Democratic candidate for Mayor Bill Thompson released his plan today to put tens of thousands of New Yorkers back to work by fighting for increased employee preparation funding, forcing the Department of Education to adopt employment-based outcomes to its curriculum, and reorienting job training to provide workplace skills to vulnerable New Yorkers – especially those once-incarcerated.

Inside the Finishing Trades Institute of New York in Long Island City, surrounded by NYCHA residents enrolled in a District Council 9 training program, the union today praised former City Comptroller Bill Thompson’s plan to build a highly educated and diverse workforce so that all New Yorkers who want to work and live in New York City have the skills that lead to good-paying jobs.

Thompson said he will appoint a Chief Jobs Officer who will coordinate between job creation agencies, such as the Human Resources Administration and the Department of Small Business Services, to work with new and existing businesses to match employees with good paying jobs, and strengthen nonprofit worker training programs. The Chief Jobs Officer will work with the Department of Education to strengthen career and technical education programs in our high schools.

“Bill Thompson is the only candidate with the vision to educate and diversify New York City’s workforce today for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Joe Ramaglia, Business Manager of the District Council 9 of the Union Painter’s and Allied Trades. “Bill Thompson knows that in order to strengthen the city’s economy, we need to make sure that our working men and women are armed with the skill-set to fill jobs. That’s why he wants to increase funding for education preparation and improve the worker education curriculum – common sense ways to make sure all New Yorkers are working New Yorkers.”

“New Yorkers continue to face economic challenges and so many of our neighbors are trapped and underemployed in jobs with no benefits,” said Bill Thompson. “As Mayor, I will build a diverse economy that restores our middle-class, produces good living-wage jobs, helps small businesses grow into large ones and will spread economic growth throughout the five-boroughs.”

(Press Release)