History
In 2005, the Local Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) engaged in a strategic planning process to develop a Three-Year Comprehensive Plan. As a component of the plans, the WIBs were directed to act as the conveners and facilitators of a workforce development strategy for their local community. As part of this mission, the Onondaga County and Cortland/Cayuga County WIBs collaboratively engaged a community team to facilitate a partnership approach to planning a multi-faceted agenda leading to and following a "workforce summit" event.
From these meetings, the Workforce Action Agenda was developed and presented to the community at the Journey 2 Jobs Summit. The summit goal was to enlist the aid and expertise of the community to implement the action items in the Agenda.
The planned outcome of J2J was an action plan identifying specific initiatives that encourage a transformational workforce for our entire community so that our community can support the employers is has and those of the future.
The Regional Workforce Development Summit was held over six months ago. An ambitious Action Agenda was introduced to the 400 people present that day. Ten workforce challenges had been identified by the partners who had come together 10 months before. Those challenges included:
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The actions in the Regional Workforce Action Agenda address these challenges, creating new partnerships and connecting education, business, workforce and economic development organizations in new ways. Many around the J2J Leadership table have developed new programs, and ideas because of coming together through Journey 2 Jobs.
The J2J Leadership Team meets monthly. The teams implementing the action plan report how they are moving the Agenda forward, aligning education, business, economic and workforce development. Opportunities to bring resources to the region continue to bring partners together furthering the Agenda.
In the months since the Summit several grants applications have been submitted through the collaborations formed at the J2J table. Each new grant offering provides new opportunities for the partners to work together-forming new partnerships, offering new services and links for members of the workforce and employers. These ever strengthening partnerships find new and innovative ways to take advantage of what each can be bring to the table, helping transform our region.
Some examples of partnerships that have resulted from the J2J collaboration include:
· MACNY, SUNY ESF, the WorkKeys Center at Syracuse University, the Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems and the CNY Biotechnology Research Center are building a Career Ladder Map in Advanced Manufacturing.
· CNY Works, in collaboration with the WorkKeys Center at Syracuse University is integrating WorkKeys assessments, curriculum and certificate of workplace competency into its menu of services for job seekers. CNY Works will be the first One-Stop in New York State to offer these services.
· Literacy Volunteers of Greater Syracuse is integrating WorkKeys assessments, curriculum and certificate of workplace competency into a community wide workplace literacy initiative to be funded by the Central New York Community Foundation.
· The Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with four local employers, the OCM BOCES, the WorkKeys Center at Syracuse University, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Syracuse and other organizations have been awarded a New York State Department of Labor grant to improve the workplace literacy skills of English Language Learners.
· CNY Works, SUNY ESF, the MDA, MACNY, University College of Syracuse University, PEB and WorkKeys have been awarded a grant to support the regional economic transformation through supporting the energy and environmental systems cluster.
· OCM BOCES and OCC and are collaborating on a progressive three year mechanical and electrical worker training program designed to prepare employed workers for work and advancement in these fields as they meet employer benchmarks.
· OCC is offering Psychology 101 at OCM BOCES Career Training Center to make college level course work available to adult students to facilitate the transition from training to enrollment at the community college for further education.
· OCC received a $700,000 grant from the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). In a partnership with SUNY ESF, OCC's Sustainability Institute will offer two-year degrees, certificates and online courses to develop a work force trained to work with green technologies.
· OCC and SUNY ESF are working together on the SPARE program (Solar Power as Renewable Energy) with funding through a Community College Workforce Development Training grant. They will be delivering training to individuals who will be installing photovoltaic equipment.
The sharing of ideas and expertise in the writing of several grants and other collaborative efforts has been facilitated by the closer collaboration and cooperation at the J2J table. For example, OCC, in meeting with CENTRO around heavy vehicle maintenance issues, when the question arose around employee assessment OCC was able to refer them to the WorkKeys Center. Progress is being made.
On the Events page you will find opportunities through presentations and symposia to learn more about many of the issues that impact workforce and economic development in Central New York. We invite you to join in these events, explore ways to become involved or offer suggestions on how to support new and existing collaborations and other Journey 2 Jobs activities moving the Regional Action Agenda forward.
For more information, contact gsandle@cnyworks.com