As Mayor Adams Takes on the Issue, City Council Examines NYC Workforce Development Programs and Plans

*Reposted from Gotham Gazette. Written by Ethan Geringer-Sameth (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)*

The New York City Council convened an oversight hearing Monday on the city’s workforce development programs and plans amid pandemic recovery efforts. It was the first time Council members heard from officials in the administration of the new mayor, Eric Adams, who has repeatedly said workforce development is a top priority for him.

While the officials present discussed Adams' vision for the city's economic recovery, they were not able to present a clear plan on some of the most glaring, long-standing issues with New York City's decentralized system of job training, recruitment, and placement. And the administration was not represented by the top official in charge of the issue, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer, or anyone from her office, which was responsible for crafting Adams’ “blueprint for New York City’s economic recovery.”

While there was broad agreement on some of the principles shared and problems identified, the Council members present were at times frustrated by the incomplete picture they received. The hearing was held jointly by the City Council Committee on Economic Development and Committee on Oversight and Investigations to examine "the city’s evolving workforce development plans in the wake of the pandemic."

For entire article visit: https://www.gothamgazette.com/city/11190-city-council-nyc-workforce-dev…