As director of workforce development, James M. Burks has oversight of job readiness, paid internship placements, and mentoring programming.
Since joining the agency in 2014, he has served in various positions on the Workforce Development team, most notably in the areas of providing coaching to participants focused on obtaining and retaining employment, and building relationships with local employers and training programs.
Prior to ECS, James spent five years with the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services in an administrative and operational role, responsible for data and research gathering, report creation, and performance measure outcomes monitoring for emergency housing programs.
James holds a master’s degree in social work from Temple University’s College of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University. Additionally, he received a certification from the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI) of Bryn Mawr College in 2017.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, James currently resides in West Philadelphia with his wife. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing sports, watching his favorite teams, and exploring Philadelphia’s culinary scene.
