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Axios Live: Philadelphia leaders push to connect job growth with economic mobility

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia leaders are looking to capitalize on growth in manufacturing, technology and other key industries to create better-paying jobs — while making sure residents have the skills to fill them. Why it matters: The region has major economic assets, from research institutions to shipbuilding and defense. But employers need skilled workers, and barriers to training and transportation can put those opportunities out of reach for residents. Axios' Mike D'Onofrio and Emily Peck moderated conversations about workforce development and economic mobility with Chellie Cameron, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia; Cynthia F. Figueroa, president and CEO of JEVS Human Services; and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker. The Oct. 27 event was sponsored by JPMorgan Chase. What they're saying: Cameron said the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership, a private sector-led effort to expand existing businesses and attract new employers, is focused on precision manufacturing, business-to-business technology and turning biomedical research into commercial products. Cameron said middle-market companies — those with $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenue — account for roughly one-third of the region's jobs, making their ability to hire and expand critical to economic growth. She pointed to Philadelphia's wage tax and business regulations