The Markle Foundation has announced the expansion of its Rework America Alliance to five additional cities. 

The alliance, a collaboration between civil rights organizations, nonprofits, private-sector employers, labor unions, educators, and others, is committed to advancing career opportunities for millions of workers who have built capabilities through experience but do not have a bachelor’s degree—particularly people of color and women who face systemic barriers to job opportunities.

A three-year philanthropic investment from JPMorgan Chase will enable the alliance to provide support in Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. Alliance partners, Goodwill Industries International, the National Urban League, and UndiosUS—together with their regional affiliates—will lead efforts to help workers in these communities from low-wage roles move into jobs that provide livable wages and career growth. The initiative also will include community outreach to employers and business groups, in collaboration with local partners, to open access to good jobs by driving the adoption of inclusive sourcing and talent management practices that focus on skills rather than degrees and reduce bias in hiring. 

“Partners in the Rework America Alliance are taking their collective experience and capabilities to make it possible for all Americans to access good jobs regardless of formal education,” said Markle Foundation president and CEO Zoë Baird. “Working with leaders from business, labor, and education, we’re empowering community-based organizations, particularly in communities of color, to help more people to move into better jobs.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Cecile Arcurs)