Service Providers

What do they do? Service providers from the public, nonprofit, and private sectors offer a variety of services. These services include education (secondary and adult), postsecondary education and training, employment services to help people find, access, and retain a job, and access supportive services. A key role for service providers in the local workforce system is to operate American Job Centers, which provides publicly funded employment and training services.

Who are they? Service providers may include American Job Centers, community and technical (two-year) colleges, four-year colleges and universities, K–12 public school districts, community- and faith-based organizations, public libraries, for-profit employment and training entities, and employers. The US Department of Labor's CareerOneStop website has tools which help users locate these entities in their local areas.

Why are they important? These organizations work directly with youth and adults who are seeking in-demand skills, credentials, and jobs and need assistance doing so. They directly deliver government and privately funded services to workers and employers. 

• American Job Centers offer one-stop employment services and provide access to education, training, and supportive services to adults and youth and help employers find qualified job applicants. They deliver Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs and programs such as Veterans' Employment, Employment Service, and Vocational Rehabilitation.
• Colleges and universities – two-year and four-year institutions, both public and private, offer education and training and award credentials for in-demand jobs in a community.
• Community- and faith-based organizations offer training, employment, and support services to youth and adults who need assistance succeeding in the workforce. They may also support economic development needs of a community, such as providing loans to new businesses and helping existing employers avert a layoff. 
• Public libraries provide free, convenient locations for people to access resources such as computers and high-speed internet. They may also offer workforce-related programs and services, such as job clubs.
• Staffing agencies work with employers to hire new staff. They may also be used by employers to help laid-off workers find new jobs.