Comprehensive Workforce Development Strategy for New York State
Empire State Development (ESD)
Since 2022, HR&A has supported New York State’s Empire State Development to design and implement a comprehensive workforce strategy for the newly established Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The office’s core focus is to establish strategic priorities for job training aligned with industry needs and to fund new programs – through a $150 million grant program – that connect un- and underemployed New Yorkers especially from historically marginalized communities to in-demand, high-quality jobs in priority industries. Ultimately, this internal and external-facing effort seeks to strengthen New York’s economic competitiveness and expand economic opportunity and mobility for all New Yorkers.
New York State needed to fundamentally transform its workforce development approach to better serve both industry demands and underserved communities seeking economic mobility. HR&A provided an analytical foundation and strategic framework to make this transformation possible. HR&A has worked with OSWD’s leadership and the Governor’s Office to establish priorities and build consensus with a multitude of internal and external stakeholders; analyzed statewide economic trends and existing workforce programs, including developing in-depth reports analyzing the state’s seven priority industries, including advanced manufacturing, biotech and life sciences, cleantech and renewable energy, and construction. This research identified critical skill gaps and training opportunities while establishing best practices that could guide the state’s unprecedented investment in workforce development.
HR&A authored OSWD’s annual legislative reports from 2023 through 2025, evaluating grantmaking effectiveness and ensuring investments create equitable pathways to good jobs. Our work has also included working with OSWD to analyze grantmaking, seeking opportunities to streamline processes and focusing on filling those critical gaps identified through previous analysis. This work has helped to position New York State to align its workforce investments with economic development, addressing the needs of both employers and all New Yorkers in seeking family-sustaining opportunities.
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