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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JAN. 3-JAN. 9, 2020 11
BY CAROLYN MALONEY
AND JOSE ORTIZ, JR.
Talent can be found in every town
and city, large and small, across the
nation. In no place is this truer than
New York City. Just take the subway
from Coney Island to Wakefield; the
city is rich with human capital.
On that same ride, however, you
are exposed to a hard truth—while
the city is experiencing an economic
boom, many are falling behind as
they lack work experience and professional
skills. Many face obstacles
such as requirements for credentials
and hands-on experience, histories
with the criminal justice system,
disabilities or lack of access to a professional
network.
DeAsia Zellner, a resident of The
Bronx, was one of these New Yorkers—
struggling to get by and finding
herself living in a domestic violence
shelter when she became pregnant
with her son. Seeking a stable career
for a better life, Ms. Zellner started
a job training program at STRIVE,
an organization in East Harlem that
facilitates professional development
and skills training. After earning a
certification in medical billing and
coding, Ms. Zellner started an entrylevel
job with a major health care
network in New York. She later obtained
a double master’s degree and
now earns a salary that is around
the median income for a household.
The obstacles that Ms. Zellner
faced are all too common, and are
especially true for people of color,
young adults, family caregivers and
the formerly incarcerated.
On a broader level, the growth
in America’s prime-age labor force
participation rate—the share
of those who are 25-54 years old
and employed or actively seeking
work—has stagnated in recent decades,
underscoring the obstacles to
employment.
Organizations like STRIVE and
pre-apprenticeship programs such
as Nontraditional Employment for
Women are effective at improving
the lives of thousands of people like
Ms. Zellner. They also help our society
as a whole by improving labor
force participation, which supports
economic growth.
Workers must develop skills
to meet evolving employer needs.
These complex challenges require
investments from government and
businesses to ensure that more people
have career pathways into these
new roles.
As the story of DeAsia shows, we
can equip people with the 21st century
skills needed to thrive.
We must do a better job of helping
New Yorkers and Americans gain
the skills needed to improve their
lives and contribute to the economy.
Nonprofit organizations are leading
the way, and it’s time for more employers
and government agencies to
do their part.
Congresswoman Maloney (NY-
12) is Vice Chair of the Joint Economic
Committee, Chair of the
House Oversight Committee and a
senior member of the House Financial
Services Committee.
Jose Ortiz, Jr. is the Executive
Director of the New York City Employment
and Training Coalition.
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