Advocating for adult workers

Equipping workers with 21st-century skills is key to both individual success and economic competitiveness. KnowledgeWorks Foundation has been an active partner with the state of Ohio through two administrations in developing a more comprehensive workforce education system that meets the needs of both employers and workers.

KnowledgeWorks has facilitated many initiatives that have played a critical role in getting Ohio to this point of creating an education and training system equipped to drive workforce and economic development, and Ohio Education Matters continues to advocate for public policies that support workforce development.

Our role in changing state policy » We have worked with state officials across two administrations to create an education system for adult workers that makes it easier for them to acquire new skills and advance in the workplace.

More on workforce policy

Policy guide for community college leaders

Bridges to Opportunity for Underprepared Adults: A State Policy Guide for Community College Leaders from the Ford Foundation offers lessons learned from the Community College Bridges to Opportunity Initiative. It is aimed at leaders concerned about the competitiveness of their state’s workforce and highlights Ohio's stakeholder engagement achievements.

Ideas from other states

The Indiana Institute for Working Families, a program of the Indiana Community Action Association, has released a research report, Investing in Indiana’s Adult Workers: Increasing Financial Aid Opportunities that details innovative strategies to increase the number of adult workers who possess credentials that can be replicated in other states. The report also offers 18 policy recommendations for improving the education and skills attainment levels of Indiana’s workforce.