The streets of Philadelphia are poised to benefit from a major boost thanks to Uncle Sam. In a move heralded by city officials, the City of Brotherly Love is about to get some love from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program. The program has promised to dish out technical assistance that will focus on ensuring the city's infrastructure projects not only shine up the streets but also beef up job opportunities, particularly for communities of color who've long been sidelined on the economic playing field.

Deputy Managing Director of Philadelphia's Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, Mike Carroll, erupted with pride when lavishing praise on the federal boost. "We are proud to be a recipient of the Thriving Communities Program as we continue to win grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will allow us to bring Mayor Parker’s vision for safer, cleaner, and greener Philadelphia with economic opportunity for all," Carroll told the city's website. This sentiment comes amid Philadelphia's intensified push towards infrastructure overhaul that eyes not only refurbishment but also wealth growth for successive generations.

Although ensconced in technical jargon, the heart of the program sings a tune of inclusivity. Philadelphia's partners, Called to Serve and Philadelphia Works, are drafting battle plans to train their workforce to tackle infrastructure projects more robustly. The newly funded TCP is opening the doors to evaluate fresh methods for developing such workforces, including local and economic hiring preferences, as stamped and approved in a section of the bipartisan law.

Rev. Michael A. Major, Sr., the board president at Called To Serve, knows the gritty narrative of city engagement all too well. "CTS has a strong working relationship with the City and has served as a partner in the Broad, Germantown, and Erie capital improvement project since 2017," Major said. With hands already deep in the soil of workforce development and rejuvenation, CTS is gearing up to bring city folks into the conversation about hiring practices, particularly the ones bankrolled by federal funds.

It's not just about those already at the starting blocks, however. PhilaWorks, a heavy hitter in the workforce development arena, is teed up to throw its weight behind the city's agenda. "As a long-time partner, PhilaWorks will support the City with the goal of increasing economic opportunity for historically underserved communities in Philadelphia," said CEO Patrick Clancy. Tapping into a network rife with employment avenues and on-the-job training, PhilaWorks is setting its sights on bridging the gap between talent and those in need of it across the city.

Digging into the city's coffers of collaborative history, projects like "PHL Taking Care of Business," stand as testaments to what partnership can yield – cleaner neighborhoods and work for the community, by the community. With a cash injection of approximately $22 million courting them from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge, PhilaWorks and its allies are girding their loins to transform Philadelphia's workforce system, with a hand from the TCP's technical aid.