How to apply

All applications must be received by January 24, 2014 at 5:00 pm EST . The application is online here.

The Sector Skills Academy is designed for organizational leaders with direct responsibility and authority to implement a sector strategy. Job titles of qualified candidates will vary by institutional type. For example, an appropriate title might be an Executive or Program Director at a community-based organization, a Dean or Director of Workforce Programs of a community college, a High Road Employment Director for a worker center, a Manager of Workforce Programs at a labor-management partnership, or a Executive or Deputy Director of a WIB.

Sector Fellows will be selected based on demonstration of core leadership competencies, a commitment to social and economic justice, an ability to design and implement a sectoral employment initiative, and an interest in learning about a variety of sector approaches and strategies including those that increase access to good jobs and those that improve the quality of bad or low-wage jobs. Applications from both leaders of existing sector initiatives and leaders of other industry-focused programs who seek to develop programs into full sector strategies will be considered. Inclusiveness and diversity of race, ethnicity and gender are core values of the Academy. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

We recognize that some applicants may currently operate industry-focused programs—e.g., training programs or advocacy initiatives—that will be developed into sector strategies and others may already lead sector initiatives. For example, an organization might operate an occupational skills training program but may not have engaged partners for services or have identified systemic change opportunities in the sector. For the purpose of this application, the term “sector initiative” will refer to both existing sector programs and other industry-targeted programs that are not yet sector strategies as we have defined them.

While organizations and practitioners may participate in several distinct sector initiatives, for purposes of this application, as illustration, we ask you to focus your answers on one primary industry on which you expect to focus as part of your fellowship experience.

COMPLETED APPLICATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY COMPLETING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AND DOCUMENT REQUESTS NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, JANUARY 24TH AT 5:00 EST VIA THE ONLINE APPLICATION. THE APPLICATION IS ONLINE HERE.

You may review the questions in the application here.

The Academy will take place through three 3-day sessions over the course of a 10 month period:

• April 28-30, 2014 in Aspen, CO (travel and arrival on Sunday April 27)
• September 15-17, 2014 in Cincinnati, OH (travel and arrival on Sunday, Sept. 16)
• December 8-10, 2014. Location to be determined (travel and arrival on Sunday, Dec. 7)