Economic Opportunities Program

What We Do

In an increasingly competitive global economy, America’s economic strength depends on the education and skills of its workers. Skills for America’s Future, an employer-led initiative of the Aspen Institute, was created to foster partnerships between employers and community colleges to address America’s pressing jobs issue.

Skills for America’s Future is focused on creating a national network of partnerships among employers, community colleges, industry associations and other stakeholders. These partnerships are designed to ensure Americans receive the training necessary to meet the needs of employers and have the opportunity to get and keep good jobs.

Since the initiative was announced by President Obama in October 2010, Skills for America’s Future has successfully helped create or expand partnerships between more than 30 employers and 200 community colleges across the country, and formed strategic partnerships with major industry associations.

We have a unique opportunity to act. A wide coalition of leaders from business, labor, philanthropy and government have championed community colleges and the role partnerships between industry and these educational institutions can play to help make the American economy stronger.  Skills for America’s Future serves as umbrella for these leaders, connecting successful efforts, sharing best practices and lessons learned, and identifying opportunities for leveraging and scaling effective models.