Experts to Share Innovative Solutions to Employer Recruitment and Retention Challenges at Regional Workforce Development Summit January 16, 2020 in Tarrytown

January 2, 2020 – Nationally-renowned experts and local stakeholders will convene to discuss innovative solutions to the region’s employer recruitment and retention challenges at the Westchester County Association’s (WCA) first-ever Regional Workforce Development Summit, to be held at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, NY, on Thursday, January 16^th at 8 a.m.

Keynote speaker Jason Bram, regional economist officer at Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will share valuable data and insights on the region’s job outlook and economic indicators, while other experts will discuss regional employment challenges and opportunities, successful recruitment and retention strategies, innovative training programs and services for students and employers, and other programs that benefit job-seekers, employers and communities.  Additional featured speakers will include:

• Joseph Carbone, president and CEO of The WorkPlace, a Bridgeport, CT, based not-for-profit workforce development agency that has helped thousands of people expand their educational and occupational credentials in order to become active participants in the workforce;
• Jason Chapin, director of workforce development at the WCA, which recently managed a federally-funded program to train more than 600 individuals and place nearly 400 job seekers with more than 250 employers in the region;
• Melinda Mack, executive director of the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP), a nationally recognized, leading non-profit membership association in the field of workforce development;
• Belinda Miles, president of Westchester Community College, a State University of New York (SUNY) institution that provides career service resources to help ensure its students are “job-ready” and provides ongoing employee training services for employers in the region;
• Diane Woolley, chief human resources officer at White Plains Hospital, responsible for employee relations, labor relations, recruitment, benefits, education, and organizational development.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer will provide the opening remarks.

Employers, educators, training providers, recruiters, and others who can benefit from the data, insights, and networking opportunities at the summit are encouraged to register to attend at www.westchester.org/events.

The Regional Workforce Development Summit is part of the WCA’s sustained commitment over several years to advancing policies and initiatives that foster a well-trained workforce to support a range of job sectors.  Through the ongoing work of its Workforce Development Committee, employers, colleges and other education/training providers, along with foundations and other non-profit stakeholders, are working together to identify solutions that meet the region’s short- and long-term talent recruitment and retention needs.

“The WCA’s Regional Workforce Development Summit, and our Workforce Development Committee, bring together smart, talented, experienced leaders from business and education to create a sustainable talent ecosystem designed to connect job-ready candidates with jobs that employers large and small have been struggling to fill,” said Jason Chapin, the WCA’s director of workforce development.  “Attendees at the Summit will learn some great insights and innovative ideas that can really help them with their recruitment and retention challenges.”

The WCA has an established record of developing innovative solutions for the region’s workforce development needs.  Westchester County selected the WCA in 2015 to manage “Jobs Waiting,” a $9.8 million U.S. Dept. of Labor “Ready to Work” program grant focused on training and placing job seekers in healthcare jobs and upskilling healthcare employees in the Hudson Valley. The four-year project provided training to more than 600 individuals and placed almost 400 job seekers with more than 250 employers in the region. The WCA exceeded the enrollment, training and placement goals ahead of schedule and was one of the most successful “Ready to Work” grantees. The return on investment has already been nearly two-to-one, and has an annual economic impact of almost $20 million.

The Westchester County Association (www.westchester.org) is the preeminent business leadership organization serving Westchester County and the region.  The Association is committed to Smart Growth, business advocacy and economic vitality, and to providing a strong and clear voice for the interests of business.  Its key objectives are to promote positive economic development in the region, foster business development, and provide its members with access to and interaction with key public and private sector individuals, agencies, and organizations.

For more information about the Westchester County Association, visit www.westchester.org.