Message from the President & CEO

Dear Friends,

Thank you for being part of the Capital Workforce Partners (CWP) family!

As employers across our region made it clear that they had plenty of job openings but not enough skilled applicants, we have met the moment by helping to modernize the workforce and strengthen the economy of North Central Connecticut.

CWP is proud to be a workforce development leader in both our region and the state. We have collaborated with key partners and stakeholders to lead performance-driven strategies that fortify our region’s workforce development system. Through our efforts, we have focused the delivery of services to best prepare a workforce to meet the employer demands of today and industry talent needs of the future.

As Connecticut’s premier workforce development organization, our numbers are clear and compelling:

• 14,342 individuals received American Job Center services  
• 1,460 youth were served in CWP Programs (in-school and out-of-school)
• For WIOA Youth last year, we served 250 participants – 120 received training, 82 received work experience, and 90 held unsubsidized employment at some point during the program year
• 1,342 employers across the region partnered with CWP for workforce training, placement, and hiring programs

Each year, thousands receive career guidance, job placement, and business services from our “One-Stop Career Centers” known as the American Job Center Network. At these American Job Centers, teams of career advisors, job developers, and business services consultants come together, in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Labor, to help job seekers reach their goals.

Our Youth Services remain second to none. The Hartford Work-Based Learning Network (WBLN) serves as a learning community of practice to define and maximize implementation of sustainable Work-Based Learning (WBL) strategies that ensure Hartford high school students’ readiness for post-secondary success in higher education, skills training, and career advancement.

Our nationally-recognized Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program (SYELP) connects Connecticut youth living in the North Central Region between the ages of 14 and 24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experience each summer.

CWP has also increased its engagement with business and industry groups by leading the development of the Capital Area Tech Partnership, Capital Area Healthcare Partnership, and a Regional Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Sector Partnership. Combined with supporting regional manufacturing, construction, and green jobs employers, CWP helps hundreds of businesses across North Central Connecticut meet their workforce needs.

CWP also continues to support a wide array of workforce development services aimed at serving individuals with disabilities, young parents, opportunity youth, and returning citizens. We are also developing family-centered strategies to provide support services to custodial parents and 2-Gen households.

Always growing and expanding our reach, we were thrilled to receive a $9 million grant through the state’s Career ConneCT program, offering skilling, reskilling, and upskilling in growing industries. In our capacity as a Workforce Development Board, CWP is playing a major role in the Career ConneCT initiative by offering critical training, specifically in the areas of Transportation/Commercial Drivers Licenses, Manufacturing and Information Technology.

Because of our efforts, our workforce development system thrived, and in many ways, has been transformed. Gone are the days where individuals seek employment in traditional methods. We can no longer solely rely on individuals coming into brick-and-mortar locations to receive life-changing services and resources; instead, we must engage at the community level and meet residents where they are.  It’s more apparent than ever that we are part of a resilient community and there are diverse paths toward achieving even more remarkable results. We must continue to leverage and collaborate to create a better system that moves individuals and families towards self-sufficiency.

We are grateful for committed team members who show up every day in service of others as well as for our board of directors, dedicated leaders who volunteer their time to guide our efforts. We also appreciate the sustained partnership of North Central Connecticut’s municipal leaders and community organizations who play a vital role in support our work.

Today, we recommit ourselves to supporting our region’s employers’ workforce needs and continuing to help individuals across North Central Connecticut pursue meaningful careers. Thanks, again.

Best wishes,

Alex Johnson
President & CEO
Capital Workforce Partners