CityWorks DC and Federal City Council Join Bloomberg Philanthropies’ $90 Million National Initiative to Accelerate High School Students into High-Wage, In-Demand Trade Careers
Image courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies
Initiative will connect approximately 2,000 students in DC directly to paid training and Registered Apprenticeships in the Construction Trades
Washington, DC – CityWorks DC and the Federal City Council announced today they are a part of a new $90 million Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative to change how high school students prepare for and enter Registered Apprenticeships and high-wage, family-sustaining careers in the skilled trades. It is the first national program exclusively for high schoolers, giving them a more direct path to career-ready certification and careers, and will launch in nine geographies – including DC — where localized labor market data shows acute labor shortages and long-term projections for career growth in the trades.
The initiative, which is free for students, will focus on infrastructure-related fields such as electrical work, HVAC, plumbing, welding, construction, carpentry, and auto tech. In DC, the initiative will serve approximately 2,000 students through high-quality career exploration and pre-apprenticeship programming at partner middle and high schools.
“Bloomberg Philanthropies’ skilled trades initiative is a catalytic investment designed to dramatically increase the number of DC residents who are interested in, prepared for, and successfully pursuing Registered Apprenticeships in the skilled trades,” said Jennie Niles, President and CEO of CityWorks DC. “CityWorks DC partnered with four Local Education Agencies, 60 employers, five Registered Apprenticeship Sponsors, four government agencies, and 28 training providers on this grant proposal. It was a truly collaborative effort that signals the shared commitment to meet the city’s increasing needs for skilled trades workers with local talent.”
Former DC Mayor and CEO of the Federal City Council Anthony Williams said, “Washington DC's business community is rolling up our sleeves to draw more DC residents into good-paying, in-demand careers in the construction industry. With Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment, we will redouble our efforts to create new career opportunities for DC residents while ensuring our city has the workforce needed to build and grow our future.”
The new initiative responds to both growing student interest in skilled trades careers and the rising national demand for qualified workers in these fields. More than 14,000 skilled tradespeople will need to be hired for jobs in Washington, DC, reflecting a widening national gap between available jobs and qualified workers, with projected annual openings hitting all-time highs. This creates significant opportunities for students seeking high-demand, well-paying careers.
CityWorks DC will invest in both high-quality career exploration programming at six public and public charter middle schools, as well as pre-apprenticeship programming at six public and public charter high schools. At the middle school level, students will learn more about the skilled trades and the high school, college, and career opportunities that are available to them through career-themed field trips, guest speakers, and career exploration lessons. At partner high schools, students will work in paid internships, earn industry-recognized credentials, and gain advanced standing in Registered Apprenticeship programs while still in school. Participating high schools will also benefit from capital improvements to skilled trades and engineering classrooms, along with driver education opportunities for students. Graduates will be prepared to transition immediately into full-time employment at a higher pay grade in Carpentry, Electrical, HVAC, Masonry, Plumbing, and Sheet Metal apprenticeships, which are particularly needed in the District of Columbia.
“Schools cannot prepare students for the future by themselves,” said Patricia Brantley, CEO of Friendship Public Charter Schools. “We need employers willing to tell us what skills matter. We need industry leaders willing to open doors. We need training providers willing to adapt. And we need all of us working together to create pathways that connect young people to meaningful careers and economic mobility. That is exactly what I see in this initiative, and we’re excited to be a part of it.”
"Our industry is facing a critical talent shortage, and with major building and infrastructure projects underway, the demand for a qualified workforce in DC is greater than ever," said Jay Grauberger, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Clark Construction Group. "Bloomberg Philanthropies’ skilled trades initiative was designed with this exact challenge in mind. It will make a meaningful difference to our local talent pipeline, and we are so proud to be a part of it."
“Millions of good-paying jobs are going unfilled, and too many students never get a chance to learn the skills necessary to get them. This new initiative will help change that,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City. “By bringing schools, unions, and employers together as partners, we can offer students free training and credentials that lead directly to rewarding careers. Jobs in the skilled trades helped build America’s middle class, and now they can help a new generation enter and strengthen it.”
“Right now, it is the exception rather than the rule that the graduates of DC’s public schools are employed in our city’s good jobs. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ skilled trades initiative will help us accelerate our progress towards a near future in which it is the norm that graduates of our city’s schools are the top candidates for our city’s good jobs,” said Erin Bibo, CityWorks DC’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives.
Bloomberg Philanthropies has been committed to creating sustainable, long-term models of workforce development and economic mobility. Since 2016, Bloomberg Philanthropies has supported innovative Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs around the country to create strong career opportunities in high-growth industries for over 300,000 students. Students have gained relevant experience and recognized credentials through internships, apprenticeships, academics, and work-based learning. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the creation of high schools around the nation that pair public education systems and hospitals to directly graduate students into high-demand healthcare jobs with family-sustaining wages. This initiative is now in 13 communities.
###
About CityWorks DC
CityWorks DC's mission is to dramatically improve the early career outcomes of DC youth and young adults of color by creating innovative programs and by mobilizing employers, educators, and city leaders to create a local, diverse talent pipeline. CityWorks DC seeks to ensure that young people acquire industry-valued credentials; paid, relevant work experience; and social capital, so that they can secure meaningful work that enables them to thrive. To do this, CityWorks DC launches innovative programs that work directly with young people to help them build family-sustaining careers, create personal wealth, and drive economic growth, and leads citywide initiatives designed to ensure lasting change. Hire Local DC is a collaboration between CityWorks DC and the Federal City Council that helps local industries build stronger talent pipelines by aligning employers, education and training providers, and public-sector partners around shared workforce priorities. To learn more about Hire Local DC, visit https://www.cityworksdc.org/hirelocaldc.
About Federal City Council
FC2 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing civic life in the nation’s capital. Our members, which include 250 leaders in the private, non-profit and civic sectors, are working to use their influence as employers and hiring decision-makers to help ensure that DC residents attain good jobs in proven, workforce-aligned career pathways that pay family-sustaining salaries. To learn more about the organization’s programs, visit www.federalcitycouncil.org.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2025, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $4.3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us onInstagram, LinkedIn, YouTube,Threads, Facebook, and X.
