Selected to Advance in National Initiative to Boost High-Quality Jobs | CITY OF DURHAM: (DurhamNC.gov)
Selected to Advance in National Initiative to Boost High-Quality Jobs | CITY OF DURHAM: (DurhamNC.gov)
City of Durham issued the following announcement on Feb. 15.
Results for America and the Families and Workers Fund Helping Communities Implement Evidence-Based Efforts to Improve Job Quality
Thanks to our continued involvement in a national initiative to promote equity and economic mobility, Durham is one step closer to creating high-quality jobs for underserved communities in the Bull City.
What You Need to Know
- Durham was selected as one of 12 jurisdictions to participate in the second phase of the Good Jobs & Equity Project, a national initiative promoting equitable, high-quality employment for all.
- In this second project phase, Durham will focus on providing job training and experience to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Project work begins this month and will run through December 2024.
“We believe that every Durham resident should have access to a quality job that pays a livable wage, affords them dignity and economic stability, and provides career advancement,” said Mayor Elaine O’Neal. “While this is our vision, it is not our reality today. Participation in Results for America’s Good Jobs and Equity project is a phenomenal opportunity that puts the City on the path to realizing this vision.”
Nationwide, more than 53 million Americans are working in low-wage jobs, and roughly six in 10 workers report being in "mediocre" or "bad" jobs. The Good Jobs & Equity Project represents a growing movement to rethink what makes a good job and take evidence-based action to promote equitable, high-quality employment for all.
“For decades, governments have focused mostly on the quantity of jobs created, not the quality of those jobs. But that is changing—these 12 communities are taking steps to lift wages, improve benefits, provide stable schedules, and ensure voice, dignity, and purpose,” said Results for America CEO and Co-Founder Michele Jolin. “We look forward to helping leaders use evidence-based strategies to create high-quality jobs for their residents and build more vibrant and sustainable communities for all.”
Through the Good Jobs & Equity Project, jurisdictions will receive the tools, resources, and skills needed to build and use evidence and data to create high-quality jobs. The project will also identify the most effective evidence-based strategies for improving job quality in more communities across the country.
During this second phase of the project, staff from the City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the City’s Equity and Inclusion Department will conduct a pilot to introduce specialized and targeted training for historically disadvantaged youth through local community colleges, coupled with apprenticeships in city government. These opportunities will allow Durham’s youth to build skills for in-demand careers. The City plans to partner with local organizations to provide wraparound services such as childcare, transportation, and coaching to ensure that there will be equitable access to career pathways in emerging fields.
“We’re thrilled to support state and local leaders through RFA’s Good Jobs & Equity Project as they leverage historic federal investments to provide good jobs that sustain and uplift all residents,” said Families and Workers Fund Executive Director Rachel Korberg. “These innovative projects will be models for communities across the country looking to break down racial, gender, and other inequities that have left too many Americans behind.”
The second phase of Durham’s project will run through December 2024, and will include a comprehensive evaluation of resident impact with the goal that the City’s learnings can provide a roadmap for government and private sector organizations as they advance job quality.
Original source can be found here.
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