MUS is an intermediary of urban workforce development boards (WDB) serving their local communities to connect the workforce ecosystem. This system includes employers, job seekers, training providers, and community partners all working together to better prepare job seekers and support employers in the attraction and retention of talent. By combining innovative and traditional workforce development practices with economic development strategies, these WDBs are driving change in their local economies.
WDBs are no longer just the bank; they are engines of workforce innovation. With millions of dollars in private and public investments raised, MUS is supporting their efforts with a strong vision, strategies for growth, and diverse funding mechanisms.
At a time when federal policy and funding is shifting, our efforts are emerging as a scalable, replicable, sustainable model, where the public workforce system is actively impacting economic development through wide-scale project implementation.
As an Innovation Laboratory we operate outside typical workforce development models to create scalable, replicable, and sustainable solutions.
As representatives from urban epicenters, the challenges and opportunities we experience by serving diverse populations – culturally, socially, and economically, require a unique set of strategies and tactics to connect people to the changing expectations and needs of employers.
The goal is to take the micro-successes and strengths of each workforce development board and replicate them on a regional scale. MUS strives to bolster the Midwest’s place within the national economy while growing and retaining our homegrown talent and businesses.
Through intentional collaboration, leveraging stakeholders and efficient and creative use of resources, our strategy is to retain and grow local talent and generate greater return on investment for our employer partners and the workforce system.