Membership

Our work is driven by the collaborative efforts of urban workforce development boards (WDBs) across the Midwest, working together to strengthen communities and expand economic opportunity.

What is MUS Membership?

Midwest Urban Strategies offers a unique collaborative network that connects urban workforce development organizations across the Midwest, fostering innovative solutions and sharing best practices to enhance regional economic growth.

By joining our organization, members gain access to a wealth of resources, including expert insights, funding opportunities, and powerful partnerships, all aimed at driving meaningful change in their communities.

Together, we are dedicated to creating a more skilled and prosperous workforce, making Midwest Urban Strategies the ideal partner for organizations committed to making a difference in the urban landscape.

Member Resources

Member Categories

Affiliate Member

  • Affiliate members are organizations that share an interest in the work of the public workforce system (and/or operate local systems) and support the vision and mission of MUS. They are aligned with organizations that collaborate with workforce development boards and share the values of the membership.  

MUS Member

  • MUS members are a consortia of Midwest workforce development boards spearheading innovative practices that drive economic prosperity for all. With an intentional focus on underserved/under-resourced communities, the consortium aims to leverage resources, best practices, networking, tools, and technology to advance employment and economic opportunity.
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Our Members

Our Member Organizations

DESC - Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation

Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) became the city of Detroit’s workforce agency in 2012. DESC is part of the Michigan Works! Association anda proud partner of the American Job Center network. DESC regularly partners with political and community leaders, employers, community-based organizations, and stakeholders to raise awareness regarding education and workforce issues facing Detroit residents. DESC serves as the fiscal and administrative entity that provides workforce employment and training services for the City of Detroit. DESC reports to the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board (MWDB), which was appointed by the Mayor of the City of Detroit and is responsible for developing the strategy for Detroit’s workforce development service delivery system.

City Of Minneapolis Employment & Training

Minneapolis Employment and Training administers a variety of employment and training programs under the direction of the Mayor, City Council, and Minneapolis Workforce Council. Minneapolis Employment and Training is the administrative entity and staff to the Minneapolis Workforce Council. City programs under the oversight of the Workforce Council include services for low-income adults, dislocated workers, and youth. In Minneapolis, these services are delivered to job seekers and businesses by community-based organizations that have been competitively evaluated and selected based on their ability to effectively serve target groups and achieve employment-related outcomes, including both placement and support for retention in employment.

The Full Employment Council (FEC)

The Full Employment Council Inc. (FEC) is the administrative entity and fiscal agent for two workforce development boards: Kansas City & Vicinity Workforce Development Board and Eastern Jackson County Workforce Development Board. FEC is a business-led private nonprofit corporation whose mission is to obtain public and private sector employment for the unemployed and underemployed residents of the greater Kansas City area. FEC accomplishes this goal by working in collaboration with businesses, local units of government, educational institutions, labor organizations, and community-based organizations. This partnership responds to employer needs while reducing unemployment and underemployment of area residents.

The Northwest Indiana Workforce Board

The Northwest Indiana Workforce Board is a 27-member business member led board representing seven counties of Northwest Indiana including Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Starke, and Pulaski counties. The board incorporated in 2005 as a non-profit board working in partnership with Local Elected Officials covering each of the seven counties. As part of its infrastructure, the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board has contracted with the Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc. to serve as the board staff, as the One Stop Operator, and to provide some services of Title 1 of WIOA.

EmployIndy

EmployIndy has transitioned to focus on target impact areas to create a more community-driven initiative, becoming a hub for targeted populations and those who have given up hope in the possibility of entering or re-entering the workforce. Establishing a more neighborhood-focused form of workforce development will be designed by both increasing the implementation of resources in local community centers and reducing barriers for residents so they may have access to career pathways and gain the necessary skills to excel in the workforce. This strategy presents employers with qualified candidates to fulfill their hiring needs. This ABC (Any Job, Better Job, Career) Approach exemplifies the transitional goal for both workers and employers, realizing that having access to a career and skilled workers is a journey, not just a destination.

Employ Milwaukee

Employ Milwaukee (EMI) was established in 1989 and is the largest Workforce Development Board in Wisconsin, serving the most diverse racial and economic area in the state. Governed by a board of 36 leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, EMI employs 72 workforce development professionals, coordinates industry leaders across five sector-based advisory boards, and administers an annual budget of over $20 million. The board conducts data tracking and case management for its monthly quantitative and narrative reports to its 20+ funding and government partners. EMI has established an Industry Advisory Board (IAB) operating model around key industry sectors and occupations. Employer and industry representatives drive the alignment of EMI’s talent sourcing and skill development strategies to respond to the current workforce and labor market needs.

Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership

Created in 2012, The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (The Partnership) is an umbrella organization operating the public workforce system in the City of Chicago and Cook County. The Partnership combines federal and philanthropic resources to broaden the reach and impact of workforce development services for both employers and job seekers. As the largest non-profit workforce development system in the nation, The Partnership has helped place more than 70,000 individuals in employment, collaborated with more than 2,000 employers, and administers more than $300 million in federal and philanthropic funds. The Partnership’s network of more than 50 community-based organizations, 10 American Job Centers, and sector-driven workforce centers serve 132 municipalities.

https://chicookworks.org/

Stark Tuscarawas Workforce Development Board

The mission of the Stark Tuscarawas Workforce Development Board is to assist area businesses in meeting their workforce needs by coordinating the workforce development activities of the numerous employment, education, and economic development entities in the region. The OhioMeansJobs One-Stop System strives to act as a consolidated employment resource for all partner programs, employers, and job seeker customers while supporting the mission of the Workforce Development Board. These platforms provide free services made possible through funds provided by the U.S. Department of Labor and operated locally by the Stark Tuscarawas Workforce Development Board and the Stark and Tuscarawas Boards of County Commissioners.

Aspire Workforce Initiative

The Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio serves the city of Columbus and Franklin county. The Board serves the residents and employers in their workforce region, connecting them to training and supportive services and coordinating the planning and convening of workforce system partners from throughout the region. Operating in a collaborative service delivery model, the Board contracts with ResCare to convene three trusted workforce system partners to deliver services to job seekers and incumbent workers. Those system partners include the Urban League, Goodwill, and Jewish Family Services.

St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE)

The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) offers job seekers and businesses a variety of no-cost employment services, including job training and career counseling. It is the City of St. Louis government agency that offers job seekers and businesses a variety of no-cost services related to employment, training, and career advancement. SLATE, in coordination with the Missouri State Department of Economic Development (DED), Division of Workforce Development (DWD), the City of St. Louis Mayor's office and several partners, operates SLATE Missouri Career Centers, which connect employers to a skilled workforce and provide training and placement services to the City's adult workforce.

Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio

The Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio is a 501c3 Ohio chartered nonprofit organization. The Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio implements the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The board is responsible for developing strategies to engage employers, employees, government, education, organized labor and community-based organizations in a partnership to strengthen and expand the workforce resources of the region for the benefit of all the participants and communities where we live, work and raise our families. The SWORWIB sets the vision, policy, and performance expectations for the regional OhioMeansJobs (OMJ) workforce development system In Cincinnati-Hamilton County.

Center of Workforce Innovations

Center of Workforce Innovations is a multi-management nonprofit workforce development organization with its finger on the pulse of employment, education, and economic development. They are a catalyst for community and business investment in workforce, education, and economic development building and enhancing collective capacity to succeed in a new global economy.

Understanding challenges associated with aligning workforce skills to meet the needs of employers, and elevating talent for emerging next generation jobs, CWI is poised and ready to provide solutions and implementation processes.

Consider this.  As an organization CWI has a dual purpose.

They serve as an intermediary which is known for its convening community and industry groups to facilitate solutions, providing data and labor market information, offering information about resources, and seeding best practices that help in formulating the solutions. They also directly deliver services such as career advising, provide credit recovery programming, have community learning centers for adult education services while overseeing a network of adult education providers, and they provide oversight for the American Job Centers, known as WorkOne in Indiana.

Commonly known for identifying and implementing best practices, CWI has administered more than 40 public and private ventures intended to improve the quality of the workforce, enhance the business climate, and ensure the realization of a higher quality of life.

While remaining a driver of workforce development in NW Indiana, CWI strategic priorities are on empowering its regional workforce through high quality career advising, skill building and efforts to increase post-secondary credential attainment.

The Workforce Alliance

The Workforce Alliance, initially established in 2016 among six workforce boards in North Florida and South Georgia to break down barriers for job seekers while helping employers hire and retain skilled workers, expanded in FY 2020-2021 with two additional Florida boards and Southeast AlabamaWorks.

The Workforce Alliance is now the first tri-state alliance in the southeast, with nine workforce boards serving 76 counties, thoughout North Florida, South Georgia and Southeast Alabama.

Southwest Indiana Workforce Board

,
INDIANA
in.gov/dwd

The Southwest Indiana Workforce Board is comprised of business and community organization representatives in Southwest Indiana. The Board oversees the workforce development initiatives and the WorkOne Southwest offices in Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties.

South Central Region 8 Workforce Board, Inc.

The South Central Region 8 Workforce Board, Inc. (WDB) is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation which has oversight of employment and training programs in the following eight counties: Brown, Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange and Owen. The WDB serves as a pass through entity providing employment and training programs in the Economic Growth Region 8 using a variety of state and federal grant resources, including those available through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Re-employment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), Adult Education WorkINdiana Training Program, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), Business Services.The WDB is governed by a volunteer board that will initiate program directives and provide oversight and guidance on program operations. Crowe, LLP serves as the Board's Fiscal Agent.

https://www.in.gov/dwd/workonesouthcentral/resources/

Kentuckiana Works

KentuckianaWorks is the workforce development board for the Louisville region, which includes Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble counties. We are funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (through the Kentucky Education Workforce Development Cabinet) and Louisville Metro Government.

We operate a regional network of Kentucky Career Center services that includes job and career counseling, training, resume-building and direct referral to employers.

Our 2021 Strategic Plan lays out our priorities as an organization. We have also developed a Regional Plan for the Central Kentucky region's workforce as well as a Local Plan, both of which are required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

In January (Indiana) and May 2021 (Kentucky), we submitted a draft Bi-State Regional Plan for review. This plan, among the first of its kind in the nation, lays out a framework for KentuckianaWorks and Southern Indiana Works to share data and collaborate across the 13 counties that comprise the Louisville region. It is designed to improve the responsiveness to the needs of the region's employers, job seekers, and students. 

Visionz | Support Education Empowerment

Urban and low income youth, especially in Detroit, face a staggering, potentially life-threatening life skills and technology gap. They have lower internet connectivity, fewer computers at home, abysmal access to technology in schools, and they shoulder significant opportunity challenges outside the classroom. Acquiring the life skills that will close these gaps, unfortunately, is a luxury. The Visionz Project plans to close this gap by providing these youth with skills training, education and life support, direct work experience and mentoring relationships.The Visionz Project is a highly interactive training, experiential learning and support program that uses technology, instructor-led classroom training and career exploration activities to teach low income and at-risk youth life skills to help them succeed in life

Career Solutions

Career Solutions is an employment and training organization. For over thirty years, through career counseling, job training, and business relationships, we’ve helped entry-level to experienced workers – youth to adults – train for and gain meaningful self-sustaining employment.

Skilltrade

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Educational Data Systems, Inc. (EDSI)

Dearborn
,
Michigan

EDSI (Educational Data Systems, Inc.) is a national workforce development, training solutions and consulting company with a passion for helping great companies and communities train and retain great people. EDSI works with regions, employers and jobseekers to overcome their most challenging obstacles. Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, the company employs more than 800 people across the country. EDSI is a National Best and Brightest® Companies To Work For award winner.

CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning)

Indianapolis
,
Indiana

CAEL is a national nonprofit membership organization that aligns educators, employers, and community leaders to build inclusive systems where adult learners and workers can thrive. Through its expertise in recognizing prior learning, mapping career pathways, and fostering industry-education partnerships, CAEL supports the creation of resilient talent pipelines and sustainable economic outcomes.

Workforce Partnership

Kansas City
,
Missouri

Workforce Partnership is committed to building a workforce development system that meets the needs of both job seekers and employers throughout the Kansas City area. We operate a network of career centers in Johnson, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte counties offering professional expertise and funding resources to employers and eligible job seekers.

YWCA Metro St. Louis

St. Louis
,
Missouri

Founded in 1904, YWCA Metro St. Louis is the region’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to empowering women and eliminating racism. We meet people where they are, offering critical support and opportunity through programs in crisis intervention and housing, early childhood education, and economic empowerment. From helping survivors of domestic violence find safety, to preparing children for lifelong learning, to connecting women with meaningful careers, YWCA Metro St. Louis provides wrap-around services that transform lives and strengthen communities. Every year, we serve more than 10,000 women and families across the region — helping create a future where all people can thrive with dignity, equality, and hope.

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC)

St. Louis
,
Missouri

SLDC is the independent economic development agency serving the City of St. Louis, Missouri. It is an action-oriented organization that exists to empower, develop and transform St. Louis through a vibrant, just and growing economy where all people can thrive.

MUS Member Spotlight: Workforce Partnership

Organization Name: Workforce Partnership
Executive Leader / Title: Keely Schneider, Executive Director
Website: www.workforcepartnership.com

Tell us about your organization’s mission and the communities you serve.
Workforce Partnership serves as the Workforce Development Board for Johnson, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City metro area. The organization connects employers with talent and supports individuals in accessing pathways to sustainable employment. Its work spans urban, suburban, and rural communities, with a focus on building aligned workforce systems that advance economic mobility and meet local employer needs.

What are the key services and programs you offer?
Workforce Partnership provides workforce development services that include career and educational navigation, employer engagement, job search readiness and assistance and regional labor market analysis. Its work spans traditional workforce services as well as innovative system-level initiatives, including reentry workforce pathways, customized employer talent attraction and development services, including registered apprenticeship, specialized services for mature workers and those with disabilities, and the use of real-time labor market intelligence to support regional decision-making.

Can you share a success story or impactful moment from your work?
Workforce Partnership currently leads a 13-member consortium called the Returning Citizen Consortium (RCC) that has been working over the past year within a collective impact model to transform how the State of Kansas supports justice-involved individuals returning to Kansas communities. The RCC brings together local workforce development boards, the Kansas Department of Corrections, business leaders, community organizations, and educational institutions in a coordinated effort that leverages collective expertise and resources. Included in RCC's members are individual community leaders with the lived experience of incarceration, to ensure our work was grounded in the realities facing justice-involved individuals both pre- and post-release.

This groundbreaking public-private partnership addresses two urgent challenges simultaneously: critical workforce shortages across multiple industries and the release of approximately 3,500 individuals from state correctional facilities each year without adequate support to succeed. Funded by a Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation planning grant, the RCC has developed new innovations to drive increases in employment, retention and wage rates among those with criminal backgrounds, along with substantial decreases in recidivism.  Recently, the RCC applied for a $20 million follow-on implementation grant from the Kauffman Foundation to help make these innovations a reality across the State of Kansas over the next 5 years.

The RCC's planning efforts resulted in the creation of three transformative innovations:

1 - The Mind-Life-Work Ready Credential - a comprehensive credentialing system that establishes clear, measurable standards across three essential dimensions:  Mind Ready focuses on emotional resilience and trauma recovery; life Ready ensures stability in housing, transportation, financial management, and family reconnection; and Work Ready prepares individuals for employment success through skill development, technical training, and industry-recognized certifications.

2 - The Employer Certification - recognizes and supports Kansas businesses with trauma-informed workplaces where credentialed justice-involved individuals can thrive. Certified employers demonstrate commitment through fair-chance hiring policies, structured onboarding and mentorship programs, flexible scheduling for reentry requirements, and clear advancement pathways

3 - The Transition Support System - a coordinated network to ensure credentialed individuals have access to housing, healthcare, and transportation resources needed for successful community reintegration, including immediate practical needs before employment begins and during the early weeks of a new job before receiving the first paycheck.By establishing clear standards, certification processes, and support systems, the RCC strives to create pathways to economic self-sufficiency and community belonging for returning citizens while providing Kansas employers with access to trained, motivated talent.  Workforce Partnership is incredibly proud of the planning work that has been accomplished thus far - we know that we can make a significant impact on the lives of formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as an impact on employers' talent pipeline.

Why did you join MUS?
Workforce Partnership joined MUS to create access to meaningful, affordable professional development opportunities for staff beyond what is available locally. MUS provides exposure to diverse workforce strategies and perspectives across the Midwest without the cost of national conference travel. They also valued MUS as a space for collaboration, shared learning, and connection with other Workforce Development Boards and workforce entities across the region.

How has being a part of MUS benefited your organization so far?
As a new member, Workforce Partnership is still learning the full landscape of MUS, but JobsEQ has already emerged as a significant and immediate benefit. The platform has strengthened their ability to respond quickly and credibly to employer needs by providing real-time labor market analysis and scenario modeling. The organization is also looking forward to deeper collaboration and learning opportunities through MUS.

Are there any partnerships or collaborations that have grown from your MUS membership?
While still early in their MUS membership, Workforce Partnership values MUS as a platform for building regional relationships and exploring future collaboration. Keely has expressed interest in engaging other states through MUS Learning Labs as their reentry work progresses and sees strong potential for cross-state learning and shared implementation strategies.

Fun Fact - Share something unique about your organization, team, or history that people may not know.

One unique aspect of Workforce Partnership’s current work is its leadership of a 13-member reentry consortium that includes partners with lived experience of incarceration, including one individual formerly incarcerated in the federal system and another who was born while their mother was incarcerated. Their leadership has directly shaped the design of Kansas’s reentry workforce innovations.

Keely J. Schneider

President and CEO, Employ Milwaukee

Apply for Membership

Is your organization ready to join us in building a more skilled, inclusive, and prosperous workforce for the communities we serve?

Membership

Midwest Urban Strategies offers a unique collaborative network that connects urban workforce development organizations across the Midwest, fostering innovative solutions and sharing best practices to enhance regional economic growth.

Our organization's members gain access to a wealth of resources, including expert insights, funding opportunities, and powerful partnerships, all aimed at driving meaningful change in their communities.