About Us


What is Workforce Development?

In the broadest sense, the term “workforce development” describes a wide range of activities, policies and programs that together create, sustain and retain a skilled workforce to support current and future businesses and industry in a geographic area. Educational institutions, government agencies, unions, community-based organizations, private funders, employers, researchers, policy makers and others all play a role in creating and expanding these economic opportunities.

Nonprofit, philanthropic and government entities often focus their workforce development efforts on individuals with limited experience or significant barriers to labor market participation. The need for a strong workforce system is especially great in New York City, where two thirds of residents live at or near the poverty level.


What is WPTI?

Since its founding in 2004, WPTI has become the preeminent non-profit training and technical assistance intermediary for New York City’s workforce development community. The organization has trained thousands of workforce practitioners from over 350 programs and organizations that collectively serve over 500,000 jobseekers. As a standalone, non-political organization, WPTI provides an inclusive bridge among providers, funders and government agencies that contribute to building NYC’s workforce.

Drawing on well-refined resources and relationships, WPTI combines the expertise of highly experienced workforce professionals, direct employer input, academic research, labor market information, and interactive adult learning principles to create high-quality curriculum, impactful consulting frameworks, and useful resources for the field.

Our mission is simple: WPTI increases the effectiveness of people, programs, and organizations that are committed to generating pathways out of poverty through employment. Our three-tiered approach strengthens capacity at all levels of the workforce development system.

  1. Professional Training: Develop the skills and careers of practitioners
  2. Organizational Consulting: Maximize productivity of programs and teams
  3. Systems Building: Create linkages, foster research and influence funding and best practice priorities

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