John C Williams: Welcoming remarks - Investing in America's Workforce Book Launch Event Welcoming remarks by Mr John C Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, at the Investing in America's Workforce Book Launch Event, New York City, 9 November 2018. * * * As prepared for delivery  Welcome Good morning. I am very pleased to welcome you all to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for the launch of Investing in America’s Workforce: Improving Outcomes for Workers and Employers. I would like to thank our colleagues across the Federal Reserve System, the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, the Ray Marshall Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research for collaborating with us on this initiative. My colleagues and I are proud to co-sponsor this event today and appreciate everyone who contributed their time and effort to making the Investing in America’s Workforce publication a reality. With over 100 contributors, pulling this together was not an easy feat. I recognize the value of sharing knowledge and resources and am pleased that we can help facilitate this effort. I congratulate my colleagues and our partners for this accomplishment and believe this is just the beginning of our work to support the workforce field.
There is a tendency to try to re-invent the wheel and overlook past experience, but by taking a step back and learning from one another, we can have a much greater positive impact in our communities. Roadshow Workforce Experience Sustainable economic growth and thus broad-based prosperity is dependent on a healthy job market, one in which employers can find the skills they need and workers find jobs that allow them to grow and move up the economic ladder. The challenge is developing a system that encompasses both and is accessible to all those seeking a job. Our workforce development initiative aims to promote dialogue and a greater understanding of promising policies and programs that allow workers, especially those in low and moderate-income communities, to develop in-demand skills and connect them with employers. We can achieve this by connecting with workforce stakeholders through policy forums, roundtable discussion sessions, and examining areas through our research and outreach. One of the best aspects of my job is the opportunity to visit communities across our Second District. The skills gap and the uneven economic recovery among different communities are consistent themes I hear, not just in the Second District but also in my previous job on the West Coast. I also have heard about a variety of policies and programs that seem to be making an impact and could have broader potential that are worth sharing.