Introducing the “Advancing Workforce Equity in Metro Detroit: A Blueprint for Action” report. We’re thrilled to share this important work undertaken by community partners, including Heidi Alcock, McGregor Fund Director of Grant Development & Communications and Co-Chair of the Detroit Area Workforce Funders Collaborative.
From Bridge Michigan: this “report released by the Detroit Area Workforce Funders Collaborative is part of a $30 billion commitment by global investment firm JPMorgan Chase to advance racial equity across the country. It shows people of color make up a large share of Metro Detroit’s workforce but they are not benefiting equitably from the region’s economic prosperity. Racial gaps in wages and employment are costing the region an estimated $28 billion in lost economic activity per year.”
From Heidi Alcock: “Our group of workforce funders already understood that the Detroit region’s current labor market is racially inequitable. This report affirms that, and it lays bare the human and economic costs. Now is the time to align the efforts of government, business, nonprofits, and philanthropy, and elevate the voices and expertise of workers of color, for solutions that work.”
- Establishing a unified collaborative to align workforce initiatives and help workers and job seekers navigate support and training services.
- Strengthening education, training, and employment opportunities and wraparound support for young people and adult learners.
- Promoting policy solutions and supporting worker power and advocacy to raise the floor on low-wage work.
- Building robust data collection and measurement tools to track worker outcomes, identify opportunities for employers, and inform system improvements.
- Supporting employers to transform workplace cultures and adopt equitable practices in hiring, retaining, and promoting career development for workers of color.
