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New York state will establish a new office to improve the state’s workforce development programs, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday.

Functioning under Empire State Development, the New York State Office of Strategic Workforce Development will lead the $350 million Workforce Development Initiative approved in the state’s fiscal year 2023 budget.

Empire State Development will manage the office with agency partners, including the state’s Department of Labor, SUNY, CUNY and others with expertise in delivering successful workforce training programs, according to a press release Tuesday.

The office will be charged with improving New York’s workforce development programs to better align with the needs and priorities of employers, the release said.

“New Yorkers are still struggling to find work and opportunity due to the economic disruption of the pandemic,” Hochul said in the release. “With our brand new Office of Strategic Workforce Development, we are doubling down on our commitment to help train and connect New Yorkers with the good-paying jobs of the future.”

Hochul first proposed the new office in her State of the State address earlier this year, where she also committed funding later approved in the budget. The office will leverage Empire State Development’s relationship with New York employers to help identify their needs and train New Yorkers to meet them, the release said.

Empire State Development will also introduce and administer $150 million in new programs to meet employer needs to fill skilled in-demand jobs. It will provide continual, real-time funding to meet changing needs and to generate a pipeline of new workers for regionally significant industries, according to the release.

Empire State Development is also currently searching for office personnel to implement such initiatives.

Published on April 26, 2022 at 11:07 pm

Contact Francis: btang05@syr.edu | @francis_towne