Based Learning Framework

The Work-Based Learning Framework is a comprehensive guide that defines a four-stage career preparation strategy connecting instruction with real workplace experiences. It includes quality indicators, program exemplars, and detailed guidance to design, implement, and improve high-quality work-based learning programs.

• Connects Learning With Experience
  Facilitates a structured journey through distinct stages, enhancing the readiness of participants for quality jobs.
• Offers Practical Implementation Support
  Provides actionable steps for organizations to create and enhance work-based learning models effectively.
• Demonstrates Best Practices
  Offers case studies that illustrate successful program applications, enabling replication and adaptation.
• Establishes Standards for Success
  Defines measurable qualities that support the evaluation and continuous improvement of work-based learning initiatives.
• Empowers Informed Career Choices
  Supports individuals in matching their skills and interests to appropriate pathways leading to employment.

Pathways to Prosperity

Pathways to Prosperity is a national movement to reimagine how U.S. education and workforce systems prepare youth for meaningful careers. It mobilizes K‑12, postsecondary educators, policymakers, and employers to build scalable, cross‑sector pathways, guided by a Five‑Lever Framework for secondary–postsecondary integration, career navigation, work‑based learning, intermediaries, and leadership and policy.

• Foster Collaboration Across Sectors
  This feature emphasizes the importance of bringing together diverse stakeholders to create robust career pathways that support student success.
• Implement Systematic Change
  Employs a structured framework that outlines essential areas for intervention, facilitating meaningful integration of education and workforce systems.
• Deliver Tailored Support
  Provides individualized assistance and a supportive national network to enhance the scalability of career pathways.
• Enhance Economic Mobility
  Aims to increase access to quality jobs and economic opportunities for young individuals facing systemic barriers.
• Ensure Stakeholder Participation
  Fosters constant collaboration among involved parties to adapt and improve pathway strategies dynamically.

Normalizing Education Resource Center

Normalizing Education Resource Center is a digital field guide and free library of resources for education leaders and corrections professionals to create high-quality education programs for incarcerated students. It also features initiatives like the Normalizing Opportunity Policy Agenda, fair‑chance employer training offerings, and emphasis on postsecondary attainment and talent development.

• Enhance Hiring Practices
  Equips employers with the skills and strategies necessary to incorporate fair-chance hiring, maximizing workforce diversity and inclusivity, benefiting both individuals and organizations.
• Access Essential Resources
  Provides vital materials for creating effective educational programming, ensuring that correctional educators and administrators can support student progress effectively.
• Promote Equitable Policies
  Guides policymakers in reforming legislation that impacts individuals with criminal records, fostering a more just society through enhanced access to opportunities.
• Advance Credentials
  Supports educational institutions in providing pathways for incarcerated individuals to obtain meaningful credentials that improve their post-release employment prospects.

Fair Chance to Advance

Fair Chance to Advance is a national initiative to transform state systems so people with histories of incarceration can access education and careers. Through state-level collaboration and policy-level guidance, the program seeks to remove barriers and expand opportunities for equitable economic advancement.

• Prioritize Access For Justice-Involved Individuals
  Ensure that education and job opportunities are accessible to those impacted by the justice system, fostering a fair chance for all.
• Guide Transformation of Systems
  Offer comprehensive support for policy changes that eliminate barriers, promoting fair treatment and opportunities for individuals with records.
• Develop State-Level Fair-Chance Ecosystems
  Collaborate with various stakeholders to create a supportive environment for individuals with criminal records, enhancing their access to education and employment.
• Promote Fair Chance Hiring Practices
  Encourage businesses to embrace fair chance hiring, helping individuals with criminal records secure lasting and meaningful employment.
• Train Employers for Inclusive Hiring
  Equip employers with knowledge and best practices for hiring individuals with histories of incarceration, fostering diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Scaling Farmworker Advancement Strategies

Scaling Farmworker Advancement Strategies distills lessons from Round 1 of California’s Farmworkers Advancement Program. It highlights how 12 operators designed training, supports, and employer partnerships to advance economic mobility for over 1,000 farmworkers statewide, with outcomes including skill gains, credentials, and job placements, supported by braided funding and program integration.

• Tracks Measurable Success
  Demonstrates significant impact through quantifiable outcomes, highlighting the program’s effectiveness in advancing the workforce.
• Facilitates Diverse Funding Sources
  Utilizes braided funding and co-enrollment for enhanced resource allocation, ensuring comprehensive support for farmworkers.
• Enhances Accessibility
  Utilizes culturally responsive training methods to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness for diverse farmworker populations.
• Engages Multiple Organizations
  Leverages a network of 12 diverse operators to increase the reach and effectiveness of training and support services.
• Offers Holistic Support
  Integrates various support services alongside training to tackle barriers faced by farmworkers.
• Informs Future Program Designs
  Provides crucial lessons learned to refine and enhance future iterations of the advancement program.

State Models for Effective Workforce Delivery and System Modernization

State Models for Effective Workforce Delivery and System Modernization highlights policies and practices that align federal workforce programs to strengthen service delivery in Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Utah. The brief offers case studies, common interventions, and concrete policy recommendations to modernize workforce systems at the state level.

• Offer Actionable Policy Changes
  Provides specific, actionable recommendations for state policies that can significantly improve workforce systems.
• Showcase Effective Strategies
  This feature highlights various cross-state strategies that enhance workforce efficiency and effectiveness.
• Illustrate Successful Modernization
  Detailed examples from three states that show successful efforts in modernizing workforce delivery systems.
• Present Integrated Models
  Utah serves as an exemplary model showcasing how integrating services can enhance workforce delivery.

Mapping the New Digital Jobs Landscape: Skills, Credentials, Pathways

Mapping the New Digital Jobs Landscape analyzes employer signals, short-term credentials, and regional IT labor markets to create a road map for equitable, skills-based pathways into digital jobs. The report defines digital jobs, outlines labor market trends, credential signals, and regional strategies, and explains methodology used to inform field improvement.

• Details Changing Labor Market Conditions
  Examines shifts in demand for digital skills and the implications for job seekers and employers.
• Describes Rigorous Analysis Process
  Outlines the comprehensive data collection and assessment methods employed to ensure accuracy of findings.
• Showcases Effective Regional Strategies
  Highlights successful approaches taken by various regions to enhance access to digital jobs.
• Clarifies Credential Importance
  Helps clarify which short-term credentials convey valuable skills in the job market.

Making the Case for Skills-Based Practices

Making the Case for Skills-Based Practices is a resource for talent professionals to demonstrate how skills-based talent management drives agility, innovation, and sustained growth. It provides templates, data sources, and structured guidance to link initiatives to measurable business outcomes.

• Connect Practices To Results
  Utilizes data and evidence to demonstrate how skills-based practices correlate with improved business performance.
• Utilize Comprehensive Framework
  Addresses key management areas for effective skills-based practices, ensuring a well-rounded approach.
• Access Practical Tools
  Provides actionable templates and resources to support implementation and tracking of initiatives.
• Learn From Industry Leaders
  Incorporates lessons learned from various organizations successfully applying skills-based strategies.

Center for Population Strategies

Center for Population Strategies develops research-backed solutions to increase economic success for people facing barriers to advancement. It offers research and insights, network connections, and advisory services to help organizations partner and scale effective interventions for diverse populations.

• Elevate Population-Focused Opportunities
  Provides tailored guidance and expert insights to organizations seeking to improve the economic outcomes for various populations facing barriers.
• Build Evidence for What Works
  Delivers critical research and best practices to inform actionable strategies, benefiting organizations focused on education and workforce development.
• Expand Economic Opportunity
  Connects diverse stakeholders and leaders to collaborate on innovative solutions and scale effective strategies to enhance access and success for underrepresented groups.
• Enhance Community Partnerships
  Facilitates strategies that engage local communities in developing solutions that cater to their unique needs, enhancing overall program effectiveness.

Impact Employer Model

Impact Employers adopt a fundamentally different approach to attracting, developing, and retaining talent by prioritizing the social and economic well-being of employees and embedding scalable, skills-based practices within organizations.

• Prioritize Employee Well-Being
  Focus on creating an inclusive environment where all employees can thrive and grow.
• Provide Implementation Support
  Offers detailed strategies to help organizations effectively implement skills-based practices.
• Ensure Adaptability
  Can be customized to meet the unique needs of various organizations, regardless of size or sector.
• Enhance Career Opportunities
  Supports organizations in cultivating talent and promoting from within to maximize employee satisfaction and retention.