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Jan Perry confirmed as new agency head

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Jan Perry (53390)
Jan Perry

The Los Angeles City Council today unanimously confirmed former councilwoman Jan Perry as head of the newly created Economic and Workforce Development Department.

Perry was serving on an interim basis when appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti as permanent general manager of the department, which has about 175 employees and administers programs geared at job creation and economic stimulus.

Perry told City News Service last month that her focus in forming the department was on “making sure projects that are funded are tied to job opportunities.”

The department is in the midst of overhauling contracts for the city’s 18 WorkSource Centers, where people go to look up employment want-ads, get resume help and gain job skills. Perry said the department is looking for contractors that will use public and private funding to create programs that train workers in technological and other types of skills needed in well-paying jobs.

The department also does some of the work of the city’s former Community Redevelopment Agency, which was dismantled after the statewide dissolution of these types of agencies.

Perry was appointed interim general manager of the department two days after completing her third and final term as a councilwoman representing downtown and South Los Angeles.

Earlier this year, Perry ran unsuccessfully for mayor and later threw her support behind Garcetti.

When he first asked Perry to create the department, Garcetti said her work “revitalizing downtown and South Los Angeles” are examples of the “kind of leadership and expertise” needed to make the department “into a true economic engine” for Los Angeles.

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