Workforce Development

A Skilled Workforce is the Foundation of a Thriving, Economically Competitive City

At the National League of Cities, we support local governments in strengthening workforce development efforts both within and beyond city hall. Explore this page for resources, events, and technical assistance opportunities designed to help cities build a stronger, smarter, more skillful workforce.

Workforce Development 101: A Primer for Municipal Leaders

This resource is designed to highlight how municipal leaders can—and already do—advance local workforce development strategies that connect residents to family-sustaining jobs and improve economic competitiveness by meeting the needs of their local employers.

Read the Brief

Join a Peer Network

Connect with colleagues, share resources and engage in learning opportunities.

Workforce Innovation Network

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Economic Mobility Peer Network

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Recent Resources

Local leaders play a critical role in supporting workforce development—ultimately driving economic growth, reducing unemployment, and ensuring all residents have pathways to upward economic mobility. By investing in workforce programs, cities not only meet the immediate needs of employers and residents, but also contribute to their long-term economic resilience.

Good Jobs in Great Cities

In July 2023, the National League of Cities (NLC) and the U.S. Department of Labor gathered teams from across the country to discuss how once-in-a-generation federal investments in America’s infrastructure can connect people to good jobs.
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2025 US Department of Labor Local Government Priorities in the 100 days

How to Grow Your City’s Healthy Housing Workforce

Use Your Remaining ARPA Dollars to Fund Workforce Scholarship Programs

Celebrate National Apprenticeship Week with Apprenticeships for Cities

5 Ways Local Officials Can Support the Early Childhood Workforce

Congressional Movement on Workforce Reauthorization Legislation

Federal Workforce Legislation Hits Critical Juncture – Take Action! 

3 Lessons Learned from the El Paso Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator

4 Ways Cities Can Provide Business and Financial Supports to the Early Childhood Workforce

Attracting and Retaining Talent in City Government:  Become a Great Place to Work

Celebrate Workforce Development Month!

recordings of past webinars

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From the Event: How Apprenticeships Can Strengthen the Municipal Workforce
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From the Event: Healthy Housing Learning Lab: Workforce Fireside Chat

NLC’s Workforce Initiatives

From tight-knit technical assistance cohorts to ongoing coaching opportunities, NLC’s workforce development programs offer opportunities for cities of all sizes.

active initiatives

  • Economic Opportunity & Workforce Development

Cities Supporting the Early Childhood Workforce
  • Expanded Learning

Youth Excel: Cities Advancing Equitable Youth Economic Recovery and Empowerment
  • Education and Early Childhood Success

Reconnecting Opportunity Youth and Young Adults
  • Infrastructure

Charging up The State and Local EV Workforce Collaborative

By:
  1. McKinzie McGuire
  2. Kyle Funk

Connecting Adults to Postsecondary and Workforce Success
  • Race & Equity

Southern Cities Economic Initiative
  • Community & Economic Development

Apprenticeship for Cities
  • Community & Economic Development

City Inclusive Entrepreneurship Network (CIE)
  • Economic Opportunity & Workforce Development

Municipal Strategies to Promote Workforce Success for People with Disabilities
  • Economic Opportunity & Workforce Development

Cities Supporting the Early Childhood Workforce

Past Initiatives

Good Jobs, Great Cities

The Good Jobs, Great Cities Academy includes 16 cities working throughout 2023 and 2024 to develop innovative and scalable city-supported solutions that upskill and reskill workers into quality, high-demand jobs in infrastructure, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing jobs made possible by new federal investments, with a focus on supporting residents from historically underserved and underrepresented communities in order to address key shortcomings in their education and workforce ecosystem.

Grant Opportunity: Advancing Economic Mobility

Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative

Have Questions? Contact Us!

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