Jobs for the Future (JFF)

What makes youth leadership programs impactful? Over the past year, Young Adult Leaders Council (YALC) members reflected on their leadership journeys and identified what makes youth leadership programs impactful. Through their experiences working with JFF, the YATD Network, and attending events like Horizons, they developed five essential standards that employers and talent development professionals can adopt to create meaningful leadership opportunities for young people. Read the full blog to learn about these standards: https://hubs.la/Q03dvZzg0 Explore the 5 Standards in Detail: https://hubs.la/Q03dw1Bx0 ?? A special thank you to the YALC Members for shaping this important work: Angela Otto, Alexandra (Geegee) Aldana, Ziany Lee, Harison Clark, and Sierra Koski. #YoungTalent #WorkforceDevelopment #EmployerEngagement #YouthLeadership #FutureOfWork #TalentDevelopment

If you weren't aware, there is only one month to lock in this deal for a 2025 Horizons Summit ticket. Save $150 and register by April 28 before prices increase! Horizons is where we come together to spark change and take bold steps toward building a future that works for everyone, including you! #JFFHorizons #HorizonsOnLinkedIn https://hubs.la/Q03dR_T_0?

The Horizons Planning Team wrapped up March with significant announcements for our #JFFHorizons Summit. Check out what happened this past month and follow JFF Horizons to keep up to date with all things Horizons!

AI is revolutionizing how we live, work, and learn. But is it making us better off? In this month’s AI & the Future of Work newsletter, we dive into our new call to action, which explores how AI can create quality jobs, support wealth-building, and empower all workers and learners. Inside, you’ll find: ?? A conversation unpacking the key components of our call to action with Brian Gonzalez, Kristina F., and Michael Collins ?? Brand-new survey data on how AI is impacting economic mobility ??? The latest AI headlines, tools, and upcoming opportunities to engage with our work at the Center What will it take to make sure AI truly makes us all better off? Let us know what you think in the comments! #NationalAILiteracyDay

Over 4 million Gen Zers in the U.S. are not in school or working—a growing sign that systems aren’t meeting young people where they are. In Fortune, Jeff Bulanda, Ph.D. VP of the ASA Center for Career Navigation at JFF, shares why we need to rethink how we support youth in navigating their futures: “The question isn’t why they disconnect—it’s why we haven’t recognized that the old ways aren’t working.” The work between American Student Assistance(ASA) and JFF is building tools and pathways to help 16–24-year-olds make informed choices with clarity and confidence. Read the full piece by Preston Fore: https://hubs.la/Q03dyrT30

Join JFF at Coalition on Adult Basic Education 2025 in Dallas, TX! The world’s largest adult education conference is happening March 31 – April 2, featuring 400+ sessions with national experts. Don’t miss our sessions on: ??CREATE Adult Skills Network | Research & digital tools for AFE | March 31, 8:00–9:10 AM ??DRAW 2.0 | AI, digital resilience & workforce training | March 31, 1:30–2:40 PM ??Fair Chance to Advance | Justice-involved learners & career pathways | March 31, 11:50 AM–1:00 PM Follow the link to learn more and register >> https://hubs.ly/Q03bx-Y00. If you are attending, visit JFF at booth #311! #COABE2025 #AdultEducation #DigitalResilience #FairChanceHiring #WorkforceDevelopment

AI is everywhere—but how do you separate the noise from what actually drives impact? Join Jobs for the Future and Asana for an exclusive event and networking reception, designed for corporate leaders who are ready to move beyond the buzz and unlock real business value with AI. Spots are filling up fast—don’t miss out! Attendance is free. Email [email protected] to register.

Jobs for the Future is thrilled to welcome John Ladd as Senior Advisor! John joins JFF with more than 30 years of experience in #workforce development at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA), most recently having served as Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship since 2008. Building on his long history at ETA, John’s role at JFF will be focused on strengthening the alignment between #workforce and #education systems at the local, state, regional, and national levels, with a particular emphasis on expanding pathways to #apprenticeship and work-based learning. He’ll work at JFF’s Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning, in addition to collaborating on efforts across the organization that will drive JFF’s North Star: By 2033, 75 million people will have quality jobs.? John’s appointment at JFF comes during a time of growing state and federal-level emphasis on the need to expand solutions like apprenticeships that deliver high-quality career opportunities, building on a long history of bipartisan support for the model. We’re looking forward to working together to scale apprenticeships across the country. Please join us in giving John Ladd a warm welcome! Read more about this news here: https://lnkd.in/eQR_j_4z

? In our new national survey on the impact of AI for workers and learners, 77% of respondents believed AI will impact their careers in the next 3-5 years. Yet, many aren’t being trained for this shift: ?? Only 31% said their employer offers AI training. ?? 56% said they don’t feel prepared to use AI in their work. ?? Meanwhile, AI is already automating tasks and reshaping job roles. For employers, educators, and workforce leaders, the takeaway is clear: We need to act—now. Today, we launched a bold new call to action to ensure AI fuels economic opportunity and advancement. Let’s work together to make sure that AI-driven innovations improve job quality and create new opportunities for all. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q03dCkwP0 | #FutureofWork #AIForGood #Economic Advancement

?? Last week, JFF’s Congressional Staff Network (CSN) traveled to Clark County, Nevada, to get a firsthand look at the region’s cross-sector approach to economic development. Throughout the three-day site visit, this bipartisan, bicameral group of senior Congressional staffers learned from leaders on the ground—like Jaime Cruz, executive director of Workforce Connections, southern Nevada's local #workforcedevelopment board—how the region is bringing key partners together to diversify the economy and ensure strong talent pipelines in emerging sectors. Congressional staffers who attended said southern Nevada presented a clear example of how collaborative, data-driven #policy can bring economic diversification and success to a region. Staff said the experience revealed the importance of designing policy with enough flexibility for areas like this to continue to innovate, creating cross-sector solutions that address the unique needs of their region. The #LasVegas region is seeing rapid growth, presenting both opportunities and challenges. While hospitality remains the dominant industry, leaders are working to diversify the state’s economy with recent growth in the transportation, education, and construction sectors. These realities require strategies to attract new businesses and connect workers to in-demand jobs. To respond to the state and region’s changing economic landscape, Workforce Connections is going beyond its federally mandated responsibilities by leveraging community assets alongside foundation and private sector resources to drive alignment across crucial workforce initiatives. ?? Their EmployNV Business Hubs, co-located in public libraries and at the Vegas Chamber, help employers navigate hiring challenges by reaching jobseekers in their communities and help small and midsize businesses tap into available resources to support their talent development needs. ?? Other partners are modernizing to meet talent needs across the state as well. To address Nevada’s teacher shortage, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas launched the state’s first-ever teacher #apprenticeship program, the NV|Forward Initiative. Students in the program have a 97% graduation rate. ?? Staffers also saw firsthand the role of workforce development in #fairchancehiring: Nevada’s Hope for Prisoners Vocational Village at Southern Desert Correctional Center is home to one of the first American Job Centers inside a correctional facility and provides incarcerated learners with vocational training, industry-recognized credentials, and connections with employers up to 18 months pre-release, plus ongoing support post-release. ?? Meanwhile, Workforce Connections is pioneering an expansive, cross-sector effort to address Clark County’s severe youth disconnection crisis, which has secured support and buy-in from more than 20 community partners to pilot strategies like expanding dual enrollment and hands-on career exploration. #NVJobs EmployNV of Southern Nevada #NoDeadEnds