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Priority Area: Workforce Exposure, Development, and Job Opportunities
The announcement of Micron’s $100 billion investment and its plan to create nearly 50,000 jobs across New York marks a pivotal moment for our region. This investment is not just about job creation; it’s a transformative opportunity that necessitates
immediate action to ensure our workforce is prepared for the influx of high-paying and diverse roles.
The emphasis on workforce exposure, development, and job opportunities is critical now more than ever to bridge the current skills gap, enhance our educational
systems, and align workforce development efforts with the fast-approaching economic expansion. This priority area is designed to equip our residents, especially high
school students and those entering the workforce, with the necessary skills, training, and exposure to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market.
By aligning our workforce development strategies with the needs of the semiconductor industry and the broader economic landscape, we ensure that the region not only benefits from but also contributes significantly to the state’s growing semiconductor sector.
This moment represents a unique opportunity to strengthen our economic foundation, diversify employment opportunities, and secure a prosperous future for all Central New Yorkers. Importantly, New York State is already making significant strides through its recent commitment to create the flagship One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ONRAMP)
in the City of Syracuse and the initial planning work provided by the Future-Ready Workforce Innovation Consortium.
Central New York residents have prioritized bridging the gap between education and the workforce by fostering a seamless transition for high school students and beyond. This priority area aims to provide diverse workforce exposure, enhance workforce development programs, and
create ample job opportunities, ensuring a robust pipeline of skilled professionals ready to meet the region’s evolving
economic demands.
Priorities and Strategies
Immediate Priority: Actively engage high school students and lifelong learners in workforce
exposure programs to align their skills with evolving industry needs
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Job Shadowing and Career Exposure: Enable observational learning experiences in various careers. Enhance outreach and career exploration, focusing on untapped talent.
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Work-Based Learning Opportunities: Broadly expand high school and early college internship opportunities. When appropriate, link these opportunities to on-the-job training or paid training programming.
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Career-Specific Mentorship Programs: Increase participation in new or existing mentorship programs in a
variety of in-demand fields.
Strategies
Immediate Priority: Strategically develop and expand workforce development and opportunity programs to enhance skill sets, meet industry demands, and foster employment growth
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Increased Output in Technical Programs: Boost efficiency and participation and graduate rates of technical degree
and nondegree programs. -
Employer Collaboratives: Strengthen existing and launch new employer collaboratives to better link workforce
development and curriculum development to current and projected demand. -
Adult Learning Needs: Implement skills-based recruitment and hiring practices and develop adult education and
certificate programs. -
Upskilling and Reskilling Initiatives: Better train and support educators and instructors on industry demand
and skill needs. -
Inclusive Hiring Practices: Promote equitable hiring strategies.
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Trade Schools and Career and Technical Education Investments: Expand career and technical education focusing on practical skill development.
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Traditional Pathways: Support students’ pursuit of post secondary education with expanded scholarship programming and wraparound supports.
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Non-traditional Pathways: Support students, adult learners, and community residents to pursue multiple career entry points, including bridge programs, certifications, apprenticeships, and other opportunities.
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In-Demand Careers: In addition to advanced manufacturing and technology-based careers, establish targeted workforce development programming in high need areas, including child care, healthcare, construction,
and education.
Strategies
Immediate Priority: Develop and implement workforce support services
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Comprehensive Services: Offer centralized, easy-to-access resources needed to connect employers in high-growth manufacturing industries with job seekers who want to pursue family-sustaining careers in those industries.
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Career Counseling: Assist with career planning and development.
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Workforce Supports for New Americans: Provide targeted support and assistance for New American communities, including language learning and cultural integration assistance for immigrants and refugees.
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Workforce Supports for Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Communities: Provide targeted support and assistance for socially and economically disadvantaged community members, such as paid internship programs for low-income students and reentry programs and employment