As part of our commitment to strengthening the workforce development ecosystem, NAWDP actively partners on national initiatives that advance innovation, equity, and opportunity. Through strategic collaborations with federal agencies, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations, these projects focus on expanding career pathways, supporting underrepresented populations—including youth and young adults with disabilities—and enhancing workforce readiness through apprenticeship and sector-based training models. These initiatives reflect our dedication to shaping inclusive, forward-thinking solutions that meet the evolving needs of the workforce and the professionals who serve them.
The Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth (CAPE-Youth)
The Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth (CAPE-Youth) is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, The Council of State Governments, the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University, San Diego State University, and the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP). The Center was created in 2019 by the Department of Labor. It seeks to improve employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities by helping states build capacity in their youth service delivery and workforce systems.
Learn more about CAPE-Youth and its efforts.
National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL)
FHI360’s National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL) brings together experts in workforce development to expand existing nationally registered apprenticeship programs (RAPs), such as the Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship (YDPA), and develop new opportunities within the care economy. NIWL’s Apprenticeship Programs provide workers an opportunity to build their skillsets in a rewarding career path while also meeting the critically growing need for care economy professionals.
The NIWL is a national hub funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Apprenticeship Builds America grant (ABA2), and is part of a broad, bipartisan commitment to expand apprenticeship as a workforce solution. NAWDP is a collaborative partner in this effort.
Learn more about NIWL and its efforts.