Using the 2GEN approach as the foundational strategy, the Family Centered Employment initiative is designed to:

• Identify promising practices in implementing family-centered employment approaches in workforce development; 
  
• Create awareness about family-centered employment approaches amongst workforce boards;
  
• Promote stronger relationships and collaboration with community organizations, child care providers, and other agencies;
  
• Assess system-level changes to promote a family-centered employment approach to advance families and meet workforce demands.
  

In year one of the pilot, the Family Centered Employment served a total of 150 families across workforce boards in three local areas: 

• Arizona@Work // Maricopa County, AZ
  
• WorkSource Montgomery // Montgomery County, MD
  
• Workforce Solutions Borderplex // El Paso, TX

In years two and three, the project expanded to include 12 local workforce development boards in the Community of Practice.  Each workforce board identified ways to incorporate family-centered employment strategies that fit their local communities to create a more wholistic approach to serving parents and families.

During years four and five, additional support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation expanded family-centered employment approaches, training (through The Prosperity Agenda), and the Community of Practice to three planning development districts in Mississippi.