Abstract: 

This interactive workshop explores how adult basic education providers can strengthen outcomes by building innovative, results-driven partnerships with their workforce development boards. Through real-world examples and guided discussion, the session highlights how co-enrollment, integrated education and training (IET), pre-apprenticeships, shared data, and braided funding can help workforce development and ABE partners respond to talent shortages while expanding access and equity for job seekers. Attendees will identify common challenges to effective partnerships and learn concrete strategies for overcoming them through trust-building, joint planning, and continuous communication. The workshop emphasizes by positioning ABE programs and workforce development boards not only as referral agencies, but as strategic partners in talent development. Participants will leave with actionable ideas, partnership tools, and next steps they can adapt to their local systems to better serve job seekers, employers, and communities in a rapidly changing economy. 

Participants will (1) identify effective partnership models between workforce development and adult basic education, including co-enrollment, pre-apprenticeships, and Integrated Education and Training; (2) apply strategies to align goals, data, and resources across systems to address common partnership challenges; and (3) develop actionable next steps to strengthen local collaborations that improve outcomes for jobseekers and employers.