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De Blasio Putting New Yorkers on Path to Prosperity

On November 21st, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the overhaul of the city’s Workforce Development program.  The Doe Fund’s founder and president, George T. McDonald issued the following statement of support:

Mayor de Blasio’s newly released plan to transform workforce development is a critical leap forward in achieving the vision of New York City which we all share: a place where opportunity exists for everyone, and where hard work leads to success.

Work is the engine that drives every aspect of city life. And yet, for thousands of New Yorkers, full time employment with the opportunity for growth has been more of a hope than a reality for far too long. That is precisely why the Mayor’s plan is both timely and progressive— because it changes our understanding of what it means to connect New Yorkers who are ready to work with meaningful, sustainable jobs.

Particularly important is the plan’s emphasis on skill building and training. While all jobs–including low paying ones–possess the inherent dignity that all work has, equipping citizens with advanced and specialized skills transforms a simple “job” into the first step on a path to real, lifelong prosperity.

The impact will ripple from there: when parents have good jobs with upward mobility, their children will benefit and achieve even more. And, over time, entire communities will be uplifted as neighbors work, prosper, and hand down a tradition of opportunity and success from one generation to the next.

We congratulate the Mayor and the Office of Workforce Development on this renewed investment in New York City’s most important asset: its people. A holistic approach to connecting good jobs with the people who need them will empower our communities, fuel our economy, and strengthen the engine that drives the greatest city in the world.

George T. McDonald

Founder and President

The Doe Fund

Visit the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development to read the full Career Pathways report and plan.