Workforce development is often framed as a matter of skills, credentials, and job placement. But for many adults—especially those navigating recovery, reentry, homelessness, or long-term instability—the real barrier to employment is not a lack of talent. It’s the impact of trauma on attention, confidence, decision-making, and the ability to trust systems that have historically failed them. At CARITAS, The Works System was built on a simple truth: employment is a human process