Registration Link for Businesses: https://pvapi.premiervirtual.com/s/ndqn0x

Registration Link for Job Seekers: https://pvapi.premiervirtual.com/s/exM1nx

The WDB/HMO utilizes the Premier Virtual Job Fair platform, a U.S.-based, Veteran-owned job fair platform that provides an easy-to-use job fair simulation, enabling real-time interaction between recruiters and candidates, including video chat.

Exhibitors are provided a customizable exhibitor booth equipped with high-resolution avatars, and special buttons to share video content, web-links, job vacancies, company overviews, the ability to hold instant interviews and more. The recently rolled out 2.0 platform allows for detailed note taking, post-job fair reporting and more. Once you are registered there are training videos within the Premier Virtual platform.

During the event job seekers are able to view each company’s job openings and company profiles, submit their resumes to jobs they are interested in and chat with one-on-one with recruiters. This event also offers a 24-hour pre-event preview access so that job seekers can log into the system before the event to view company profiles and job openings.

**If you participated in our last Premier Virtual Job Fair (held in August), you will use the above link to login with the email address and password that you previously registered with. Click login instead of register. Please note that you cannot use Internet Explorer. You must use Chrome, Edge or Firefox.

On Friday August 27th, 2021, a graduation ceremony was held for the Pathways to Justice Careers Youth Police and Fire Academy. Thirty Utica residents (11th and 12th graders) graduated the academy, many who have aspirations to join law enforcement or become first responders. Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri attended the ceremony, along with Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams and Utica Fire Department Captains Joseph Puleo and Phillip Taurisano.

The Pathways to Justice Careers program gives Utica high school juniors and seniors a unique opportunity to partake in a Youth Police and Fire Academy, which is coordinated through a partnership with the Utica Police Department, Utica Fire Department, Oneida County Sheriff’s Department and Oneida County Probation Department. The program’s goals are to diversify local public safety agencies and help to bridge the gap between the youth in the community and public safety professionals.

This program is completely funded by a United States Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration grant and administered by the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties.

Participants of the Youth Police and Fire Academy learn firsthand what it is like to be a public safety professional, including the importance of positive engagement with the community and being physically fit. Graduates of the academy received 3 college credits for their participation. In addition, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department, and the Utica Fire Department, presented two $100 scholarships.

Mayor Palmieri stated, “I congratulate and commend the Utica residents who graduated from the Pathways to Justice Careers Youth Police and Fire Academy. It is exciting that many young people in our city are interested in pursuing careers in public safety. I thank all our program partners for their collaboration, including Workforce Development for successfully administering this important initiative.”

Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol stated, “It is great to see the leaders of tomorrow take an interest in Public Safety. As you graduate from the Pathways to Justice Careers Youth Police and Fire Academy, know that the information you take from this program will help carry you through life no matter your career path. This program is successful due to the partnerships of the agencies involved and the relationships with the participating youth.”

Workforce Development Board Executive Director Alice Savino stated, “The Workforce Development Board Herkimer, Madison & Oneida Counties is grateful for all the work our partners did to make this program possible and we are proud of the leadership shown by Stephanie Heiland to work through the many challenges presented to keep all of our participants safe.”

Pathways to Justice Careers Project Director Stephanie Heiland stated, “Since day one, our partners have prioritized building positive relationships with the community and diversifying the local public safety sector to aid in rebuilding trust. The Pathways to Justice Careers program has allowed us to do just that. I am very thankful to all the partners for their dedication to this program and to all the young adults who have given us an opportunity to be part of their lives.”

Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency

On August 2nd, at a luncheon held at Hart’s Hill, Legislative Chairman Vincent J. Bono recognized Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency as they celebrated 55 years of helping families in Oneida and Herkimer Counties cross the bridge out of poverty.

MCVAA has been the frontline resource by providing direct services and support for education, employment and family support services. They connect families living in poverty with Early Head Start, Head Start, and Universal Pre-K , utility assistance, tax preparation; Housing Assistance, Senior Services, Weatherization, Foster Grandparents and Youth Services. These services help community members see a clear path to bettering their situation.

 MVCAA is the pro-active voice in the community for those who don’t often have the capacity to speak for themselves. Early childhood education, youth programming, safe housing programs, family development, and advocacy are the cornerstones of MVCAA. A grassroots organization with a national voice, MVCAA offers innovative, as well as, tried-and-true opportunities that put all families in a position to better themselves.

Workforce Development Professionals Month was created in 2005 by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) to raise awareness about the importance of our industry to a growing national economy. Originally celebrated in May, NAWDP moved the designation to September in 2012. The U.S. Senate recently passed a resolution naming September 2021 Workforce Development Month. Read the full resolution here.

The Herkimer Working Solutions Career Center is part of the Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Herkimer, Madison & Oneida Counties. Other career centers in our WDB include the Utica, Rome and Wampsville locations.

 Here are some interesting facts about Workforce Development:

• In Herkimer, we serve an average of about 1,000 customers in a “normal” year

• Each customer can access a wide variety of repeat services depending on their needs

• Even throughout the pandemic time frame of March 2020-March of 2021, we still served over 500 individuals including those affected by the mass layoff at Remington Arms

• In the US, 1 out of every 12 people “touches” the workforce development system per year

• Urge your Members of Congress to support Workforce Development Funding

More about the HMO Workforce Development Board can be found at:

Herkimer Working Solutions and Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) recently teamed up to offer and in-person job fair. Some 60 job seekers attended the event, which took place in the HCCC gymnasium on Sept. 29th. There were about 20 local businesses and agencies on-hand to talk with attendees about current job opportunities, including representatives from:

Bassett Healthcare Navigation was also on-hand to speak with attendees about health insurance.

View or Download our Training Grant Programs Brochure Here

The WDB also has a new Facebook page where we'll be featuring our grant learning programs and incentives. Please Like/Follow us and share our posts to get the word out about these great programs! https://www.facebook.com/WDBHMO

And you can also follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmowdb/

October 25th & 27th

5 - 9 PM

MO BOCES | $60

November 8th, 10th | 5:30-9:30 PM

& November 13th | 7 AM-3:30 PM

MO BOCES | $99

December 6th & 8th

5 - 9 PM

MO BOCES | $60

REGISTER ONLINE HERE or call either site:

OHM BOCES: (315)793-8696

MO BOCES: (315)361-5800

Workforce Development Board, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Inc.

info@working-solutions.org|

209 Elizabeth Street

Utica, NY 13501

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