Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Efforts to improve work and working conditions in the US have been underway since our nation’s inception. While labor unions have historically led this work, the growing prevalence of low-wage, precarious jobs has inspired a broader movement. Today, a diverse array of leaders across sectors are advancing bold solutions to “fix work” — to ensure every job in our economy is a good job. The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program has released a report, Fixing Work: Lessons from Job Quality Practitioners, based on in-depth interviews with more than 20 leaders across the country about the work they are doing to create good jobs that provide economic security, the opportunity to advance and grow, and a safe, dignified, and equitable workplace.
In this webinar, which took place on July 22, 2025, we hear from leaders who are at the forefront of building a fairer and more just economy, where workers, communities, and businesses can succeed together. Learn how these leaders think about good jobs, what strategies they use to build them, and the experiences and lessons they have learned in creating change. Whether you’re a workforce leader, policymaker, business advisor, or advocate, this conversation will offer fresh insights, practical lessons, and inspiration to advance job quality in your own work. Our speakers include Evan Edwards (Project Equity), Adam Kader (ARISE Chicago), Renise Walker (Colorado Workforce Development Council), and moderator Matt Helmer (The Aspen Institute).
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
Join Our Mailing List
To receive occasional emails about our work — including new publications, commentary, events, fellowships, and more — join our mailing list.
This publication examines how fragmented skills, credentialing, and workforce data systems limit the potential of skills-based hiring and advancement, and outlines a shared vision for building the interoperable infrastructure needed to create a connected skills ecosystem that benefits workers, employers, educators, and governments.
Economic security shouldn’t be a lottery. Yet for millions of working families, stagnant wages and precarious jobs collide with the daily grind of managing money on shaky ground — leaving stability feeling less like a plan and more like a gamble. Fixing that takes more than one lever. It takes structural reform and the tools people need to take control of their financial lives, working together.
This resource is designed to help colleges and universities become more employer-friendly and build the kind of institutional capacity that sustains and grows partnerships while simultaneously better serving working learners. It offers role-specific guidance for leaders across the institution, a self-assessment spanning five domains of practice, and a process for turning results into action, grounded in the conviction that institution/employer partnerships can become easier without compromising academic missions.
Bridge, Propel, and Career Academy are built on a practical philosophy: that MillerKnoll has great talent already inside the organization. Finding that talent, developing it, and aligning it to the right opportunities is key to its success. T
States invest in work-connected learning through dozens of distinct funding streams, grant programs, and agency initiatives, often developed independently over time by different administrations and agencies pursuing different goals.
