Without a strong system to track employment outcomes, policymakers in Washington D.C. have lacked the insights needed to improve education and workforce programs. Residents couldn’t easily access information to make informed career decisions, and employers struggled to connect with the right talent. To bridge these gaps, CityWorks DC set out to advocate for a comprehensive data system that would track early career outcomes and provide transparency for students, job seekers, and policymakers alike.
In 2022, Dr. Erin Bibo, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at CityWorks DC, took on the challenge of helping develop this system in collaboration with the Deputy Mayor for Education. The initiative, known as the Education to Employment Data System (P-20W), aimed to track student progress from early education through workforce participation, providing critical insights into how D.C.’s education and workforce programs were preparing residents for sustainable careers.
To support this effort, CREC provided two key resources:
- Access to Localized Labor Market Data: By working with Lightcast, CityWorks DC was able to gather insights into job trends, workforce needs, and employment patterns, helping stakeholders better understand available opportunities.
- Expert Guidance on Data System Design: Subject Matter Expert (SME) sessions helped shape the structure and implementation of the P-20W system, ensuring it met the needs of policymakers, educators, and workforce leaders.
Despite the complexity of building a citywide data system, CityWorks DC and its partners made it happen. In September 2023, D.C.’s Mayor proposed $3.8 million in funding to launch the system, which was later approved by the D.C. Council. Shortly after, the city officially announced the Office of Education Through Employment Pathways, which will oversee the development and implementation of the data system.
“Our big project was to establish a P20W data system in DC in partnership with the city’s Deputy Mayor for Education, which was very high-risk, high-reward going in, and against all odds, we made it happen. In September, the mayor’s office announced the establishment of a new office, which is the Office of Education through Employment Pathways.” – Erin Bibo, CityWorks DC
At its core, this initiative is about helping D.C. residents make informed career choices and improving pathways to economic stability. With better data, policymakers can refine workforce programs, residents can understand career opportunities, and employers can more effectively connect with local talent.
Dr. Bibo’s leadership in bringing together city agencies, education institutions, and workforce organizations proved to be a key factor in the project’s success. By emphasizing collaboration, data privacy, and accessibility, she helped ensure that CityWorks DC and other organizations can now use data more effectively to advocate for students and job seekers.
Learn more about CityWorks DC here.
Learn more about DC’s Office of Education Through Employment Pathways here.