America Works Initiative
Helping your company and our country solve our workforce challenges.

America is facing a worker shortage crisis: There are too many open jobs without people to fill them. The result: Too many businesses can’t grow, compete, and thrive. And too many workers can't realize their American dreams.
Through the America Works Initiative, we’re helping employers across the country develop and discover talent to fill open jobs and grow our economy.
Explore related topics
Understanding America's Labor Shortage
A national crisis by the numbers
Understanding the problem
Discover the latest data on job openings, unemployment, labor force participation, quit rates, and more, for a quick understanding of the current state of the workforce—paired with in-depth analysis of the trends.
Understanding the Problem
Immigration Data Center
Report
America’s woefully inadequate immigration system is directly contributing to the worker shortage crisis and hindering American business operations.
Recent Research
Join the #AmericaWorks Conversation
Make your voice heard. Ask Congress to take action to close the skills gap, grow our country’s workforce, and keep America’s economy strong.
Resources and Guides
U.S. Chamber Foundation Programs to Help Your Company
- Develop your talent pipelineThe U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) helps employers partner with educators and economic development leaders to make sure future workers are learning the right skills to meet employer needs.Learn More
- Hire from the military communityThe U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) program connects companies with military community talent through world-class hiring events and fellowship programs.Learn More
- Use data to find the perfect matchJoin the more than 500 organizations using the latest tech and data to better match people with the right jobs through the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Jobs and Employment Data Exchange (JEDx) and T3 Innovation Network.Learn More
- Invest differently in upskilling and trainingTake a new approach to paying for education and skills training to create more opportunity, more inclusion, and more jobs with the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Talent Finance initiative.Learn More
Case Studies
- Developing Essential Nursing Talent in PhoenixUsing the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s TPM strategy, the Hospital Workforce Collaborative in Arizona teamed up with local community colleges to train needed specialty nurses.Learn More
- Workforce Readiness and Reentry Program at BlackburnA unique program is creating pathways to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals in the equine industry in Kentucky using the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s TPM strategy.Learn More
- An Industry-Leading Training Model in AutomotiveUsing the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s TPM strategy, a Toyota training program is meeting industry demand for automotive technicians.Learn More
America Works Policy Priorities
Policy Solutions to Address the Nation's Worker Shortage
Policy Position
We are calling on elected officials at the federal and state level to take immediate action to help address this national economic crisis.
Tell Congress: Address America’s Workforce Crisis Now
Send an email to your elected representatives today saying that you are counting on them to help more American businesses find and hire the talent they need to succeed.
Get in Touch
The U.S. Chamber is here to help. Get in touch today to learn more about our workforce programs.
Latest Content
Capturing the current state of the U.S. workforce.
Workforce participation remains below pre-pandemic levels. We have 3 million fewer Americans working today compared to February of 2020.
The education and health services, professional and business services, trade, and leisure and hospitality sectors have the highest numbers of job openings.
Veterans and military spouses make up a highly educated and diverse talent pool. Explore the data behind how hiring them can help fill the country's millions of open jobs, and the benefits this community can bring to businesses.
The U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management program is a data-driven approach to developing talent, helping to build a strong workforce.
Jaimie Francis, vice president of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, explains how employers can develop and discover workers in their community with the Talent Pipeline Management program.
Addressing the worker shortage crisis and preparing our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow can and must be addressed in the 118th Congress.
To fill open jobs needed today—and in the years to come—employers can double down on reskilling and upskilling their current workforce to remain globally competitive.
The investment from the Charles Koch Foundation will support a new multi-phase workforce initiative to identify skills for in-demand jobs
In a tight labor market, employers can recruit and retain employees by offering incentives that go beyond standard benefits. Here are nine innovative benefits employers could consider offering their workforce.