North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is joining 20 others nationally to form the Skillful State Network. The network is a a collaboration to transform the U.S. labor market at scale to one that is skills-based, in which people can demonstrate or obtain the skills needed for good digital economy jobs.

The Network marks the national expansion of Skillful, a Markle Foundation initiative incubated in Colorado, which leverages data and the very technologies that are disrupting the economy to achieve a skills-based labor market where employers are able to find the talent they need and individuals can continuously acquire new skills and keep up with the pace of change.

Founding governors are committed to sharing what works and have made partnership and innovation in workforce development a state priority to enable their residents and local employers to thrive in the digital economy.

“Millions of Americans need to get connected to the skills and the jobs of our fast-changing digital economy,” said Zoë Baird, CEO and president of the Markle Foundation in a statement.

“The Skillful State Network was born out of the tremendous interest we’ve received from other states based on our work in Colorado. Governors have asked me to bring Skillful to their state and forming the Skillful State Network is a way to share our approach, tools and assets quickly. It also allows all of us to build on the great work being done in these states. States have always been laboratories for innovation and today are leading the transformation to the digital economy.

The Skillful State Playbook, introduced with the Network, lays out the steps needed to create a skills-based labor market. It offers tools and resources developed by Skillful, and tech companies such as Microsoft and LinkedIn along with educators and community organizations.

Skillful State Network members will have the opportunity to:

  • access the Skillful State Network portfolio of tools and data
  • learn how to implement the tools and assets featured in the Skillful State Playbook
  • share and learn from the unique insights drawn from each other’s efforts
  • foster innovative partnership opportunities
  • hone methods of engagement within their labor markets
  • receive advisory support from Skillful staff
  • gain access to Markle’s cross-sector network of national leaders and partners