Recent research by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia shows that Black and Hispanic workers have borne the weight of the economic crisis, disproportionately losing jobs or seeing reductions in wages. As we start to look ahead to a more inclusive recovery and consider the impacts of automation on many jobs in our area, watch a recording of Back to Work: Leveraging Your Skills to Find Better Opportunities.

Video courtesy of AL DÍA News.

Read an article about this event in AL DÍA.

This event, cohosted with AL DÍA, featured Patrick T. Harker, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; experts in workforce development; and local college leaders discussing resources available to workers as they look for their next opportunity.

This event discussed:

  • how skills-based occupational transitions — which focus on a job candidate’s skills rather than education level — can promote economic mobility for lower-wage workers even if they don’t have a bachelor’s degree.
  • a new tool developed by the Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland that can help workers without a bachelor’s degree transition to occupations that require similar skill sets and provide a meaningful increase in pay.
  • local education and training resources from the Community College of Philadelphia, Peirce College, Congreso, and Hopeworks Camden.

To ensure a more inclusive recovery, we need to be sure that all residents, particularly those in low-wage or unstable work, are able to connect to higher-paying jobs.