Workforce Development Specialist- PEB

Workforce Development Specialist

Partners for Education & Business, Inc. (PEB)

• Are you passionate about making a difference in the community by working with youth?
• Do you enjoy building relationships and developing opportunities to collaborate?
• Are you eager to create new pathways to careers so both students and employers can thrive in Central New York?

The Workforce Development Specialist works closely with key partners, including schools, employers, and community organizations to bridge the gap between education and the workforce needs. The Workforce Development Specialist will engage and cultivate partnerships to address the needs of both students and employers through work-based learning experiences, with an emphasis on career exploration programming for high school students. Activities can include business development efforts to support PEB initiatives.

Serve as an Educational Programs Liaison

• Develop and support programming in coordination with the PEB team and school staff to provide students with career exploration and preparation. This includes delivering content that is relevant to students’ stage of development in collaboration with school partners.
• Collaborate with school partners to establish work-based learning calendars.
• Serve on P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) and early college high school steering committees as required.
• Serve as a connector to other PEB-led initiatives, industry opportunities for students, and STEM engagement events in our community.

Engaging Employers & Community Partners

• Represent PEB and MACNY programs to employers and educators to increase awareness within the region. This includes enhancing and developing new relationships for work-based learning.
• Build support of PEB initiatives for engagement opportunities, new volunteers, company involvement, and financial investment.
• Educate and engage employers in the benefits of engaging their future workforce.
• Coordinate employer participation in PEB-led events and work-based learning activities.
• Communicate with employers to maintain a working understanding of industry and company needs.

Additional Responsibilities

• Author newsletter, magazine, and digital content as requested.
• Participate and assist in the planning of PEB and MACNY events, including Manufacturing Month and the Workforce Development Awards.
• Maintain accurate program documentation for reporting purposes.

The Ideal Candidate

• Passion for cultivating various pathways to careers.
• Experience and interest in working with diverse groups of individuals and students.
• Mission-driven, a self-starter, a love of learning, and a creative problem solver.
• Demonstrated experience in public speaking and building relationships with a variety of key stakeholders across industry sectors.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and collaborate with a team.
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
• Flexibility and interest in handling multiple responsibilities and initiatives.
• Passion and interest in technology and emerging markets within the Central New York region.
• Experience with digital platforms, virtual events, social media, and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems, a plus.

Local travel within Central New York is required. Must have reliable transportation for frequent community outreach and engagements. Must have flexibility in availability to support occasional activities outside of regular business hours. Completion of a satisfactory background check will be required.

Partners for Education & Business, Inc. (PEB) is a 501c3 non-profit organization and the K-16 arm of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY) Workforce Development Team. We believe workforce development begins well before high school graduation, and we are committed to closing the gap between education and industry, with a focus on the STEM career initiatives in our community. Our team accomplishes this through engaging local employers across industry sectors in work-based learning programming for schools through facility tours, job shadows, internships, professionalism workshops and guest speakers.

The Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) association representing over 300 businesses and organizations across Central and Upstate New York. About three-quarters of MACNY’s members are industrial companies with the remaining members consisting of accounting firms, insurance agencies, law firms, financial institutions, and other service providers that support manufacturers.

MACNY members supply the region, nation, and world with a variety of products and services. Distributed across 26 counties in Central and Upstate New York, MACNY’s member companies employ over 50,000 workers.

For members and the community, MACNY’s staff provides a wide range of services, including training and leadership development, networking events, workforce development, human resources services, advocacy, energy and purchasing solutions, and organizational growth services and consulting. This portfolio is designed to provide members with the tools, information, people, and resources they need to compete in the global market.