Accelerating Opportunity Initiative Helps the Nation Get Back to Work

The American economy is facing a growing skills gap, with many adults lacking the training or education necessary for jobs that pay a middle-class wage. Helping adults earn the credentials and training they need to get and succeed in family-sustaining jobs is key to fueling the economy and boosting employment. In September, 2012, at the Opportunity Nation Summit in Washington, DC, Jobs for the Future (JFF) announced that five States – Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina – will each receive a $1.6 million grant to help more workers earn valuable credentials needed for today's good jobs through innovative adult education programs.