Workforce Policy

Joint Center Hosts Convening on the Future of Work in Philadelphia

On February 7, 2020, the Joint Center, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, and The City of Philadelphia hosted a day-long convening at the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia, PA to discuss the challenges and solutions for the Black residents of Philadelphia regarding the future of work.

Joint Center President Spencer Overton kicked off the conversation with a presentation to provide the framework on the challenges and possible solutions for African Americans in the wake of the changing nature of work. Other presenters included Office of Workforce Development Executive Director Sheila Ireland, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Community Development Senior Economic Advisor Lei Ding, and City of Philadelphia Office of Workforce Development Director of Special Initiatives Anne Gemmell. Joint Center Consultant Harin Contractor moderated the conversation that identified challenges and assets in the African American community. Participants, including community leaders and entrepreneurs, contributed to the in-depth conversation.

The convening, “The Future of the Workforce,” is the third of a four-part series of roundtables in different cities around the U.S. The series kicked off last April in Chicago, IL and followed up with a convening in November in Atlanta, GA. The Joint Center is collecting findings from the workshops and plans to provide actionable ideas for federal and local leaders based on the input from community leaders.

See photos from the convening below.

Photo credit: Kateri Connolly Photography