About the Council

NYC Workforce Development Council

Chair, Rob Speyer

The New York City Workforce Development Council ("The Workforce Council") is the center of gravity for New York City's public workforce system and is comprised of leaders from the business community, educational institutions, unions, nonprofit organizations, and funders. The Workforce Council is responsible for developing and sustaining public-private for cultivating talent and helping employers find the talent they need. These efforts will take a dual approach: positioning workers to enter good-paying jobs and helping employers tap the talent they need to succeed. Rob Speyer, CEO of Tishman Speyer, will serve as the inaugural Chair of the Council.

The launch of the Workforce Development Council fulfills a key recommendation of the Future of Workers Task Force which created a blueprint to bolster the city's talent ecosystem. The Workforce Development Council serves in an advisory role to the City of New York and the New York City Workforce Development Board, which is responsible for stewarding $100 million in annual federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding.

To learn more about the recommendations that catalyzed the formation of the Workforce Development Council, please read Pathways to an inclusive Economy: the Future of Workers Task Force Blueprint, Mayor Eric Adams' comprehensive plan for placing talent and workforce development at the center of New York City's economic strategy.