New Merged Organization: Philadelphia Works

Posted by on July 16, 2012

Merger of PWDC and PWIB official as of July 1st

Philadelphia Works – a new workforce organization that will serve both employers and job seekers – debuted July 1st. The new, nonprofit organization represents the merger of the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation and the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board.

“Philadelphia Works represents another step we are taking to reform the workforce development system and create a source of ‘one-stop shopping’ for both employers and individuals looking for employment,” said Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter.  “The organization will be dedicated to helping Philadelphians get training and find employment.”

The merger combines and connects the WIB’s research and data mission of establishing a strategic direction for the city’s public workforce development system with the administrative, fiscal and operational duties of the PWDC. Under one organization, Philadelphia Works presents a streamlined and efficient organization and will help improve services with a more user-friendly system. The new organization will be employer-led and focus on the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.

Mayor Nutter announced in June 2011 his intentions to reform the workforce development system following a commissioned report from the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. CSW, in partnership with HR Consultants, recommended a more streamlined system with more transparency and more accountability.

To help guide the nonprofit organization, a new slate of board officers has been elected. The mayor appoints the organization’s board which, by law, must have a majority of private sector employers.

Joseph A. Frick will serve as chairperson, while David Donald will be vice chairperson, Elizabeth Riley-Wasserman will serve as secretary and Phillip S. Barnett will be treasurer.

Frick is vice chairman and managing partner at Diversified Search.  Donald is founder and CEO of Philadelphia-based staffing company PeopleShare, Inc. Riley-Wasserman is senior vice president, human resources and organization development for Mercy Health System, and Barnett is senior vice president and chief financial officer at PECO.

In addition, a new operator, the Public Consulting Group, with its partner JobWorks, Inc., has been selected as the provider of adult and dislocated services at the five PA CareerLink centers in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Works not only has oversight responsibilities for PCG/JobWorks, but will partner with the provider to streamline employer services. This is the first time since the implementation of the Workforce Investment Act in 2000 that the provider of workforce services was competitively bid.

Philadelphia Works also continues PWDC’s role of overseeing six EARN Centers, contracted to provide services to those receiving public assistance.

In total, Philadelphia Works oversees a $50 million budget for these services and attracts funding to innovate and improve the workforce system.

http://www.philaworks.org/