January 14, 2022 — New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC), the nation’s largest city-based workforce development association with over 200 members providing jobs for more than 600,000 people, this week announced the 27 inaugural members of its new Workforce Policy Strategy Council—a group of workforce development experts that includes Kelly Washburn, Senior Director of Workforce Development, Fedcap Inc.
NYCETC works to ensure that every New Yorker has access to the skills, training, and education needed to thrive in the local economy, and that every business is able to maintain a highly skilled workforce. The Policy Council, a new council within the Coalition, will provide additional space for NYCETC members to inform policy recommendations and strategies, and develop a vehicle for more active external policy engagement with key stakeholders.
“We are delighted to have this incredible group of people serve on the inaugural Workforce Policy Strategy Council,” said NYCETC CEO Jose Ortiz, Jr. “By using their direct service experience and connection to the communities they support and work with, the members of the Policy Council will be drivers of system-wide advocacy and growth. Their voices and knowledge are critical to creating a talent and worker centric recovery and economy propel.”
The Council and its members will be actively involved in NYCETC advocacy, ideation and practice, using their direct service expertise on specific sectors, communities and program models to inform and enact NYCETC priorities and strategy. The goal of the Council is to move innovative ideas and solutions in workforce and economic development forward by empowering practitioners to be active advocates.
“Kelly brings tremendous NYC experience and a long track record of strong delivery, performance, and leadership to the NYCETC Policy Strategy Council as it works to develop systems solutions and innovative ideas to meet the City’s demand for 21st century workers,” said Grant Collins, SVP Workforce Development, The Fedcap Group “Kelly is ideally positioned to inform and establish the new council’s priorities as a new group of city leaders and mayoral administration put their workforce development and training plans into place.”
In addition to regular meetings, members of the NYCETC Policy Strategy Council members will engage in advocacy activities including testifying at hearing, participating in social media campaigns, attending press conferences and rallies, site visits, providing success stories, and meeting with NYC council members.
“NYCETC is a great organization,” Kelly said. “We are proud to be a member and are thrilled that Fedcap Inc. will have a seat at the table when the new Policy Strategy Council first meets on January 18th. I look forward to working with NYCETC members and stakeholders to develop unified goals, and to address priorities such as a pervasive digital skills gap, increasing financial literacy, and ensuring that people have access not just to jobs, but to 360 degree wraparound services that will support them in building sustainable career paths out of poverty.”
