Byron Auguste

Background

About Byron Auguste

In my two childhood "hometowns" of Detroit, Michigan, and Phoenix, Arizona, I have many family members and friends who’ve found themselves stuck—neither able to contribute their full talent, nor to be rewarded for them. As an economist, I see such a waste of talent as a classic market failure. That’s why, in 2015, following my service in the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, I was inspired to launch Opportunity@Work. Our work rises above politics. I have yet to meet a mayor or governor (of either party) who doesn’t want to bring more good jobs to her or his communities. And in every region of the country, I hear the same thing from business (“we can’t find the skills we need”) and from hard working people struggling to break into better paying jobs (“I know what I can do, but no one will give me a chance”). Re-wiring the U.S labor market to end this damaging market failure is my mission today, and every day, as the Opportunity@Work team, our outstanding partners, and I work to rewire the U.S. labor market so that all individuals Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) can work, learn, and earn to their full potential. In the next decade, Opportunity@Work aims to enable at least 1 million working adults in America to translate their learning into earning – generating a $20 billion boost in annual earnings. Join us—as we make this vision a reality.