On February 25-26, over 100 advocates and practitioners from throughout California came together for the 2019 Skills for California Summit. The attendees included representatives from over 40 organizations in support of a workforce education and training agenda targeted at closing the skill and equity gaps in California. Participants represented business, labor, workforce, community college, community-based and philanthropic organizations. The Skills for California Summit was organized through a partnership between the California EDGE Coalition and the National Skills Coalition.
The Summit’s 2019 policy agenda focuses on three key issues: upskilling for low-wage workers, transformation of California’s financial aid system so that more low-income Californians can afford to build in-demand skills, and creation of a data system that integrates information across education, workforce, human services, corrections and other institutions to provide practitioners, policymakers, and California residents with the information they need to make informed decisions. The Summit provided for a series of panel presentations and conversations among the diverse group of attendees about these policy priorities as well as visits with the offices of over 30 key California policymakers.
We hope you will join this growing network of advocates that are united in the belief that building the skill base of Californians will ensure a shared prosperity and a vibrant economy by signing up here! Working together, we can maintain and grow the momentum from the Summit throughout this legislative session and beyond.