New York City is facing a pressing workforce development issue as funding for adult programs has markedly decreased, even though investing in adult upskilling, credentialing, and job placement can yield immediate benefits for workers and the economy.
Despite spending over half a billion dollars annually on workforce development, many adults striving to enhance their skills or change careers find themselves without adequate support.
A recent report by the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC), titled ‘Putting Our Dollars to Work,’ reveals a staggering statistic: only 16 percent of the city’s $640 million workforce budget is allocated to prime-age adults who do not qualify for traditional safety net programs.
This data is alarming, considering that these adults comprise the majority of the city’s unemployed and underemployed workers, highlighting a significant gap in the city’s workforce development strategy.
With middle-wage jobs diminishing and high-income earners seeing their wages rise, the workers most depended upon in sectors such as health care, child care, building services, retail, food service, and delivery are experiencing stagnation or a decline in their wages.
These individuals are confronted with limited opportunities for advancement, largely due to the lack of a cohesive commitment from the workforce system to facilitate their growth.
For many New Yorkers, the barriers to securing better pay, benefits, and careers in growing industries are high, leaving them feeling isolated and without the necessary support for advancement.
The dissonance between the city’s aspirations and its actions represents not only a breach of its commitment to its residents but also an obstacle to shared economic success.
In recent years, there has been a notable shift in the city’s workforce investment strategies, with youth-focused programs witnessing unprecedented funding growth.
In the fiscal year 2024, youth programs now account for nearly half of all workforce dollars, with the Summer Youth Employment Program receiving over $240 million—a staggering 627 percent increase since 2013.
While investment in programs for young people is undeniably essential, this surge underscores a troubling disinvestment in adult workforce initiatives, particularly at a time when these adults could meet the current labor market demands.
Funding cuts have been severe, with the Department of Social Services and the Department of Small Business Services experiencing reductions of 43 percent and 28 percent, respectively, over recent years.
These cuts contradict mounting evidence indicating that investments in adult upskilling yield faster returns in wages, productivity, and tax revenue compared to long-term youth programs.
This imbalance is not a matter of choosing between youth and adults; both groups deserve support, but the current approach appears disproportionate, with a significant number of working-age adults—predominantly from Black, Latino, immigrant, and outer-borough communities—remaining trapped in unstable jobs without pathways to growth and stability.
This systemic neglect undermines not only the economy but also the tax base, affecting the collective future of New York City.
Advocates argue that workforce development should be a central pillar of the city’s economic development strategy, necessitating a re-evaluation of funding priorities and training systems that genuinely provide sustainable jobs for struggling adults.
Fostering an ecosystem where adults can thrive involves leveraging the successful training and career development programs within NYCETC’s network of over 220 member organizations that are already equipping adults with marketable skills and crucial social capital.
However, without substantial, equitable funding and a dedicated commitment from City Hall and the City Council, these successful programs cannot scale to meet the urgent needs of adult workers.
Every adult New Yorker deserves an opportunity for economic security, regardless of their starting point; this is particularly critical as city elections approach and financial insecurity remains a top concern among voters.
City officials have a responsibility to balance investment across different demographics actively.
The challenge lies in recognizing where public dollars would have the most significant impact.
Underfunding adult workforce initiatives is not only counterproductive but also neglectful in fostering a competitive and resilient economy.
Investing in adult workforce programs equitably throughout the year—as is done for youth programs—could lead to unlocking economic mobility at a scale that benefits the entire community.
This endeavor isn’t merely about achieving equity; it also touches upon the essence of maintaining competitiveness, strengthening the business climate, and generating a broader economic impact that resonates through families, neighborhoods, and local economies across the city.
As Gregory J. Morris, CEO of NYCETC, highlights, with over 25 years of experience in education and workforce development, the city can achieve a more robust and resilient workforce if it prioritizes this essential sector.
Ultimately, restructuring and adequately funding adult workforce programs could pave the way for a thriving economy that faithfully represents the diverse aspirations of all New Yorkers.
image source from：https://citylimits.org/opinion-nyc-is-spending-millions-on-workforce-development-but-not-on-the-workers-who-need-it-most/
