City to apply ‘First Look NYC’ Hiring to procurement, moving New Yorkers to front of the line applying for work at City contractors and economic development projects

Training programs to help up to 30,000 New Yorkers per year secure middle-skill jobs and work in good-paying industries

Industry partnerships and talent pipelines in tech, health care, manufacturing, construction will align training programs to employer demands

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced a major shift in workforce development to better train New Yorkers for good-paying jobs and help secure job placements in fast-growing fields. Based on a report, Career Pathways, released today by the Jobs for New Yorkers Task Force, the administration will invest in middle-skill job training for up to 30,000 people each year, prioritize good-paying full-time job placements at workforce agencies, and require companies doing business with the City to move New Yorkers to the front of the hiring line.

Nearly one million working New Yorkers—a quarter of the entire labor force—earn less than $20,000 per year. At the same time, employers in fast-growing, high-paying fields are confronting a shortage of skilled workers. There is tremendous opportunity through the City’s $500 million workforce development programs to equip more New Yorkers with skills for high-quality jobs that employers need to fill.

Based on the Career Pathways report, the City will also replicate its Tech Talent Pipeline and New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (NYACH) across four other industries, with partnerships that provide real-time feedback on employer needs in growing sectors like modern manufacturing and construction. The recommendations came from a diverse range of stakeholders, including leadership from major employers like JP Morgan Chase, educational institutions like CUNY and Cornell NYC Tech, philanthropic organizations like New York Community Trust, the Central Labor Council and social service providers.

Read the Career Pathways report: nyc.gov/careerpathways