The SkillUp Coalition, a national collaboration among nonprofits, training providers and employers, announced the launch of the LevelUp NYC partnership aimed at educating the local community on growing industries and directly connecting workers to training and career resources available in their area amidst ongoing reports of labor shortages. In partnership with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and SkillUp’s national scaling partner Jobs for the Future (JFF), LevelUp NYC will provide career navigation, training programs, and job opportunities to help workers secure their place in the economy of tomorrow throughout New York City. This partnership is funded through the Macquarie Group Foundation and its global COVID-19 fund.
“New York communities are hurting for skilled and enthusiastic employees, and displaced workers are often left without the proper direction to take advantage of these opportunities, especially in the age of COVID,” said Elissa Salas, vice president of partnerships and operations at SkillUp. “With our localized LevelUp partnerships, we aim to give workers the opportunity to build new skills that are suited to in-demand jobs with promising career paths, rather than simply pushing them back into the jobs they left.”
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“SkillUp’s LevelUp NYC partnership with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is a tremendous resource to New Yorkers seeking the skills, training and education they need to thrive,” said Jose Ortiz Jr., CEO of the New York City Employment & Training Coalition and SkillUp Board of Director. “Our workforce has suffered unprecedented job loss and insecurity over the last 18 months, and programs like LevelUp NYC help steer New York City towards a more equitable and inclusive future that creates new career pathways in high-demand, high-growth industries.”
As unemployment rates in New York still struggle to return to pre-pandemic levels, the SkillUp Coalition was designed specifically for crises like these, working with local organizations around the country to create new pathways to economic mobility for the millions of Americans whose livelihoods are still being affected by the pandemic.
Macquarie is proud to partner with the SkillUp Coalition and contribute to the LevelUp New York Partnership. This initiative will increase access to resources that support opportunity for greater economic mobility across New York, particularly as many communities continue to experience the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Shawn Lytle, Head of Americas at Macquarie Group and Committee Member, Macquarie Group Foundation.
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“A strong, trained workforce is essential for our economy to return to pre-pandemic levels,” said Tondalaya London, vice president of business services at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “That’s why we are proud to partner with SkillUp and other organizations to provide our citizens opportunities to support their families in innovative ways while learning new skills that will benefit them both today and tomorrow.”
With deep labor market analysis, viable job identification and training provider recommendations from JFF, LevelUp NYC helps workers select and prepare for career paths that align with sectors that are expected to grow significantly in the coming years such as health care, technology, skilled trades, and logistics. LevelUp NYC uses a four-part approach:
- Career navigation: Technology-enabled tools and coaches to guide displaced workers in choosing a career path aligned with rapidly changing labor market needs.
- Training programs: Access to education and training programs that match displaced workers’ career goals and offer zero or low-cost tuition options.
- Job opportunities: Matched to workers’ career aspirations and regional and local labor market demand.
- Coaching and financial support: Helping workers navigate the financial and emotional challenges that often prevent them from completing their training and finding work. Specifically, the SkillUp Together Fund offers $1,000 grants to workers seeking to upskill with local and national partners and has earmarked at least 200 grants for NYC recipients.
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