Exceeding Expectations
Roughly 84% of the 1,355 individuals enrolled in 1B4J completed training.
The One Baltimore for Jobs (1B4J) program, active in 2016 and 2017, sought to connect young African-American males in Baltimore with high-quality jobs in growing industries. This executive summary reviews 1B4J’s objectives, outcomes and lessons learned. It supplements a full report that describes the program — including its challenges, successes and the systems changes that occurred — and explains why Baltimore’s story should inform the workforce development efforts of communities nationwide.
1B4J had clear priority populations: African-American males and ex-offenders who ranged from 18- to 29-years old and lived in Baltimore’s distressed neighborhoods. It also had a clear goal: connect these young adults to potentially life-changing job training programs and critical support services.