Barriers to Employment Opportunities in the Baltimore Area Region

This study, published by the Opportunity Collaborative, provides a detailed look at barriers to employment across the Baltimore region. Research was gathered through interviews with workforce development managers, as well as a survey of over 1,000 active job seekers. It views workforce barriers not as separate issues, but rather as a complex network requiring comprehensive solutions. Transportation is examined in context to associative issues including social barriers, racism, a lack of education, and housing – making it an important resource for understanding challenges to self-sufficiency. Findings report that low-income neighborhoods, which are constrained by limited public transport, are unable to access job centers across the city. Twenty-five percent of job seekers cannot access jobs via public transport, since job creation is increasingly happening outside of the city. When public transport is available, limited service schedules inhibit its effectiveness. This keeps off-peak workers from getting to and from work, and makes it difficult for individuals to easily travel between home, child care, and work.