Welcome to The SQ1 Pivot! SquareOne began with a realization - that the American education system does not prepare young people for 21st century careers, exacerbating existing disparities across socioeconomic status, race, gender, geography, and more. Our vision is rooted in the belief that sustained career exposure will help shape a young person’s identity so that they may lead fulfilling lives. At SquareOne, we firmly believe that it's time to hit reset and start anew.
Every week, this newsletter will deliver briefings on the data, policies, and interventions impacting young people and shaping the economic future of our cities. I have one quick question for you: What is the single biggest barrier to economic mobility or talent development you’re seeing in your city or sector right now?
Let me know in 1–2 sentences. Your insights will directly shape the topics and spotlights we cover in upcoming issues.
Excited to continue the conversation with you,
Jared Giles
Founder, SquareOne
[email protected]
NYC’s Opportunity Engine
New York City sits on an incomparable reserve of talent and economic investment, and aligning the two is our greatest opportunity for growth.
In my recent piece for Vital City, I detailed the potential sitting right at our doorstep. Major public-private investments like SPARC Kips Bay, Hunts Point, and the JFK Airport redevelopment are set to bring tens of thousands of high-wage jobs to our neighborhoods. By connecting New York’s massive, ambitious student body directly to these projects, I believe the city can build the most powerful, inclusive talent engine in the country.
New York City holds a world-class economic engine, and our talent pipelines should connect directly to it.
To unlock this opportunity and deliver long-term economic mobility, there are three high-yield interventions city government can act on right now:
Scale Universal Paid Career Pathways: Through innovative programs like CUNY Beyond and FutureReadyNYC, degree-aligned professional experiences give young people a competitive launchpad into the modern economy. Guaranteeing hands-on experience before graduation elevates the entire city's talent pool.
Embed Youth Talent Pipelines into NYCEDC Projects: Expand the proven success of the Brooklyn Navy Yard citywide. Every major economic development project—from Staten Island’s waterfront to the Hunts Point Produce Market—presents a built-in launchpad to train, hire, and advance young local professionals.
Unify Governance into One Workforce Entity: Aligning public education, CUNY, and local economic agencies under a centralized "Workforce Development Corporation" creates a streamlined, highly accountable talent pipeline for employers and students alike.
National Spotlight: Jamie Dimon’s $24M Bet on the Philadelphia Navy Yard
JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon announced a $24 million investment package designed to bolster industrial manufacturing and shipbuilding at the historic Philadelphia Navy Yard.
The Problem: Today, the U.S. maintains fewer flagged merchant vessels than ever before (down to 190 from 3000 in the 1960s). At the same time, an estimated 250,000 shipbuilding workers will be needed over the next decade as the U.S. tries to increase its supply of ships.
The Intervention: $24M in loans and investments to support the Philadelphia Navy Yard, including $13M in NMTC equity funding to Rhoads Industries' new 95,000 sq ft submarine manufacturing facility, a project creating 450 permanent, family-sustaining jobs.
The Takeaway: As Jamie Dimon put it, "America can compete and lead in shipbuilding again—it starts with more skilled workers and secure supply chains." By pairing capital investment in physical infrastructure with guaranteed workforce training, Philly is showing how multi-stakeholder projects can create direct on-ramps to high-wage careers.
ICYMI
[READ] Center for an Urban Future’s latest report: 5 Ideas to Advance Economic Mobility in NYC details how ideas like AI workforce training and affordable homeownership can lead to wealth-creation for New Yorkers.
[WATCH] Café con Felo: CUNY Chancellor Felo Rodríguez sits down with NYC Public Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels to discuss his new appoint, his plans for the school system, and his connection to CUNY.
[REPORT] NYCETC & ABNY Joint Report: Making Growth Matter, a deep dive into why job growth is not felt uniformly across the city, particularly for Black workers.