UB awarded $3.7 million to expand career pathways through BOCES partnership

UB will receive $3.7 million in state funding to establish a network of career centers that help BOCES students across upstate New York transition into adulthood with quality, in-demand jobs.

The funding, announced March 6 by Gov. Kathy Hochul, will be awarded to UB’s Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships (BEP) unit — part of the university’s Research, Innovation and Economic Development office.

“Reshaping New York’s approach to workforce training has been a pillar of my economic development strategy — and we’re seeing the results,” Hochul said. “By working with employers in target industries, more New Yorkers are learning the skills needed for high-demand jobs while receiving the support they need to promote greater success. These projects represent an investment in New Yorkers and the future of our state’s economy.”

BEP will collaborate with five BOCES districts — Erie 1 in Western New York, Broome-Tioga in the Southern Tier, Champlain Valley in the North Country, Otsego Northern Catskills in the Mohawk Valley and Ulster in the Mid-Hudson region — to create the Multi-Regional Career Centers Initiative.

BOCES stands for Boards of Cooperative Educational Services. The funding comes from Empire State Development’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development.

“This initiative shows what is possible when educators, industry partners and the state work together toward a shared goal,” said Stacey Johnson, director of workforce development for BEP. “BOCES programs are one of the state’s most powerful workforce engines, and UB is proud to help connect that talent with industry and innovation.”

The project will strengthen BOCES’ existing organizational and educational infrastructure, according to the governor’s office, while modernizing career services and employer coordination. Additionally, new performance tracking will help increase the number of trainees directly entering the workforce by providing personal case management and career services to participants.

The effort will include new data-collection methods to create a standardized system to track postgraduation salary and employment outcomes. The result will be a data-driven career center blueprint and replication toolkit, with potential for scaling the program to BOCES statewide.

“UB is committed to strengthening the collaboration between New York State, industry and our partners in education to help Western New Yorkers build the skills employers need and to help industry access the talent that fuels growth,” said Venu Govindaraju, senior vice president for research, innovation and economic development. “This support is an investment both in people and in our region’s economic future, opening doors to meaningful careers and driving the innovation that keeps New York at the forefront of emerging industries and the future economy.”

State Sen. April Baskin, who represents parts of Buffalo and adjacent municipalities, said the initiative will connect students “with the training, credentials and support they need to step into good-paying, in-demand careers so they can provide for themselves and their families.”

She added: “The partnership between the University at Buffalo and BOCES will help expand career pathways and ensure more students can move from training into the workforce after graduation.”

“This partnership exemplifies how UB continues to lead through collaboration, bridging education, innovation and workforce needs to strengthen our communities,” said Per Stromhaug, senior associate vice president for economic development. “By working with BOCES partners, we are preparing the next generation of New Yorkers for the jobs of the future.”

The $3.7 million award is part of more than $15 million in projects awarded to 13 workforce development projects announced by the governor.