Erie County was recently selected as one of nine communities across the entire United States to take part in the US Department of Labor’s (DOL) inaugural Youth Systems Building Academy (YSBA).

Administered by DOL’s Employment and Training Administration, the Youth Systems Building Academy was established in December 2022 to provide training and technical assistance to workforce development agencies and their community partners to help them design, implement and expand approaches to attract and support young workers newly entering the workforce. The academy seeks to strengthen organizations’ ability to serve young people between 16 – 24 years old who are disconnected from school and the workforce, and those in marginalized and underrepresented communities.

“Erie County’s inclusion in this highly competitive and innovative program is further testament to the work we are doing to put everyone in our community on the path to family-sustaining wages,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Our community’s workforce and work ethic can compete with anywhere else in the country. I thank those in Erie County government and our community partners, and the hard work they put in to be included in the Department of Labor’s inaugural Youth Systems Building Academy cohort.”

A delegation was invited to Washington, DC to participate in panel discussions centered on workforce development and employment training and attend the unveiling of DOL’s Youth Employment Works strategy, under which the YSBA is nested.

Representing Erie County were Jacqueline N. Hall, Executive Director of Workforce Development and Karen Rybicki, First Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Social Services, along with community partners Dixie Farr from the Buffalo Employment and Training Center, Maria Whyte from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and Kate Sarata from the Service Collaborative of WNY.

“Having the opportunity to hear directly from Labor Secretary Marty Walsh as he unveiled the Youth Employment Works strategy was tremendously valuable,” said Executive Director of Workforce Development Jacqueline N. Hall. “Erie County is one of nine communities across the United States that are steering the conversation on youth employment, reducing barriers for vulnerable populations, and increasing opportunities for young people in Buffalo and Erie County. The Youth Systems Building Academy is one more way we are building capacity between government and community partners.”

For more information:

About the Youth Systems Building Academy, visit www.dol.gov/general/topic/youthlabor

About the Buffalo & Erie County Workforce, visit www.WorkforceBuffalo.org

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