By Josie Hathway
February 14, 2005

On February 4, the U.S. Conference of Mayors announced a new workforce partnership between the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the U.S. Conference of Mayors and its Workforce Development Council. Conference President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic said, "Mayors are delighted to partner with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to advance our shared interest in workforce development. Now more than ever, our nation's economy depends upon a skilled workforce. We need to ensure that all workers are prepared and that working families have career paths open to them to not only make a brighter future for their families but to have the skills to fill available jobs."

Bob Giloth, Director of Family Economic Success for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, concurred, "We are delighted to partner with Mayor Plusquellic and the Conference of Mayors in efforts to promote economic opportunity for low-income and low'skilled workers. Our partnership with the Conference and its Council will allow us to assess the best programs and to devise strategies that link and coordinate our resources on behalf of these workers."

Both the Conference and the Annie E. Casey Foundation are dedicated to promoting economic opportunity for low-income and low-skilled workers through effective workforce preparation, family supporting jobs with career opportunities, and long-term job retention. The partnership will connect the Foundation's investment in research and learning on promoting economic opportunity for low-income and low'skilled workers and the Conference's Workforce Council's collective and individual member activities with the same population.

There will be two regional meetings with the Foundation and the Council to develop a set of potential solutions in priority topic areas, including career advancement for the working poor and literacy. It will culminate with the issuance of a joint report for discussion and action planning at the Foundation's Knowledge Conference in December 2005.

"We need, as a nation, to heed Mayor Plusquellic's call for investing in our workforce. We need to reach the millions of low-income, low'skilled workers who need basic skills, literacy, instruction in English as a second language, technical training, mentoring and other work supports in the context of employment," said Giloth.

Mayor Plusquellic said, "These are tough issues, but working together with great partners like the Casey Foundation, we will put our workforce agenda to work for all the families in our cities."

The Workforce Development Council, an affiliate of the United States Conference of Mayors, is comprised of workforce development leaders across the country representing their Mayors. The Council informs the Conference on opportunities to strengthen the ability of cities to meet the workforce needs of their citizens — particularly economically disadvantaged individuals and those with serious skill deficiencies. The Conference has had a partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and its Working Families Initiative since 2001, but this is the first time that the Conference and the Casey Foundation have come together on workforce issues. Since 1948, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has worked to build better futures for disadvantaged children and their families in the United States. The primary mission of the Foundation is to foster public policies, human service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families.