Press release
BATAVIA, NY – Workforce, business, education and economic development officials from across the GLOW region were joined by New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals Executive Director Melinda Mack today at the site of the construction of LandPro Equipment’s 50,000 square foot regional training facility to unveil details for the 4th Annual Glow With Your Hands career exploration festival which will take place at the Genesee County Fairground on Monday, September 27, 2022.
Officials associated with the 2022 GLOW With Your Hands Exposition anticipate over 1,000 students will be in attendance from school districts across the GLOW region. More than 45 vendors have already committed to participate featuring hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors as well as the various branches of the military.
“By collaborating with local businesses to learn what skills are needed for their future workforce we in turn can help the future pipeline of workers attain those skills through programs and initiatives like GLOW With Your Hands,” said Jay Lazarony, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “There is an immediate need for the next generation of skilled workers, and we are all working together to meet this demand.”
“The GLOW region has become a hub for workforce development because of events such as GLOW With Your Hands which provides hands-on experiences in growing and emerging fields that can lead to good paying career opportunities without students having to incur the cost of a college education,” said Chris Suozzi, GLOW With Your Hands co-chair.
Mack said the efforts of GLOW With Your Hands represent the impact that workforce development partnerships are having for the next generation of talent.
“GLOW With Your Hands is a model of how regional stakeholders are collaborating on workforce development initiatives that provide industries across many sectors with a pipeline of prospective skilled workers,” said Mack. “We are very passionate about workforce development, it is our goal to provide voice, knowledge, and accelerating progress in this field through events and initiatives like GLOW With Your Hands.”
NYATEP is comprised of New York State’s 33 local workforce development boards who oversee and coordinate over $300M of federal workforce funding, the State and City community college systems, literacy providers, community-based organizations, local governments, labor unions, economic development agencies, and career and technical education providers, among others.
Hosting the kick-off at an active construction site showcased the growing opportunities for skilled trades professionals. Officials thanked LandPro Equipment for being a founding sponsor and exhibitor to GLOW With Your Hands.
“Those of us involved in workforce development hear the same message from local manufacturers and businesses all the time about the critical need for a skilled workforce,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands school coordinator. “The resounding participation of manufacturers and businesses demonstrates the collaboration between the private and public sectors is working in filling this need.”
“We could not ask for a better time for our kickoff event as we continue with the construction of our 50,000 sq. ft. regional training center with sales, service, and training facilities,” said Molly Haungs, Marketing Manager, LandPro. “In order to repair and maintain a large portfolio of John Deere Equipment we need workers with a specific set of skills because these machines use highly sophisticated electronics and other high-end controls. We are finding that GLOW With Your Hands is truly making a difference and again, we are very pleased to once again be a part of this great initiative.”