Workforce development focuses on people — rather than businesses — to enhance a region's economic stability and prosperity. A local workforce development system encompasses the organizations and activities that prepare people for employment, help workers advance in their careers and build a skilled workforce.
Some workforce development programs are designed to help low-income individuals gain the skills and opportunities needed to secure work and family-supporting wages. The benefits of these programs can be transformative, since parents with stable, well-paying jobs have more resources to invest in their children and their lifelong success.