Skillful Initiative: Meeting Job Seekers Where They Are

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The Maricopa County Human Services Department Workforce Development Division has partnered with The Markle Foundation to bring workforce services to area residents. The objective of this partnership is to promote the economic and workforce development of the greater Phoenix and Maricopa County area. The workforce services, funded through Skillful: A Markle Initiative and Maricopa County, prepare residents to enter or re-enter the workforce, enhance their education and skills, and contribute to the economic vitality of the region. Skillful is intended to create a transparent and efficient skills-based labor market that value’s Job Seeker skills, not just degrees and which supports the ability to change career paths and continuously develop at any age in a rapidly changing economy. Through collaboration with Arizona@Work Maricopa County and other agencies, resources have been developed to provide a set of online and offline tools to connect middle-skill job seekers – those with a high-school diploma, but not yet a college diploma. This initiative marries the online platform with the County resources available to reach Job Seekers and empower them with the necessary tools to create and continue a pathway to successful careers.