Download our 2023-24 PWA Brochure

The Portland Workforce Alliance is an independent nonprofit that sees young people as the key to our region’s long-term economic prosperity and quality of life. We work with local employers to educate students about career opportunities as part of a strategy to boost Oregon’s graduation rate and build a resilient, prosperous and well-educated workforce.

Our reasons for action are simple.

We want to meet the region’s workforce needs by helping young Oregonians find educational paths to good careers and family-wage jobs. We know that career-learning experiences motivate students to succeed academically and continue their education after high school. And we know that students are far more likely to stay in school if they see the relevance of their education and have relationships with caring adults.

We’ve been at this since 2005, during good economic times and bad. Our community partners in education and industry have allowed us to grow into Portland’s leading career-education resource for students.

Today, we are:

• Connected to the region’s high schools and top employers;
• Experienced at providing career learning that inspires college-and-job goals;
• Growing to meet community demand;
• Committed to expanding opportunities for lower-income and historically underserved students;
• Efficient at leveraging private-sector support.

We are thankful for the community partners and volunteers who make it possible for us to host the annual NW Youth Careers Expo and offer career days, mentorships, internships, classroom speakers and other year-round opportunities. If you would like to volunteer, contact us and we'll get you connected.