The United States: How Partnerships Can Overcome Policy Gaps

Abstract

Partnerships are constantly evolving as they try to position themselves to meet the changing needs of businesses and workers in order to generate or retain jobs for their constituents. They can be powerful catalysts for improving workforce development and economic development programmes. In the United States, partnerships are formed vertically among the various levels of government and horizontally among government agencies and nongovernment entities. As a result, they devolve more responsibility for the design and provision of workforce services from central governments to local organisations, which can lead to service delivery systems that are more responsive. This chapter identifies key criteria for developing successful partnerships, and offers several examples in the United States that highlight the lessons learned and the challenges encountered.