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Strategy and Operations · WIOA · Workforce Development

AJC Certification: A Catalyst for Ecosystem Innovation and Workforce Resilience

Matt Giombetti - Business Services Representative · Sep 29, 2025

AJC Certification: A Catalyst for Ecosystem Innovation and Workforce Resilience

As the pace of economic change accelerates and the needs of employers and job seekers grow more complex, American Job Centers (AJCs) are being asked to do more than provide basic services. At their best, certified AJCs operate as collaborative hubs of innovation—driving regional economic mobility, closing equity gaps, and sparking initiatives that go far beyond compliance.

Moving Beyond Minimums: Certification as an Innovation Engine

AJC certification is more than a stamp of approval — it’s an opportunity for transformation. The process encourages workforce agencies, community colleges, economic development leaders, and employers to come together around shared goals and a long-term vision. This foundation helps regions align funding streams, expand proven practices, and launch new collaborations that prepare the workforce system for the challenges ahead ([Holcomb]; [Congressional Research Service]).

Workforce Collab

For example, certified AJCs have used their status to bring employers and industry associations to the same table, mapping skills gaps and co-developing curricula. This collaboration has fast-tracked apprenticeships that would have been difficult to create in isolation. In Oklahoma, certification even led to expanded bilingual outreach and new technology for disability access, helping more jobseekers connect with services, improving participation among previously marginalized groups ([WorkforceGPS, 2024]).

Fueling Integration and Equity at Scale

One of certification’s greatest strengths is how it supports true integration across the workforce ecosystem. Certified AJCs act as connectors—linking data systems, blending public and private resources, and coordinating service delivery across adult education, veteran services, and disability supports. The result: a unified, customer-centered experience where every job seeker can access a clear pathway to employment.

Certification also helps dismantle barriers that have historically limited access for English language learners, rural residents, and individuals returning from incarceration. By embedding continuous improvement and equity standards into performance reviews and community feedback, certified centers build a culture of inclusion and adaptability.

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Raising the Bar for Employer Engagement

Certified AJCs are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers. Their standing makes it possible to convene sector partnerships, collaborate with economic development agencies, and co-invest in training pipelines aligned with real-time labor market data. The outcome is stronger job matches, better retention rates, and stronger business outcomes.

Certification also encourages AJCs to go beyond short-term job placement by tracking multi-quarter employment outcomes. This long-term lens has prompted centers to pilot incumbent worker training, partner with local tech firms on “innovation sprints,” and test virtual service delivery models for rural employers ([Holcomb]; [CRS]).

Sparking Organizational Agility and Sustainable Growth

Certification fosters a culture of learning and agility. It’s not just about compliance—it requires centers to analyze performance data, gather community feedback, and update strategies to stay relevant in changing economic conditions ([WorkforceGPS, 2024]).

This approach builds trust with employers, attracts partnership funding, and strengthens credibility with policymakers. Most importantly, it helps workforce boards remain nimble and resilient, even during economic disruptions.

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Certification as a Launching Pad, Not a Finish Line

Ultimately, AJC certification should be seen as a starting point for transformation, not a final milestone. By embedding equity, integration, and innovation into every step of the workforce journey, certification helps regions reimagine what’s possible for job seekers, employers, and communities alike.

Instead of asking “Are we compliant?” forward-thinking AJCs are asking: “How can we use certification to drive equity, spark innovation, and expand impact?”

To see this in action, here’s how certification has strengthened partnerships and created career opportunities in one of the PA CareerLink® offices supported by EDSI.

Case Study: Expanding College Training Pathways Through AJC Certification

As a certified PA CareerLink®, Lackawanna County’s AJC leveraged its status to strengthen partnerships with local colleges and training providers. Together, they aligned training programs with the region’s High-Priority Occupations (HPOs), ensuring that career pathways connected directly to in-demand jobs.

Certification also created a structure for integrating career assessments, funding resources, and employer input into a seamless referral process. Participants were not only placed into relevant courses but also received critical supports, such as transportation assistance and co-enrollment in wraparound programs.

In the most recent program cycle, these partnerships helped 299 adults and dislocated workers complete training in fields like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, IT, and transportation/logistics—all identified as HPOs. By uniting colleges, employers, and workforce partners under certification’s equity-focused framework, CareerLink® expanded access to industry-recognized credentials and strengthened the region’s talent pipeline.

Key Takeaways

  1. Certification Powers Innovation
    AJC certification serves as a springboard for reimagining how workforce services are integrated and delivered, providing the structure necessary for bold, collaborative innovation among education, business, and community partners.
  2. Integration and Equity Come to Life
    By championing deep program integration and equity-focused strategies, certified AJCs can dismantle service silos, address the needs of underserved populations, and ensure that every job seeker, regardless of their circumstances, can access meaningful pathways to employment.
  3. Continuous Improvement Builds Prosperity
    The certification process fosters an organizational culture of agility, data-driven decision-making, and responsiveness. This enables AJCs to quickly adapt to changing workforce demands, attract employer investment, and deliver results that resonate throughout their communities.

EDSI is proud to help lead this evolution across the AJCs we support, where our staff members are on the front lines every day, actively changing people’s lives for the better. For us, certification is more than a requirement; it’s a commitment to driving innovation, fostering integration, and delivering meaningful impact for the communities we serve.

Have questions about how to get the most out of certification? Fill out the form below and one of our team members will be in touch soon.