Panelists at Charlotte retreat urge earn‑and‑learn, childcare and employer‑led pipelines to fill mobility era jobs

Charlotte’s workforce development discussion at the council retreat brought national and regional practitioners to the table and underscored a recurring message: investments in mobility and infrastructure will only deliver promised economic opportunity if the city builds coordinated, employer‑focused training pathways, reliable supports and ways to scale proven programs.

Danielle Frazier, director of Charlotte’s Office of Workforce Development, opened the panel by describing the city’s work to finalize a strategic workforce plan and to use employer partnerships to shape training and hiring. “Successful workforce development programs are important when you have employer leaders at the table driving the efforts,” she said, and introduced leaders from Phoenix, Austin, Philadelphia, Boston and Atrium Health to describe on‑the‑ground programs.

Examples shared at the retreat:

- Austin: Yael Lawson described the Infrastructure Academy, a public‑private partnership created to meet multiple simultaneous projects (light rail expansion, highway work, airport expansion, corporate investments). The Academy brings recruitment, training, childcare and employer connecters under a single “hub” so trainees can enroll quickly and employers can access a vetted workforce. Austin plans a public launch event and said the program links training vouchers to on‑the‑spot employer placements.

- Phoenix: Lucetta Hogans told council that her office used discretionary ARPA and other funds to stand up mobile workforce outreach and to fund training and small‑business supports. Phoenix has used a mix of city, county and private funds to create more accessible entry points for people who otherwise do not reach conventional workforce centers.

- Philadelphia: Patrick Clancy described the city’s summer‑jobs and career‑connected learning model that seeks to engage people as young as 12 and to offer a continuum of summer and year‑round work and internships. He told council the city runs a 7,000‑slot summer program and that demand far exceeds available placements (he cited roughly 15,000 applicants), and he said the city uses grants and municipal funds to expand capacity.

- Boston: Trinh Nguyen outlined mayoral priorities to place residents without four‑year degrees into good‑paying jobs through targeted sector programs (health care, child care, clean energy) and by pairing employers and training providers. Boston’s investments include subsidies, tax‑credit outreach and city‑operated career services.

- Atrium Health: Cynthia Bailey described employer‑operated programs including youth internships, a “rise to success” program that allows high‑school seniors to work while they begin community college, and a “fair chance” hiring program for people with criminal records. She said hospitals are creating tiered, employer‑sponsored pathways where front‑line hires can pursue credentialed career progression inside the health system.

Panelists stressed common themes: the importance of employer buy‑in; the need for childcare, transportation and rapid credentialing to prevent trainees from dropping out; and the value of “earn‑and‑learn” or apprenticeship models that reduce the upfront cost barrier for workers. Several speakers also noted the value of taxpayer dollars used to leverage private business support — for example, Phoenix’s employer partners helped underwrite rapid outreach campaigns.

Council members used the session to press staff on near‑term moves the city can take to connect existing residents to airport and health‑sector jobs, to scale apprenticeships and to create payment or benefit designs (transit passes, tuition assistance) that remove barriers to participation. Staff answered that the workforce plan will reflect local priorities and will be accompanied by implementation steps and metrics to report back to council.

Why this matters: Mobility and infrastructure investments expand the number and type of local jobs. But panelists argued that infrastructure alone will not increase residents’ economic mobility unless cities: (a) build employer‑driven training and apprenticeship pipelines; (b) fund the supports — childcare, transportation passes, rapid credentialing — that let trainees keep working while they train; and (c) set measurable outcomes tied to wages and job retention.

Next steps: Staff said they will incorporate council feedback into a draft workforce plan, present detailed implementation steps to the Jobs & Economic Development committee and continue engagement with employer partners and training providers.