Strengthening the Workforce for the Future
By Sherazade Langlade, CEO, WPTI
Workforce practitioners, professionals, and leaders are at the heart of economic mobility. Investing in them is essential to building a more equitable, sustainable future. Yet, in a sector grappling with burnout, systemic inequities, and rapid technological change, how do we equip workforce professionals to lead the future of work?
We’re operating in a workforce system that wasn’t built for today’s realities:
85% of nonprofit employees experience burnout, with 41% at high levels.
Nonprofit turnover has reached 19%, exceeding industry averages, with some organizations seeing rates as high as 25%.
Black workforce professionals remain underrepresented in leadership roles while being overrepresented in frontline positions.
The labor market is shifting, with a worrisome economic and labor market outlook. Self-employment is rising and AI is reshaping jobs. Ninety-eight percent of nonprofit leaders recognize the necessity of a digital transformation.
Despite these challenges, workforce development remains a cornerstone of economic opportunity. It’s not just about jobs—it’s about economic equity and sustainability.
The Future of Workforce is Human
Technology and policy will shape the labor market, but people will drive the change. Our big bet? Ten thousand skilled, empowered workforce professionals transforming the economic trajectory of one million jobseekers.
WPTI’s Next Chapter: Activate, Accelerate, Amplify
Through our 2024 strategy refresh, we’re doubling down on our commitment to workforce professionals by focusing on three core pillars:
ACTIVATE: WPTI is the learning home for workforce practitioners to develop, innovate, and advance. We are expanding our offerings in leadership development, workforce well-being initiatives, and AI-integrated training. By 2030, we will provide support to 10,000 workforce practitioners in service of their mission to excel in their work.
ACCELERATE: The sector must be future-ready. WPTI supports workforce organizations and programs aiming to solve persistent and evolving workforce challenges, including optimizing technology, designing training programs aligned to labor market demand, supporting team cohesion and effectiveness, engaging jobseekers and businesses successfully, and more. Through our Learning Communities, BootCamps and Consulting Services, we help organizations navigate change and increase impact. By 2030, we will deeply support 500 workforce organizations and programs to improve their outcomes.
AMPLIFY: Workforce leaders—especially those with lived experience—deserve a seat at the table. We elevate practitioner voices and know-how by uplifting the practices in the field that offer new or better approaches, insights, and lessons learned that can move our field forward. By 2030, we will engage and center 1,000 practitioner perspectives in our work and elevate 100 workforce practitioners of lived experience.
To make this vision real, we need partners, practitioners, and funders who believe in investing in people.
Join Us
If you’re a workforce professional, let’s build your leadership and technical skills and expertise.
If you’re an employer or funder, let’s work with you to develop innovative workforce solutions.
If you’re an advocate, let’s amplify the voices that matter most.
Contact us and let’s work together. Together, we can build a future where everyone thrives.