Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot: A Complete Guide to How It Works

Table of Contents#

1. What Is the Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot (ENPP)?
2. Core Stakeholders Behind the ENPP Model
3. Step-by-Step Breakdown of How ENPP Works
4. Key Benefits for All Participant Groups
5. Early Success Metrics and Pilot Limitations
6. How to Get Involved With ENPP
7. Final Thoughts
8. References

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What Is the Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot (ENPP)?#

The ENPP is a time-bound, publicly and philanthropically funded workforce pilot focused on supporting historically marginalized job seekers to access high-demand roles in growing sectors (healthcare, green energy, advanced manufacturing, entry-level IT, and logistics). It is built around two core pillars:

1. Personalized, one-on-one support from trained employment navigators for the full duration of a job seeker’s journey from application to 6 months of post-hire employment
2. Formal partnerships with local employers to align training and candidate screening with real-time hiring needs, eliminating the disconnect between workforce programs and labor market demand

Eligible participants include:

• Workers displaced by industry shifts (e.g., manufacturing, fossil fuel, retail closures)
• Single parents and low-income caregivers
• Neurodivergent job seekers and people with disabilities
• Immigrants and refugees with valid work authorization
• Formerly incarcerated individuals
• Workers without postsecondary degrees

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Core Stakeholders Behind the ENPP Model#

The pilot operates as a four-way partnership to ensure all needs are centered:

1. Funding bodies: State/provincial labor departments, and philanthropic partners (including the Ford Foundation and local community foundations) cover all program costs, so no fees are charged to job seekers or small business employers.
2. Navigator host organizations: Local workforce development nonprofits, community colleges, and public employment agencies hire, train, and manage the employment navigators, who receive specialized training in barrier removal, industry-specific hiring practices, and culturally responsive support.
3. Employer partners: Small local businesses, mid-sized firms, and national corporations commit to sharing real-time job openings, interviewing at least 2 ENPP candidates per open entry-level role, and providing feedback on skill gaps to inform participant training.
4. Job seeker participants: The end users of the program, who co-create their employment plans with their navigator to ensure alignment with their personal career goals and needs.

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Step-by-Step Breakdown of How ENPP Works#

The ENPP process is designed to be flexible for individual needs, but follows a standardized 7-step framework:

Step 1: Eligibility Screening and Orientation#

Job seekers can apply via local workforce centers, online program portals, or referrals from community organizations (food banks, domestic violence shelters, refugee resettlement agencies). They complete a 30-minute eligibility screening, followed by a 1-hour orientation that covers program benefits, expectations, and available support services.

Step 2: Dedicated Navigator Matching#

Each participant is paired with a navigator within 10 business days of enrollment. Navigators are matched based on the participant’s target industry and identity-specific needs: for example, a neurodivergent job seeker may be paired with a navigator trained in workplace accommodation support, while a worker seeking a role in renewable energy may be paired with a navigator with prior experience in the green energy sector.

Step 3: Personalized Employment Plan Development#

The navigator and participant collaborate to build a customized plan that includes:

• Short- and long-term career goals
• Assessment of existing transferable skills and gaps
• Identification of barriers (childcare, transportation, certification costs, legal documentation needs)
• A timeline for training, applications, and job placement

Step 4: Barrier Removal Support#

Navigators connect participants to free, pre-funded wrap-around support to eliminate obstacles to employment, including:

• Stipends for childcare, public transit, and work uniforms
• Full coverage for industry certification exam fees and required training courses
• Immigration work document application support
• Connections to free mental health and financial counseling services

Step 5: Employer Matching and Interview Preparation#

Navigators use their direct relationships with employer partners to match participants to unposted or pre-vacant roles that align with their skills and goals. They also provide tailored resume editing, mock interviews, and coordinate with employers to arrange reasonable accommodations for interviews (e.g., extended time, accessible interview spaces, neurodivergent-friendly interviewing formats).

Step 6: 6 Months of Post-Hire Support#

Once a participant accepts a job offer, the navigator continues to check in with both the employee and employer on a monthly basis during the first 6 months of employment. This support includes resolving workplace conflicts, arranging additional upskilling for role advancement, and adjusting accommodations as needed to support retention.

Step 7: Program Exit and Long-Term Follow-Up#

After 6 months of sustained full-time employment, participants formally exit the program. Navigators then conduct 12-month and 24-month follow-up check-ins to track long-term wage growth, retention, and career advancement.

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Key Benefits for All Participant Groups#

The ENPP model is designed to deliver value for every stakeholder group:

For Job Seekers#

• No out-of-pocket costs for any program services or training
• Access to "hidden" job openings not posted to public job boards
• Three times higher likelihood of securing a role with health benefits and retirement plans compared to job seekers using traditional application channels
• Long-term support to avoid job churn and advance into higher-paying roles over time

For Employers#

• Access to pre-vetted, trained candidates aligned with their specific skill needs
• 22% lower turnover rate for ENPP hires compared to candidates hired through traditional channels, per 2024 interim data
• Reduced hiring and onboarding costs, as navigators handle initial screening and pre-training
• Eligibility for federal and state tax incentives for hiring marginalized worker populations

For Communities#

• 15% lower local unemployment rates for target populations in regions with active ENPP programs
• Reduced reliance on public assistance programs, with 68% of ENPP participants no longer needing SNAP or cash assistance six months after placement
• Stronger local workforce ecosystems aligned with growing industry needs

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Early Success Metrics and Pilot Limitations#

18-Month Interim Success Metrics (2024)#

Preliminary data from the first half of the pilot shows strong results:

• 78% of participants secured full-time employment within 3 months of enrolling
• 82% of placed workers stayed in their roles for 6+ months
• Average hourly wage for ENPP hires is $19.75, 32% higher than the local minimum wage average across pilot regions

Current Limitations#

• Geographic access is limited: the pilot is only active in 17 U.S. states and Canadian provinces as of 2024
• Wait times for navigator matching can extend to 3 weeks in high-demand regions with high enrollment volumes
• Some employer partners only offer entry-level roles with limited advancement paths, leading to lower long-term wage growth for 19% of participants

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How to Get Involved With ENPP#

For Job Seekers#

1. Visit your state/provincial labor department website and search for "Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot" to find your local program page
2. Confirm you meet eligibility requirements (listed on each local program site)
3. Submit an application online or visit your nearest local workforce center to apply in person

For Employers#

1. Reach out to your regional ENPP coordinating office (listed on state labor department sites)
2. Share your open roles, required skills, and hiring timelines with the program team
3. Commit to interviewing at least 2 ENPP candidates per open entry-level role, and provide quarterly feedback on candidate skill gaps

For Aspiring Navigators#

1. Search for ENPP navigator roles on local workforce nonprofit job boards and state government career pages
2. Most roles require 2+ years of experience in workforce development, social services, or industry-specific hiring
3. Specialized training in supporting marginalized populations (neurodivergent workers, immigrants, formerly incarcerated people) is a high priority for hiring teams

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Final Thoughts#

The Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot represents a long-overdue shift from fragmented, one-size-fits-all workforce programs to a personalized, partnership-centered model that addresses the full scope of barriers to stable employment. If early success trends continue, policymakers have signaled plans to expand the program to all U.S. states and Canadian provinces by 2027, making it a core part of public workforce support infrastructure.

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References#

1. U.S. Department of Labor. (2024). Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot Interim Outcome Report. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/workforce-development/navigator-pilot
2. Government of Canada. (2023). ENPP Pilot Progress Update: Atlantic and Prairie Regions. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/employment-navigator-pilot.html
3. National Skills Coalition. (2024). The Case for Expanding Navigator-Led Workforce Programs. Retrieved from https://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/resources/reports/navigator-led-programs-2024
4. Ford Foundation. (2023). Grant Portfolio Update: Employment Navigator Pilot Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/equitable-economic-development/employment-navigator-pilot/