Capital Workforce Partners helps individuals overcome barriers to employment and closes the skills gap in the local labor market to help employers meet their hiring needs. The workforce board invests in youth development, develops sustainable career paths for adult workers, and offers employers a variety of programs and services. The organization is guided by a consortium of public- and private-sector leaders from across the region, and by a board of directors made up of representatives of local businesses, educational institutions, and labor organizations.

Who They Serve: Youth (ages 14 to 24), jobseekers, community partners, and businesses across 37 cities and towns in north central Connecticut.

Metro Area: Hartford–East Hartford–Middletown, Connecticut

Key Regional Industries: Insurance, Health care, manufacturing/production, construction, IT.

"[The Future of Work Grand Chellenge] presents a tremendous opportunity for the workforce system to connect jobseekers in North Central Connecticut with IT career pathways through innovative, skills-based credentialing programs that prioritize core professional and technical skills."

The Hampton Roads Workforce Council oversees strategic workforce development initiatives designed to connect businesses with qualified workers and help jobseekers learn about job openings and training opportunities. Established by the Hampton Roads Workforce Development Board, the organization administers workforce development programs for eight localities in southern and western Hampton Roads.

Who They Serve: Youth, jobseekers, community partners, and businesses throughout the Hampton Roads region of Virginia and North Carolina, which includes Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Southampton, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach.

Metro Area: Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News

Key Regional Industries: Health care, IT, construction, transportation/distribution/logistics, maritime.

"The Future of Work Grand Challenge will bolster our efforts during such a critical time and provide additional resources essential to ensuring a more vibrant and diverse economy."

The MassHire Central Region Workforce Board is a public/private partnership that serves the needs of diverse employers and jobseekers by developing, coordinating, and implementing job readiness and career enhancement strategies, tactics, programs, and activities. With its partners, MassHire Central identifies and leverages community resources to promote economic opportunity in 38 cities and towns.

Who They Serve: Youth, jobseekers, community partners, and businesses in cities and towns throughout central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut

Metro Area: Worcester, Massachusetts

Key Regional Industries: Health care, professional/scientific/tech, manufacturing, office administration.

"We are excited to be a part of this project and to help test new, innovative ideas regarding how to best reskill America.”

San Diego Workforce Partnership funds and administers programs that empower jobseekers to meet the current and future workforce needs of employers in and around California’s San Diego County. The organization provides targeted employment services designed to help eligible adult jobseekers identify, or regain, careers that will enable them to succeed economically.

Who They Serve: Youth, jobseekers, community partners, and businesses in San Diego, San Diego County, and nearby Southern California communities.

Metro Area: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California.

Key Regional Industries: Advanced manufacturing, education and human development, energy/construction/utilities, health care, information/communications, life sciences/biotechnology, public administration.

"As participants in the Future of Work Grand Challenge, we’ll be partnering with the next generation of technology leaders to build solutions to lead San Diego County into a new era of workforce development.”

-Stephen Colón, Manager of Integrated Services

West Michigan Works! with partners, Michigan Works! Southwest, and Michigan Works! Berrien-Cass-Van Buren are part of the statewide Michigan Works! system. These organizations partner with employers, educators, economic developers, and community organizations to build a qualified workforce that meets the region’s current and future talent needs and fuels a shared economic future.

Who They Serve: West Michigan Works! serves the employers and jobseekers of Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, and Ottawa counties in western Michigan. Michigan Works! Southwest serves the employers and jobseekers of Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph counties in southwest Michigan. Michigan Works! Berrien-Cass-Van Buren serves the employers and jobseekers of Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties in the southwest corner of Michigan.

Metro Areas: Michigan’s Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland and Kalamazoo-Battle Creek-Portage areas and the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka area of Indiana and Michigan

Key Regional Industries: Manufacturing, professional/administrative services, construction/energy, health sciences, IT

"We are living through uncertain and challenging times—both in our nation and in the world of workforce development—that call for innovative thinking, technology and collaboration. The Grand Challenge offers all three. Working together, we can create solutions that provide meaningful and accessible assistance for job seekers and employers in our region."

Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas provides competitive solutions that benefit employers and workers alike. The organization uses public and private resources to drive initiatives that connect employers with quality job candidates, help unemployed and underemployed people find work, and support highly skilled individuals who want to transition into new careers.

Who They Serve: Youth, jobseekers, community partners, and businesses in the city of Dallas and throughout Dallas County, Texas.

Metro Area: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

Key Regional Industries: Health care, technology, trade, and transportation

"We are so excited to be included in the Future of Work Grand Challenge. This is the time, and the mechanism for real change in educating, reskilling and pivoting the American workforce. The future of economy in Texas is bright, and we have to meet the challenge to prepare a ready-workforce with future tools."