State Initiatives and Academies

New Mexico Worker Equity Initiative

The New Mexico Worker Equity Initiative (NMWEI) aims to create a more equitable, human-centered workforce development ecosystem by bringing together workforce development and worker rights advocates and practitioners, including leaders of community-based organizations serving Indigenous, immigrant, Black, Latino, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) New Mexicans, as well as state agency workforce and economic development leaders to share promising practices, policies, and partnerships that can drive systems change.

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Expanding College & Career Possibilities: A Policy Action Initiative

Expanding College & Career Possibilities: A Policy Action Initiative is a dynamic peer learning and policy action community where skills advocates in 20 states will engage in peer learning, policy action labs, and access tailored technical assistance and research and promotion – all with the goal of increasing college affordability, holistic supports, and completion of quality non-degree credentials that offer pathways to quality careers and further education.

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California Worker Equity Initiative

The California Worker Equity Initiative is a partnership between community and labor organizations and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency 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. The initiative is centered on a north star of advancing racial, gender, and worker equity in the workforce system.

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Career Pathways SNAP E&T Project

States can leverage the SNAP E&T program to build career pathways systems that increase postsecondary enrollment and completion, provide supportive services, and connect students to quality jobs that offer economic mobility and meet the needs of local employers. Through the generous support of Lumina Foundation and ECMC Foundation, National Skills Coalition is working with five states to build or expand their Career Pathways SNAP E&T programs.

Essential Worker Project

National Skills Coalition is working with state agency and coalition partners in 5 states (California, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee and Utah) to advance state policies designed to provide more equitable upskilling opportunities for essential workers and the small businesses that employ them. Policies will be informed by labor market data on essential workers and jobs, and focus groups with essential workers and small businesses.

Skills for California Network and California Advocacy and Policy Academy

Skills for California—powered by National Skills Coalition and California EDGE Coalition—is a statewide network of organizations advancing workforce development policies that remove systemic barriers and promote an inclusive economy for all Californians. NSC is also leading the California Advocacy and Policy Academy for leaders from community-based organizations in California who want to build their capacity to engage in workforce development policy and advocacy activities.

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State Financial Assistance for High Quality Non-Degree Credentials Initiative

The State Financial Assistance for High Quality Non-Degree Credentials Initiative will provide technical assistance to states with goals to achieve three of the four policy reforms recommended in NSC’s Making College Work campaign – our comprehensive federal and state focused effort to make college work for everyone – working people, local businesses, and our economy. 

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Past State Initiatives and Academies

Racial Equity Learning Group (2021-2023)

NSC’s Racial Equity Learning Group will consists of five Skills State Policy Advocacy Network (SkillSPAN) coalitions and 5 Business Leaders United (BLU) state affiliates leads committed to advancing state specific policy frameworks using a racial equity lens. Participants will engage in learning community sessions and individualized coaching to learn how to apply a racial equity lens to their respective work and advance state policies that promote racial equity.

Quality Postsecondary Credential Policy Academy (2020 - 2021 and 2021-2022)

The Quality Postsecondary Credential Policy Academy is an eighteen-month initiative aimed at defining quality non-degree credentials; developing a policy agenda to increase the number of residents with quality credentials, and developing the data policies to support such efforts.

Supportive Services Academy (2020-21)

The Supportive Services Academy supports teams in Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oregon in advancing state policies that expand access to supportive services like transportation, childcare, books, supplies, and equipment, etc. so that people with lower incomes can access and complete education and training programs.

Louisiana Skills Policy Academy (2018-2020)

The Louisiana Skills Policy Academy is an eighteen-month initiative aimed at educating leaders from job training organizations and other key stakeholders throughout Louisiana on key federal and state workforce development policies and advocacy strategies. Members of the Academy have the opportunity to participate in the Louisiana SkillSPAN coalition.

Southern Skills Policy Initiative (2018-19)

The Southern Skills Policy Initiative supported partners in Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas in developing and advocating for state policies that help workers and businesses in those states to get the skills they need to compete.

Work-Based Learning Policy Academy (2018-19)

The Work-Based Learning Academy supported state teams in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Washington in developing state policy proposals and advocacy strategies to expand apprenticeship and work-based learning to low-income workers.