Boehlert Announces Over $700,000 for Local Workforce Investment Board

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-New Hartford) today announced a $732,000, three-year grant for the Workforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will fund "CareerLink," a regional project to improve opportunities for 400 local young people (ages 16 to 25) with disabilities successfully transition to work.

"As our economy grows new jobs, it is vital that we increase the skills of our workforce to fill those jobs," Boehlert said. "With the right mix of training, coaching and support, people with disabilities can become highly successful employees. Increasing job opportunities for every individual helps maintain our economic development momentum. The tremendous community partnership represented by this project will help the tri-county region's economy by extending opportunity to everyone."

Alice Savino, Executive Director for the WIB of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida counties said, "We believe that every resident of our tri-county region should have access to opportunities for full and productive employment. As our economy grows new jobs, we want individuals with untapped talents to have the ability to share in that growth. Congressman Boehlert was our advocate in Washington on behalf of the Mohawk Valley's individuals with disabilities and the employers who can improve productivity by tapping into their talents. Through this project, and an earlier federal grant that was awarded by the Department of Labor, we are creating a new culture of opportunity."

CareerLink will deliver an innovative, needs-based training and placement project to serve young people in Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties. Through the project's Business Advisory Council, which has the support of the region's Chambers of Commerce, youth will be supported through work experience, work skills training, job referral and job retention by a mix of efforts through project staff and project partners.

The Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce, Rome Area Chamber of Commerce and Herkimer County Chamber of Commerce are all partners in the project, along with the Resource Center for Independent Living, Oneida-Lewis Arc, Madison-Cortland ARC, Herkimer Area Resource Center, New York State Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), Institute for Community Inclusion, Harden Furniture, Mohawk Ltd., Scalzo-Zogby Insurance, Radisson Hotel, Chanatry's Supermarket, Red Lobster Restaurant, Oneida County Historical Society, CNY Arts Council, Oneida County Dept. of Social Services, Mohawk Valley Council on Alcoholism/Addiction, Herkimer County Board of Cooperative Educational Services, and the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District.