This grant aims to increase the economic mobility of workers in retail and adjacent sectors by working with nonprofits, educational institutions and government agencies in 10 cities to make it easier for frontline workers to move faster into middle skills roles. Specifically, it will 1) Create a retail sector center in Chicago, 2) Build the capacity of a network of Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) to provide strong retail services and develop models that promote career advancement in retail, and 3) improve the perception of retail careers among WIBs and job seekers.
