National Network of Sector Partners Offers Free Virtual Conference to Address Barriers to Employment

The Insight Center for Community Economic Development hosts the National Network of Sector Partners (NNSP), a free virtual conference on sector initiatives and other workforce models for individuals with barriers to employment. The Insight Center for Community Economic Development is a national research, consulting and legal organization dedicated to building economic health and opportunity in vulnerable communities. The conference features workshops, interactive discussions and networking opportunities with leading practitioners, policy-makers and researchers about important policy and practice lessons from the sector field.

The conference will feature four tracks addressing the most relevant topics for sector initiatives today:

• Sector Initiatives and Career Pathways: Sector initiatives customize solutions for multiple employers and increase access to good jobs for low-income individuals. Career pathways connect progressive levels of basic skills and postsecondary education, training and supportive services to optimize the progress and success of individuals. 

• Sector Initiatives and Registered Apprenticeships: Sector initiatives, with their strong connections to employers in target industries are well-positioned to incorporate registered apprenticeships into their services. Registered apprenticeship is an important and effective component of the potential education and training services the workforce system can use to address the needs of businesses, job-seekers, and incumbent workers.
• Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Criminal Records: Sector initiatives have the opportunity to influence employer practices by increasing awareness of the challenges that people with criminal records face in the labor market, as well as helping to connect this population with jobs for which they are qualified.
• Sector Initiatives and Youth: This topic gives the opportunity to learn from youth-serving sector initiatives about the innovations and effective strategies they use to help young people gain employment and develop in their careers.

Participants encouraged to participate in this conference include:

• Community college, public workforce, and community-based workforce development leaders seeking examples of the most effective program models
• Government representatives, policy-makers, researchers, and advocates seeking examples of supportive policy
• Business and labor leaders invested in building a skilled workforce

The conference will run December 2 to December 12. To register and learn more, visit the website.