Trust in Workforce Development is Broken—And Here’s Why

Billions of dollars and countless hours have been poured into workforce development, yet the results have fallen short. Job seekers feel abandoned, employers are frustrated, and communities are left without real solutions. Trust in the system has hit an all-time low.

How Did We Get Here?

1. Governments Design Programs in Silos
   Government-led workforce development programs are often designed in isolation, without input from the very people they are meant to help. These siloed efforts result in bureaucratic and rigid systems that fail to address the real needs of communities. Governments miss the opportunity to collaborate across agencies and use valuable data to see the bigger picture.
2. Funders Miss Opportunities to Understand Local Needs
   Philanthropy is meant to lift all communities, but no two communities are the same. Funders often miss the chance to truly understand local needs, opting instead to promote solutions that might not work on the ground. Instead of scaling proven local solutions, new initiatives are introduced that may not address the problems communities are actually facing.
3. Employers Are Frustrated with the System
   Many employers, tired of the public workforce system’s inefficiencies, have built their own independent workforce programs. While these initiatives can achieve great results, they often create more fragmentation in an already complex system. These programs are typically dependent on individual leaders, making them difficult to scale or sustain over time.
4. Educators Face Blame for Skills Gaps
   Educators are often unfairly blamed for the so-called “skills gap” when industries struggle to find qualified workers. At the same time, they face declining enrollment, increased competition, and pressure from employers to meet workforce demands. This leaves them juggling conflicting priorities, further eroding trust between educators and employers.

Despite these challenges, all stakeholders—whether they speak of “student success” or “economic advancement”—are working toward the same goal: preparing more people for local jobs. The breakdown of trust is making it harder for anyone to achieve that mission.

What’s Next?

The system is fractured, but there is hope. In Part 2, we will dive into actionable steps to rebuild trust between job seekers, employers, educators, and policymakers. Together, we can reshape the future and rebuild trust in workforce development.

Meet the Author

Emily Fabiano is the founder of Workmorphis, a cross-sector workforce consultancy helping organizations build a more resilient workforce to thrive in a changing economy. Fabiano has deep experience in workforce transformation at the government level, working at the cross section of workforce strategy, economic development, and public policy. With a keen understanding of the unique challenges facing today’s and tomorrow’s workforce and the ability to communicate across sectors, Fabiano brings a new level of understanding and collaboration required to connect industry and education and prepare people for jobs. She is also the past director of strategy and operations at the Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation.