Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
Blog Posts
City Leaders Lay Out a Roadmap for Building a Lifelong Learning System
January 14, 2021
Since 2019, the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative and the Cognizant U.S. Foundation have brought together local leaders, industry executives, academic institutions, training providers, and policymakers from Chicago, Phoenix, and Hartford, to better understand how American cities can develop lifelong learning systems to support workers. In December, the Initiative convened an event to release the Initiative’s new report, Building A Lifelong Learning System: A Roadmap for Cities.
This event expanded on the conversations we had with policymakers and experts in Phoenix, Chicago, and Hartford. Below are some of the key takeaways from the experts at that event, who illuminated the barriers and opportunities of creating a system that helps, not hinders, lifelong learning. The Future of Work Initiative is grateful to the Cognizant U.S. Foundation for providing financial support for this project and publication.
Helping workers develop new skills has become even more urgent.
Long before COVID-19, lifelong learning was a critical component of building a competitive workforce. But particularly during this unprecedented and uncertain period of change, providing workers with the tools they need to successfully navigate a changing labor market over the course of their careers is an urgent national economic imperative.
