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October 2024: Updates & Opportunities
Our full-service Tompkins Workforce New York Career Center is located in downtown Ithaca in Center Ithaca on the Commons, and we offer services for every job seeker. Tompkins Workforce New York is a collaboration of agencies with Tompkins County Workforce Development, the New York State Department of Labor, and lead partners. Every individual should be able to have a chance to meet their potential and we are here to help. Please visit our website to learn more and connect with us!
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Lev Kitchen's sign on the front of the restaurant.
Most people know Lev Kitchen for its delicious food—such as the various malawaches, the fatoush salad, or the kennebec french fries. The Workforce Development team also knows it for its innovative owners and collaborative partnership.
Yen Wu and Ben Plotke met in the MMH (Master of Management in Hospitality) program at Cornell University. Although they both spent time living and working in Los Angeles after graduation, they decided to leave after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It was time to execute an idea Ben had cooked up during an entrepreneurship and restaurant development class at Cornell. Not only would this new restaurant give them job security and autonomy, but it would also follow a model of economic, environmental, and social sustainability. This restaurant would be called Lev Kitchen.
Yen and Ben returned to Ithaca from Los Angeles, seeking the connections that would help this project succeed. As Cornell alumni, they knew they could find help and collaboration from graduate law students, community organizations, and local farms.
“Ithaca is a good place to be,” Yen says. “We like to work with local farms and people.”
Yen Wu, one of the owners of Lev Kitchen.
Some of these local cultivators include Lively Run Dairy, Plowbreak Farm, Stick and Stone Farm, Blackduck Cidery, and Liquid State Brewery. Yen says, “Ben loves exploring the farms and figuring out the best ingredients.”
Both Yen and Ben have experience working with immigrants and refugees, so they sought to provide better jobs for people of many backgrounds. Through partnerships with organizations such as Catholic Charities, Open Doors English, and Workforce Development, Lev Kitchen helped immigrants and refugees resettle in the U.S. with well-paying jobs and English language classes. With dishes inspired by food abroad, it only made sense to give back.
One of the other priorities for Lev Kitchen was not only to hire those in need, but to treat all employees with respect. “Our good retention is attributed to our good environment,” Yen says.
An employee at Lev Kitchen working hard on food orders.
The people best suited for jobs at Lev Kitchen are open-minded team players. As owners, Yen and Ben are flexible, recognizing that everyone they hire is not just an employee, but a person with goals and needs of their own.
As Cornell University alumni, Lev Kitchen’s owners are role models for successive students in the MMH program. They even learn directly from Ben when he visits Cornell to guest speak and use Lev Kitchen’s sustainability model as guidance for their own projects.
“When we set out to create Lev Kitchen, our main goal was to use the concept as an exploration of what it means to be a sustainable restaurant,” the website states. The areas of focus are a viable business plan, a sustainable menu for the planet, and an equitable work environment for employees.
Workforce Development is proud to have Yen Wu on its Board, where she provides oversight for Workforce Development programs and insights on the hospitality industry. Her inside knowledge about the needs of business owners and the hospitality workforce contributes to the strengths of the Workforce Development Board.
Another Lev Kitchen employee preparing food.
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Seven Valley Specialty Cables at this year's expo.
On Thursday, October 10th, over 250 students from 13 high schools in the Tompkins and Cortland areas gathered at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) for the annual How It’s MADE: Manufacturing and Development Expo. This event showcases careers in manufacturing and trades through hands-on demonstrations and activities, so students can gain career exposure and meet the employers. The event positively shifts perceptions about the industry and builds the foundation for our workforce future.
Demonstrations and activities at MADE included VR headsets, drills, hammers, and circuit boards.
The students also took part in a vote for the best demonstration, giving the event a lively edge through a little competition. The votes were later tallied up and the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC) were declared the winners! This display gave students the opportunity to use power drills and hammers on the provided planks of wood. Other demonstrations included miniature parts assembly, circuit board manipulation, and worksite simulations using virtual reality headsets. Since the event was held in TC3’s BorgWarner Morse TEC Field House, the noise of hammering and drilling plus the chatter of students, teachers, and tradespeople were manageable in the large space.
Thank you to our generous sponsors for helping Workforce Development and TC3 make this possible: Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology, C&D Assembly, Holt Architects, Ithaca Area Economic Development, Knickerbocker Bed Co., Precision Filters, Seven Valley Specialty Cables LLC, STORK H&E Turbo Blading, Therm, and UA Local 81. Thank you also to the 20+ manufacturers who attended and provided demonstrations and information to the students. These collective efforts help young people discover career paths they can follow right here in the community.
A young student listens and observes one of the tradespeople from C&D Assembly.
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Muscle and bone diagrams and models in one of the TST BOCES classrooms.
The Youth Employment Resource Team (YERT) met on Thursday, September 19th at TST BOCES to tour the facilities and learn more about the programs.
Because it was near the end of the school day, YERT members had the opportunity to briefly greet and observe students in courses such as culinary arts, animal science, and auto body.
TST BOCES services the Tompkins, Seneca, and Tioga areas, providing Adult Education, Career and Technical Education, Exceptional Education, P-TECH Academy, and the Regional Alternative School. There is a wide variety of fields represented at TST BOCES, such as health, tech, trades, public safety, and cosmetology. With a faculty and staff membership of 350, this organization is able to implement diverse and robust programs.
TST BOCES is additionally a valuable and influential partner to other organizations. Cindy Walter, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional and Career Services, serves on the Workforce Development Board and its One-Stop Operations and Oversight Committee. Partnership between these two organizations helps create pathways for graduating students looking to begin their careers.
The display outside of the digital media technology classroom, with medals and trophies from past students' achievements.
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Recruitment is underway for the TC3-CNF-Penn State Microelectronics and Nanomanufacturing spring program. This is an opportunity for military-connected individuals to complete a free training and earn certifications.
The program launched this fall at Tompkins Cortland Community College with the support of a NSF grant, Penn State’s College of Engineering, and Cornell University. Faculty from Penn State’s Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU) deliver live-streamed lectures to students, and the Cornell NanoScale Facility hosts hands-on lab work for the local cohort in the cleanroom environment.
This program is exclusively for military, veterans, or their dependents. Participants will earn multiple industry-recognized certificates. This program is intensive as it compresses a semester’s worth of curriculum into 12 weeks. Those interested should refer to the Suggested Knowledge Base for desired skills prior to committing to the program. Academic supports are built into the program to help all participants succeed.
The live-streamed lectures are M-F from 11:30am-1:30pm at TC3, followed by labs at Cornell 1 or 2 afternoons per week, plus about 10 hours of homework per week. The first program will run from January 21 – April 11, 2025. Applicants do not need to be residents – they just need transportation to CNF for labs.
The class will be offered in the spring through Tompkins Cortland Community College BIZ. Register online by November 1st to receive instructions for enrollment. For more information, visit this TC3 webpage or contact Carrie Coates Whitmore, TC3 Director of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, at biz@tompkinscortland.edu. Tompkins County Workforce Development is proud to have Carrie Coates Whitmore on its Board and its One-Stop Operations and Oversight Committee.
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World of Skills Job Fair on October 30th
Join Us at the 28th Annual World of Skills Job Fair!
Looking for your next big career move? The 28th Annual World of Skills Job Fair is happening on Wednesday, October 30th, 2024, from 9 AM to 12 noon at Hotel Ithaca! Meet over 30 local employers offering a wide range of job opportunities, from entry-level to experienced positions. Whether you're launching your career or looking for new challenges, this is your chance to connect with employers who are actively hiring.
Highlights:
- The first 20 job seekers will receive a door prize!
- Enter to WIN a laptop donated and refurbished by Finger Lakes ReUse.
- Speak directly with recruiters and take advantage of immediate hiring opportunities.
Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2024 Time: 9 AM – 12 noon Location: Hotel Ithaca
Don't miss out—bring your resume, dress for success, and get ready to impress!
For more information, contact Tracy at tracy@fliconline.org or call 607-272-2433.
Webinars for Jobseekers
The New York State Department of Labor is hosting informational sessions on Zoom every weekday for the rest of October. These virtual workshops are free and available to the public through online signup links. While most of the webinars are in English, some topics are also covered in Spanish during separate webinars. This month's topics include writing cover letters, avoiding job scams, and managing stress during the job search.
Workforce Development is also featuring additional webinars and workshops on the calendar webpage, including ones specifically for jobseekers with disabilities. A great event to look forward to is the Prepare for the Fair workshop held virtually on October 24th.
Southern Tier Virtual Career Fair
The NYS Department of Labor's monthly Southern Virtual Tier Career Fair is on October 17th from 11am to 2pm. Register and attend to network with employers such as Bethany Village, Tompkins Community Action, and Lakeview Health Services. Job openings for attending businesses include bus driver, cashier, dental hygienist, and communications specialist. Register to discover more.
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The Tompkins County Board of Elections is encouraging all eligible voters to register for the 2024 General Election and to make a plan for casting your ballot.
Voters can check registration status, search for poll sites, and track absentee ballots any time through the New York State Voter Lookup Tool.
If you are not yet registered to vote, you can register online or with a paper registration form. The Tompkins County Board of Elections can register voters at its office (128 E. Buffalo St, Ithaca) during regular business hours (9am-5pm) or at an upcoming voter registration event:
Extended office hours/events (128 E. Buffalo St):
Tuesday, October 22, 9am-7pm
Thursday, October 24, 9am-7pm
Saturday, October 26, 9am-5pm
Tuesday, October 29, 9am–7pm
Thursday, October 31, 9am-7pm
Voters should note the following important dates:
Early Voting: Saturday, October 26 – Sunday, November 3, polls open at 9am every day, check hours online
Last day to register to vote and for the Board of Elections to receive absentee or Early Voting by mail applications by mail or online – October 26
Last day to apply in person for absentee or Early Voting by mail applications over the counter at the Board of Elections – November 4
Last day to postmark a General Election ballot or last day to deliver a General Election ballot in person to a polling site or the Board of Elections – November 5
General Election: November 5, polls are open 6am-9pm
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Christopher Nardone of NYATEP presents on the roles of NYATEP and importance of workforce development.
Annual Board Retreat
The Workforce Development Board met on September 24th at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center for its annual retreat. This retreat gives the Board an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and challenges of the last year and discuss how to move forward with goals for the workforce of Tompkins County. The retreat included two guest speakers: Christian Harris, NYSDOL Regional Labor Market Analyst of the Southern Tier, and Christopher Nardone, New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP) Executive Director. The insights and data provided by the speakers guided the conversations between Board members as they discussed the strengths and opportunities of Tompkins County Workforce Development. Because the department recently went through a restructure, these discussions and reflections are particularly important.
Kirra Franzese, Vice Chairperson of the Board, transcribes a discussion at the Board Retreat.
Board members take a break from the Board Retreat by touring the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center.
2025 Tompkins County Budget Results
The Workforce Development department celebrates the Tompkins County Legislature’s decision to fund a service provider role in the Career Center for the next three years before it gets voted on again. The Legislature also voted to allow the department to keep the 5% of the budget that was at risk of being cut. Retaining this funding and adding another staff member will allow the department to provide more efficient services and funding for work experiences, trainings, education, and supportive services.
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For questions regarding the newsletter, please contact Scout Frost, Communications Specialist: sfrost@tompkins-co.org
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