Building a Lifelong Learning System: A Roadmap for Cities

Amid this unprecedented and uncertain period of change, providing workers with the tools they need to successfully navigate a changing labor market over the course of their careers is a national economic imperative. While it is impossible to know the full extent and duration of COVID-19’s impact on the labor market, the employment landscape will likely look substantially different than what existed before. While lifelong learning was a critical component to building a competitive workforce long before COVID-19, the role that employers, policymakers, and other key stakeholders play today in helping people find employment, re-enter the labor market, or develop new skills and competencies, has become even more urgent. Join the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative and Cognizant U.S. Foundation to hear key findings from the Institute’s new report, Building A Lifelong Learning System: A Roadmap for Cities. Expanding on conversations we’ve had with policymakers and experts on the frontlines of this lifelong learning challenge—in Phoenix, Chicago, and Hartford—you will hear from a range of stakeholders illuminating the barriers and opportunities of creating a system that helps, not hinders, lifelong learning. Together, we hope to chart a path forward for cities that want to develop equitable, accessible lifelong learning systems.

Agenda:

Mayor Kate Gallego, Phoenix, AZ Mayor Luke Bronin, Hartford, CT Juan Salgado, Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago Employer Perspective Becky Schmitt, Chief People Officer, Cognizant Panel Discussion: Local Viewpoints Duncan Harris, CEO, Capital Community College Matthew Muench, Senior VP of Talent, P33 Chicago Rachel Yanof, Executive Director, Achieve60AZ Rick Wartzman, Head of the KH Moon Center for a Functioning Society Closing Remarks Alastair Fitzpayne, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative