In partnership with the City of Los Angeles’ Economic Workforce Development Department (EWDD) and the Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC), co-convened by UNITE-LA and the Alliance for Children’s Rights, our team concluded an 18-month long strategic planning process aimed at improving system coordination to mitigate youth disconnection from education and the workforce. The Horizons 32K Strategic Plan: A Roadmap to Empowerment for Los Angeles’ Opportunity Youth was developed with input from system leaders, nonprofits, business leaders and Opportunity Youth (OY). This collective impact plan aims to reduce the number of OY in Los Angeles by 32,000 over four years.

UNITE-LA, with support from the Haas Jr. Foundation, conducted a study to evaluate the implementation of the Learning-Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) in the Los Angeles area, set for release in early 2025. While the program was eliminated from the 2024 budget, this important research will be vital to informing the expansion of work-based learning (WBL) opportunities for college students. The study identifies strategies for expanding WBL opportunities across participating L.A. higher education institutions, synthesizing findings from four months of interviews with local colleges, universities and employers to assess the program’s achievements, challenges and opportunities for growth.

In 2024, UNITE-LA played a key role in shaping and advancing the Governor’s Master Plan for Career Education. As the convener of the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative, UNITE-LA co-hosted the L.A./O.C. Regional Convening with the Governor’s Office and WestEd, where more than 100 leaders identified barriers to career pathways and explored solutions in areas such as access, affordability and work-based learning.

As the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative convener, UNITE-LA made significant strides in 2024 to strengthen education and workforce pathways in health care, engineering and computer science and to reinforce regional collaborative efforts to support student success. From formalizing and launching the Stewardship Group to leading four Communities of Practice and an inaugural Healthcare Regional Advisory, the Collaborative anticipates increased alignment in education and workforce strategies in 2025 with new state funding secured through the Golden State Pathways Program.

UNITE-LA is deeply grateful for the unwavering support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, which has played a pivotal role in our mission to create equitable educational and economic opportunities for opportunity youth in Los Angeles.

On Oct. 9, the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative team hosted the latest session in the Transfer Community of Practice (CoP) series, in partnership with Long Beach City College, including subregional convener, Dr. Elijah Sims.

UNITE-LA hosted its third Health Sector Collaborative of 2024 and was joined by 24 members who consisted of educators, community business organizations and employers in health care.

Members of UNITE-LA traveled to San Diego last month to support Talent Rewire's SoCal Action Lab cohort.

This October, UNITE-LA's Research and Evaluation team conducted a vital focus group with foster and former foster youth members of the Opportunity Youth Collaborative’s Young Leaders group.

UNITE-LA's National Strategic Partnerships team shared October’s learnings on local chamber education and workforce trends in their monthly News to Know.