Axios Live: Philadelphia leaders push to connect job growth with economic mobility
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Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker discusses economic growth and workforce opportunities with Axios' Emily Peck during an Axios event on Oct. 27. Photo: Christopher Cieri for Axios
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia leaders are looking to capitalize on growth in manufacturing, technology and other key industries to create better-paying jobs — while making sure residents have the skills to fill them.
Why it matters: The region has major economic assets, from research institutions to shipbuilding and defense. But employers need skilled workers, and barriers to training and transportation can put those opportunities out of reach for residents.
Axios' Mike D'Onofrio and Emily Peck moderated conversations about workforce development and economic mobility with Chellie Cameron, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia; Cynthia F. Figueroa, president and CEO of JEVS Human Services; and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker. The Oct. 27 event was sponsored by JPMorgan Chase.
What they're saying: Cameron said the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership, a private sector-led effort to expand existing businesses and attract new employers, is focused on precision manufacturing, business-to-business technology and turning biomedical research into commercial products.
- Cameron said middle-market companies — those with $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenue — account for roughly one-third of the region's jobs, making their ability to hire and expand critical to economic growth.
- She pointed to Philadelphia's wage tax and business regulations as obstacles to growth, but said permitting delays and uncertainty can be even more consequential for companies deciding where to invest.
Case in point: Cameron called Detroit's economic rebound a model for Philadelphia, saying the city's success in creating jobs inspired a strategy uniting businesses, government and nonprofits.
- "You have to have everybody at the table. It has to be nonprofits. It has to be government. But it has to be private sector-led," she said.
Zoom in: The chamber starts with employers' hiring needs and works to put training in place, Cameron said.
- However, some adults lack the basic reading and math skills needed to enter apprenticeship or credentialing programs, Figueroa said.
- Welding jobs, for example, can require 10th-grade math skills. "We have the opportunities available, so how do you prepare those individuals?" she said.
- She proposed more funding for adult literacy and high school credentialing programs that help workers qualify for trades and other higher-paying careers.
What's next: Parker said Philadelphia is in conversations with several other unnamed companies about relocating to the city, following Burlington's decision to move its headquarters there.
- The mayor said she's trying to broaden Philadelphia's economic identity beyond its traditional strengths in education and health care to include shipbuilding, maritime industries and defense.
- "We've been known to put ourselves in a box. ... I'm trying to change that. ... We're not just eds and meds," she said.
- She pointed to JPMorgan Chase's $24 million investment in workforce training, small businesses and supply chain development as a signal that Philadelphia is "open for business."
Another hurdle is connecting Philadelphia residents with manufacturing jobs outside the city.
- Parker said the city is working to address "reverse commuting," in which residents travel to jobs in the surrounding suburbs, by supporting SEPTA and expanding transportation access.
- "Whether the manufacturing jobs are here or they're in the five-county area outside of Philadelphia, our job is to make sure that Philadelphians can get there," she said.
Content from the sponsor's segment:
In a View From the Top conversation, Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking at JPMorgan Chase, said Philadelphia needs jobs that offer opportunities to build skills, advance and earn more — rather than simply getting workers into entry-level positions.
- "You don't have to have a college education to be a banker. We train you," she said of JPMorgan Chase's own hiring practices.
Go deeper: Watch the full conversation
