The national jobs crisis – triggered by a global pandemic – has exposed hard truths about the workforce and inequities in opportunity for individuals to develop the knowledge and skills needed to remain competitive.

It’s time to rethink our public-private approach to financing workforce talent, argues Talent Finance, an initiative led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation with its partners the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Greater Houston Partnership, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and WorkingNation.

Talent Finance argues that there is an “undeniable truth that our current approach for financing and developing talent has perpetuated systemic and widespread gaps in equity and opportunity. In the new economy, talent is king. We need a talent finance approach fit for our time, not one built for a different era.”

The Talent Finance initiative details 16 recommendations to foster change. Its rethinking of talent development includes shared value and risk, expanded choices, affordability and fairness, equity, accessibility, transparency and accountability, and worker empowerment.

The Talent Finance Digital Magazine

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has released a digital magazine in support of its call to action. It details the initiative and recommendations, and features interviews with business, education, government, and nonprofit leaders in support of the Talent Finance movement.

Talent Finance is made possible by funding from JPMorgan Chase, MSFT Philanthropies, Google.org, Cognizant U.S. Foundation, and Schmidt Futures.