As the summer winds down and students are back in the classroom, we spent the summer continuing to prepare the next generation of workforce candidates for pathways available after graduation and throughout the K-12 journey.

The next tool that students, parents, and educators can take advantage of is the Genesee County Career Roadmap. The roadmap provides information on career paths, apprenticeship-style programs, and opportunities for students and graduates to succeed in Genesee County.

The roadmap also features information and contacts for 26 manufacturing and skilled trades employers and career-readiness resources in Genesee County. With our workforce growing through major construction projects at Edwards Vacuum, Oxbo, and Graham Manufacturing among others, our students are learning about career opportunities available here in their own backyards.

In addition to connecting our students and informing them about career opportunities, finding the right fit for each student is equally important.

Giving them the opportunity to discover, experience and be ready for those careers is too.

That’s why we’re excited to support the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), a workforce initiative connecting area students to businesses and in-demand careers available at companies across Genesee County. Over 100 businesses located in and/or serving our community have signed up as supporters of the initiative.

The NCRC works by assessing, and then celebrating, career readiness skills across applied math, graphic literacy, and workplace documentation.

Once participants enroll in the NCRC, they will be able to search and vet job requirements and skills sought by local businesses, enabling them to identify the right fit and meet the specific criteria for their desired careers.

Businesses that have signed up to greet these emerging workers include companies in advanced manufacturing, food processing, healthcare, education, professional services, hospitality, and more. The opportunities are endless for our community.

If you are a student, parent, teacher, or guidance counselor, contact me at [email protected] to learn how to get involved in the NCRC today!

Go Bills!

Chris “Coach SwazZ” Suozzi is the Executive Vice President of Business & Workforce Development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center.