African American woman holding resumes at a job fair

Lenfest North Philadelphia Workforce Initiative

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Our Mission

Temple University’s Lenfest North Philadelphia Workforce Initiative (LNPWI) seeks to strengthen the earning potential of local communities by providing job training and career readiness programs that result in outcomes that lead to sustainable employment. Our work focuses on the 8 zip codes surrounding Temple University’s Main Campus and Health Science Center: 19121, 19122, 19123, 19125, 19130, 19132, 19133, and 19140.

Visit our website at https://templelnpwi.org/  to learn more.

More Information

Our Goals
  • Providing Data-Informed Workforce Development Programs and Training
  • Expanding Access to Supportive Services that remove barriers to employment
  • Fostering Connections and Collaboration in the Workforce Development Ecosystem
  • Supporting Human Resources Practices that Benefit North Philadelphia Residents

To learn more about our goals and strategies, go to:  www.templelnpwi.org

Our History

The Lenfest North Philadelphia Workforce Initiative was founded in 2018 through a grant from the Lenfest Foundation and support from Temple University. In this first year, LNPWI embarked on a Period of Discovery to better understand the barriers to sustainable employment for North Philadelphia residents, the gaps in the workforce development system that needed to be addressed, and the strengths of the system that should be uplifted. During this Period of Discovery, LNPWI took a community-driven approach to its exploration, engaging community residents, education & workforce development providers, employers, and workforce leaders to share their candid feedback and knowledge about the workforce development system, employment trends in the City, and how Temple University can best support its neighbors in securing employment with family-sustaining wages. This period of discovery resulted in the creation of LNPWI Strategic Plan, Driving Workforce Development Solutions for North Philadelphia, which identified priority populations of individuals who experience higher barriers to employment and outlined key areas for strategic investment and programming. Since then, we have been working towards our mission by providing workforce-related programs and resources to local residents that respond to unmet needs.

Our Programs

LNPWI offers programs and resources to job seekers that provide individualized support at every step of their career pathway. We seek to serve anyone who is unemployed, underemployed, or underpaid including Youth, Adults, Returning Citizens, Individuals with Disabilities, English Language Learners, Immigrants, & Veterans. 

  • Career Coaching - LNPWI’s Career Coaching offers one-on-one support, guidance, and referrals to reach your career goals. Build a resume, prepare for an interview, and more! Click here to learn more. 
  • Workforce Webinar Series - The Workforce Webinar Series is hosted on Zoom every other Friday and is the perfect place to learn the latest skills and tips to help you succeed in any workplace. Click here to learn more. 
  • New Choices NOW Program - The New Choices NOW Program is a free 10-week professional development/workforce readiness seminar that assists participants with their employment and educational goals, provides job referrals, and connects participants with employer leaders. Click here to learn more. 
  • Job Fairs and Hiring Events - We work with local employers year-round to connect residents with great job opportunities at Employer Hiring Events, community job fairs, and at our Annual Neighborhood Job and Resource Fair.
  • Community Outreach - We attend community events and meet with residents to share information and resources, connect people with needed programs and services, and learn more about what resources residents need most.

For more information about our programs and how to get involved, please visit https://templelnpwi.org/our-programs/

Our Initiatives
  • The Opportunities for Workforce Leadership (OWL) Collective - This collaborative partnership's goal is to build stronger bridges between talented job seekers in North Philadelphia, workforce development providers, and employers and to improve employment outcomes for North Philadelphia residents.
  • Temple University Employer Council for Local Hiring - This group works to promote and increase the hiring of North Philadelphia talent within Temple University, Temple University Health System, vendors that do business with Temple, and other large employers in the region.
  • The Opportunities for Workforce Leadership (OWL) Hub - In collaboration with Philadelphia Housing Authority, PASCEP, and Temple IT Services, LNPWI manages this new center in the heart of North Philadelphia (1915 N. 11th Street) where residents can access education, workforce, and digital literacy resources and digital equipment. 

To learn more about our initiatives and partnerships, visit https://templelnpwi.org/our-approach/

Research & Publications

LNPWI uses a community-informed, data-driven approach to exploring workforce development and labor issues in North Philadelphia. These explorations are used to inform LNPWI and our partners' practice and strategic investments. Many of our resources are produced in collaboration with our community partners and members of the OWL Collective.

Visit https://templelnpwi.org/research-and-publications-2/ to see our research and publications. 

Contact Information

The Opportunities for Workforce Leadership Hub - 1915 N. 11th Street, Philadelphia PA 19122

Email:       lnpwi@temple.edu

Website:   templelnpwi.org

Social Media:  @TempleLNPWI

Our Funders

Our work is made possible thanks to the generous support of The Lenfest Foundation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Philadelphia Works, Philadelphia Youth Network, Pennsylvania Department of Education, PA Women Work, City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Housing Authority, West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (thorugh a grant from the JP Morgan Foundation) and Temple University.