UNITE-LA presented a session, “From Research to Practice: Partnering across the Workforce Ecosystem to Support Immigrant Workers,” at WORKCON 2026, hosted by the California Workforce Association and attended by business leaders, community-based organizations (CBOs), educational institutions, policymakers and Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) committed to creating effective, equitable and sustainable workforce solutions.

Alongside partners from Jobs for the Future and the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, our session explored how organizations across the workforce ecosystem are strengthening pathways to employment for immigrant and multilingual workers. The discussion highlighted innovative uses of funding from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Employment Development Department, population-informed program design and cross-sector partnerships that improve coordination among WDBs, CBOs, education providers and employers.