Employer Playbook
Introduction
Bridging Today’s Employers with Tomorrow’s Talent
On a weekly basis, our Talent Team at the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce hears from youth-serving programs eager to connect with employers, and from employers concerned about where their future talent will come from This playbook is designed to close that gap
Our region has incredible programs preparing young people with the skills, curiosity, and confidence to succeed. The next step is exposure creating experiences that turn possibility into opportunity and help students envision their future right here in our region Meanwhile, employers are facing a shrinking pipeline, increasing retirements, and growing competition for skilled workers Funding and investments alone won’t solve the problem, but collaboration will.
One of the most common concerns we hear from employers is that young people are missing the interpersonal skills that help an employee thrive in the workplace. Early employer engagement is one of the most effective ways to help youth build those skills through real interaction, feedback, and exposure to professional expectations
This Employer Playbook is a call to action. It offers practical ways to get involved from small, one-day commitments to long-term partnerships.
Employer Playbook
How To Use This Guide
When employers engage directly with youth, the results are powerful:
• Students gain exposure, confidence, and real-world insight.
• Educators align learning with your industry needs
• Businesses strengthen reputation, loyalty and retention.
The Employer Playbook: Your Future Pipeline Edition is built to meet you where you are. While every organization has different capacity, every all can play a role in shaping our future workforce.
The guide is organized into three levels of engagement that build on each other:
�� Start Small
Quick, low-barrier actions that introduce your company to students and educators. These are great entry points for organizations just beginning to connect with youth talent.
�� Get Involved
Intermediate actions that deepen relationships and create consistent engagement with youth and educators over time. These efforts help students strengthen real-world skills, while allowing employers to identify emerging talent early.
⚙ Co-Create
Long-term partnerships that shape how youth are prepared for the workforce These efforts help align training programs with industry needs and create sustainable pipelines for the region.
Engagement with youth programs is also a powerful way to develop the leadership skills of your current team It doesn’t have to be supervisors or managers leading this work. Anyone with a passion for mentorship, community, and growth can play a role Giving emerging leaders the chance to represent your organization in this space builds confidence, empathy, and a stronger sense of purpose.
Employer Playbook
Employer Actions to Inspire the Next Generation
Here’s how to put your interest into action
Get your company in front of future talent and strengthen the bridge between classrooms and careers When employers engage early, students see what’s possible, educators understand what you need, and our whole region wins
�� Start Small: Get your company in front of students and plant seeds for the future. Participate in a career event
Speak in a classroom or on an industry panel
Offer job shadows, tours, or mock interviews
Volunteer at programs like JA Discovery Center
Attend a reverse networking event where youth pitch themselves
Submit a success story highlighting youth success
Provide input on Career & Technical Education (CTE) courses
Register your organization as an ACT Work Ready Community Supporter
�� Get Involved: Go deeper with consistent engagement and direct youth support.
Join a school district Industry Council
Sponsor or mentor youth
Host a high school intern
Hire graduates directly from youth programs into full time roles
⚙ Co-Create: Shape the long game by helping design and sustain programming.
Start an apprenticeship program
Support employees interested in teaching CTE courses
Invest dollars in programs developing the future talent you’ll need
Employer Playbook
�� Start Small
Program: RCSD Shadow Day Week
Organization: Rochester City School District
Website: https://www.rcsdk12.org/Page/59511
Contact: Sheldon Cox | sheldon.cox@rcsdk12.org | (585) 262-8612
About the Program
Each February, the Rochester City School District (RCSD) invites local employers to host students for a shadow experience, to connect learning to real-world careers. Experiences can range from a single half-day visit to multiple half-day sessions, depending on the employer’s capacity and interest. Students observe professionals in action, learn about workplace expectations, and gain insight into the skills and pathways needed for success.
Who They Serve
High school Seniors | Rochester City School District
Industry Focus
All industries
Why It Matters for Employers
A few hours of your time can make a lasting impact, helping students visualize their future and see real opportunities here in Rochester. It’s a low-lift, high-value way to strengthen your community and inspire the next generation of talent.
Employer Playbook
�� Start Small
Program: STEM Volunteers at the RMSC
Organization: Rochester Museum and Science Center
Website: https://rmsc.org/
Contact: Dan Schneiderman | dschneiderman@rmsc.org | (585) 271-4320 x338
About the Program
The Rochester Museum & Science Center connects youth to hands-on STEM experiences that spark curiosity and career interest. Employers can volunteer or collaborate through educational programs demonstrating their industry during public events, leading STEM activities at camps, or participating in the Joe Wilson Science Consult Program, which brings real-world professionals into schools.
Who They Serve
Elementary, middle, and high-school students | 9-county Greater Rochester Region
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | IT & AI | Trades | Creative Arts & Design | Education | Environmental Sciences | Healthcare | and more
Why It Matters for Employers
Partnering with the RMSC allows employers to inspire thousands of students each year through accessible, high-impact STEM outreach. Engagement opportunities range from one-time events to long-term collaborations that help youth imagine themselves in future careers, while positioning your organization as an advocate for science, innovation, and community learning
Success Story Example
Over 62,000 school-age children engage with RMSC programs annually. One notable alumnus a Rochester-born astronaut and former NASA Deputy Administrator credits the RMSC as the childhood spark that ignited their career in space exploration
Rochester Chamber of Commerce
Employer Playbook
�� Start Small
Program: Career Exploration
Organization: Economic & Workforce Development Center at Monroe Community College
Website: Career Exploration Overview
Contact: Parul Patel | Program Director – Software & IT | ppatel@monroeccedu | (585) 685-6171
About the Program
The Career Exploration program introduces K–12 students to Rochester’s innovation economy through interactive, hands-on experiences. Students explore the region’s industries, history, and entrepreneurial spirit while building key human-dynamics skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Activities include technical training in robotics, 3D printing, and AI prompt engineering, along with local field trips that connect learning to real workplaces
Who They Serve
Elementary, middle, and high-school students | All Rochester-area schools
Industry Focus
Information Technology | Software Development | Robotics | Advanced Manufacturing | Entrepreneurship
Why It Matters for Employers
This program helps businesses inspire curiosity and strengthen early interest in highdemand fields Employers can volunteer as guest speakers, host site visits, or co-design learning experiences that align with future workforce needs It’s a simple, meaningful way to connect your company with students before they make critical career choices
�� Start Small Employer Playbook
Program: Paychex JA Discovery Center
Organization: Junior Achievement of Central Upstate NY Website: Paychex JA Discovery Center
Contact: Rekha Kinsman | rekha.kinsman@ja.org | 585-327-7400
About the Program
The Paychex JA Discovery Center connects classroom learning to the real world by exposing students to local careers and industries Through interactive simulations, students experience what it’s like to earn, spend, save, and work helping them understand how education links to opportunity.
Who They Serve
Middle and high school students | All RCSD 6th & 7th graders, half of the RCSD 12th-grade cohort, and additional suburban and rural schools within an hour of Rochester
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | IT & AI | Construction & Skilled Trades | Education | Entrepreneurship | Finance | Healthcare | Public Safety | Environmental Sciences | and more
Why It Matters for Employers
Volunteering at the JA Discovery Center gives employers an easy, structured way to reach students early before they begin to narrow their career choices. Employers can showcase real jobs in their industries, helping students build confidence, purpose, and awareness of what’s possible in our regional workforce
Success Story Example
Students who participated in JA BizTown and JA Finance Park reported stronger saving and budgeting habits, higher self-confidence, and greater belief in their ability to control their futures all foundational for a productive and skilled workforce
Employer Playbook
�� Get Involved
Program: Summer of Opportunity Program (SOOP)
Organization: City of Rochester
Website: ROC Summer Youth
Contact: Janai Gray | (585) 428-8878 janaigray@cityofrochestergov
About the Programs
Programs: Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) & ROC Your Job
Organization: RochesterWorks
Website: ROC Summer Youth & ROC Your Job
Contact: Theo Jordan Jr., | (585) 258-3500 ext. 3552 tjordan@rochesterworksorg
SOOP, SYEP, and ROC Your Job give youth (typically ages 14–20/24) paid, structured work experiences across Monroe County, building human-dynamics skills (communication, punctuality, professionalism) and exposing students to real careers
Who They Serve
City of Rochester and Monroe County youth, middle school through young adult (14–24, program-dependent).
Industry Focus
All industries
Why It Matters for Employers
These programs make it easy for employers to invest in Rochester’s future workforce. Candidates are pre-screened, stipends are often covered or subsidized, and each site receives ongoing support to ensure interns are engaged and learning Employers gain early access to emerging talent while helping young people see a future for themselves right here in our region.
Rochester Chamber of Commerce
Employer Playbook
�� Get Involved
Program: Learn2Earn: Workforce Development
Organization: Center for Youth
Website: Learn2Earn
Contact: info@centerforyouth.net | 585-473-2464
About the Program
Learn2Earn helps young adults ages 17–24 build the skills and confidence needed to enter today’s workforce. Participants receive career coaching, paid work experiences, financial literacy training, and support completing their education or GED. The program pairs each participant with a mentor and connects them to local employers ready to invest in youth talent.
Who They Serve
Middle schoolers; high school students; young adults without high-school completion (up to age 24) | Monroe County, NY
Industry Focus
Cross-sector: supports youth in advanced manufacturing, IT/AI, construction/trades, entrepreneurship, business & finance, health care, hospitality, transportation and more
Why It Matters for Employers
Learn2Earn equips motivated young people with real-world experience and job-readiness skills reliability, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving—before they ever walk through your doors Employers gain early access to diverse, work-ready candidates while helping youth move toward long-term stability and success
Employer Playbook
�� Get Involved
Program: East Irondequoit Career and Interest Pathways
Organization: East Irondequoit Central School District
Website: Academic Pathways Overview
Contact: Tim Heaphy | Director, School to Career Pathways | theaphy@eastiron.org | (585) 339-1284
About the Program
East Irondequoit’s Career and Interest Pathways give high school students opportunities to explore 16 unique career clusters including Construction, Manufacturing, Engineering, Biomedical, Business, Computer Science, Education, Performing Arts, and more. The district is seeking career speakers, company tours, job shadows, and short-term internships to help students connect classroom learning to real-world experience.
Who They Serve
High school students | Eastridge High School (East Irondequoit CSD)
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | Trades | Engineering | Healthcare | Business | Technology | Creative Arts | Education | Public Service
Why It Matters for Employers
These partnerships help students build both technical and human-dynamics skills while providing employers early access to motivated young talent. As one of the most diverse districts in New York State outside NYC, East Irondequoit’s students bring cultural awareness and fresh perspectives that strengthen workplace culture and innovation
Success Story Example
Our Project Lead the Way Pre-Engineering program has alumni scattered in engineering, machining, robotics, architecture, and design companies throughout the Rochester area. They often return to share their expertise with seniors who are working on their capstone projects sometimes helping to adjudicate creative endeavors that are displayed at an end-of-year symposium We are looking to replicate this success in all of our pathways
Employer Playbook
�� Get Involved
Program: Work-Based Learning
Organization: Victor Senior High School
Website: VSHS Work-Based Learning
Contact: Sue Utz | Work-Based Learning Coordinator | utzs@victorschools.org | 585-924-3252 x6510
About the Program
Victor Senior High School’s Work-Based Learning (WBL) program connects local employers with motivated students eager to explore careers. Through job shadows, internships, and career events, students gain hands-on experience while earning credit and building employability skills.
Who They Serve
High-school students | Victor Central School District
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | IT & AI | Construction & Skilled Trades | Creative Arts | Education | Entrepreneurship | Healthcare | Public Safety | and more
Why It Matters for Employers
Partnering with Victor’s WBL program gives employers early access to future talent while strengthening community ties. Employers can showcase their industries, inspire students, and build awareness of career paths helping to shape the region’s next generation of professionals.
Success Story Example
One senior completed an internship with a local electrical company that confirmed his career goals and led directly to full-time employment after graduation—a clear example of how early engagement benefits both students and employers.
Employer Playbook
�� Get Involved
Program: Work-Based Learning (GEWEP)
Organization: Rush-Henrietta Central School District
Website: RH Career & Technical Education
Contact: Thomas Felton, Jr. | Director of CTE | tfelton@rhnet.org | 585-359-5228
About the Program
Rush-Henrietta’s NYS-approved Work-Based Learning (GEWEP) program connects students with real-world experiences that count toward graduation. Students build employability skills, explore career pathways, and gain early exposure to local industries.
Who They Serve
Middle school, high school, and recent graduates (18–24) | Rush-Henrietta students
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | IT & AI | Construction & Skilled Trades | Entrepreneurship | Business & Finance
Why It Matters for Employers
Partnering with Rush-Henrietta’s WBL program allows employers to shape future talent while providing students with meaningful exposure to the workplace. Even short-term participation like job shadows, guest talks, or mock interviews—can help students develop essential human dynamics skills and a sense of direction toward their future careers.
Employer Playbook
�� Get Involved
Program: College and Career Readiness & NYSED-Approved Pathways
Organization: Greece Central School District Website: https://www.greececsd.org/Page/1
Contact: Corey Skinner | corey.skinner@greececsd.org | (585) 966-2435
About the Program
Greece Central’s College and Career Readiness initiative guides students from early career exploration through postsecondary preparation. Beginning in middle school, students complete career lessons and use the MaiaLearning platform to build their NY Career Plan. In high school, students pursue NYSED-Approved CTE Pathways in fields such as Business, Education, Culinary Arts, and Pre-Engineering combining classroom learning with internal and external work-based experiences
Who They Serve
High school students and recent graduates (ages 18–24) from Greece Central public schools.
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | Construction & Skilled Trades | Education | Business & Finance | Culinary & Hospitality | Public Safety
Why It Matters for Employers
The district’s Pre-Engineering Pathway and CTE programs are designed to build a direct district-to-employer pipeline Employers who engage now can join advisory boards, host site visits, or co-design curriculum that aligns with workforce needs This collaboration helps ensure students graduate ready to contribute skilled, adaptable, and informed about your industry.
Watch the program in action: Greece CSD College & Career Readiness Video
Employer Playbook
�� Get Involved
Program: FOUNDATIONS
Organization: Alive + Well
Website: https://www.aliveandwellny.org/
Contact: Shawn Gee | Program Director | shawn.gee@srgmf.com | 585-606-8115
About the Program
Alive + Well empowers underserved youth to discover their purpose, build confidence, and prepare for successful futures through mentorship, personal development, and career exploration. Its FOUNDATIONS program combines life skills, financial literacy, and exposure to industries that align with participants’ strengths and interests—serving as an entry point to the workforce pipeline.
Who They Serve
High-school students and young adults (ages 16–24) | RCSD and charter school students including World of Inquiry, East Upper, Edison Tech, Monroe, Wilson, Padilla, Vertus & UPrep
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | IT & AI | Construction & Skilled Trades | Creative Arts | Education | Entrepreneurship | Healthcare | Public Safety | and more
Why It Matters for Employers
Alive + Well prepares youth before they enter the workforce cultivating communication, reliability, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that employers say are most in demand Program graduates enter with career clarity, professional awareness, and motivation to grow, reducing turnover and strengthening organizational culture.
Success Story Example
One student entered the FOUNDATIONS program already running a small car detailing service at school With mentorship and training, he learned how to structure his business, set goals, and market his services After graduation, he expanded his business, hired peers, and became a living example of youth entrepreneurship in action.
Employer Playbook
⚙ Co-Create
Program: Pixels 2 Purpose
Organization: Cooley Comics LLC
Website: cooleycomics.com/portfolios
Contact: Chris Cooley | Founder / CEO | chris@cooleycomics.com | 315-263-5187
About the Program
Pixels 2 Purpose empowers Rochester-area youth ages 14–19 through a six-week paid training experience. Students learn creative digital and design skills, build portfolios, connect with industry professionals, and earn internships with local and national companies.
Who They Serve
High-school students | All Greater Rochester districts and beyond
Industry Focus
Artificial Intelligence | Information Technology & Software Development | Creative Arts & Design | Entrepreneurship & Startups | Cross-Sector
Why It Matters for Employers
Supporting this program means investing in tomorrow’s creative workforce. Participants gain hands-on experience using industry tools like AI and design software while exploring their personal stories and strengths through art and storytelling. They’re paid to train as professionals, producing real projects that prepare them for future opportunities creating a motivated, skilled, and purpose-driven pipeline of emerging talent
Employer Playbook
⚙ Co-Create
Program: ROC Tech Prep
Organization: ROC Tech Prep
Website: https://www.roctechprep.org/
Contact: Aaron Schwartz | President | aaron@roctechprep.org | 585-310-1726
About the Program
ROC Tech Prep is a nonprofit building Rochester’s future tech workforce through tuitionfree training in coding, AI, and cybersecurity mapped to nine industry-recognized certifications.
Who They Serve
High-school students | Vertus High School, University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men, Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School
Industry Focus
Artificial Intelligence | Information Technology & Software Development | Creative Arts & Design | Entrepreneurship & Startups
Why It Matters for Employers
ROC Tech Prep connects employers with local, certified tech talent. Graduates leave with hands-on experience and credentials that prepare them to contribute from day one. Partnering helps companies fill entry-level roles faster, improve retention with local hires, and shape a sustainable tech pipeline.
Success Story Example
A pilot version of this model, funded through the CARES Act, helped over 500 participants launch tech careers within a year. ROC Tech Prep now brings that proven approach home to Rochester to open similar doors for local students and employers.
Employer Playbook
⚙ Co-Create
Program: Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program
Organization: Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association
Website: https://www.rtma.org/flyap
Contact: Keri Martin | kmartin@rtma.org | (585) 510-4278
About the Program
The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program (FLYAP) connects high school students with local advanced manufacturing employers for paid co-ops and registered apprenticeships. Students gain hands-on experience, industry mentorship, and direct entry into in-demand careers, while employers build a trained and loyal talent pipeline.
Who They Serve
High school juniors and seniors | Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region
Industry Focus
Advanced Manufacturing | Automation | Tooling & Machining | Engineering | Mechatronics
Why It Matters for Employers
FLYAP removes the guesswork from youth hiring by pre-screening and matching motivated students with employers who need their skills. Businesses gain early access to workforce-ready talent, shape training to fit their needs, and strengthen long-term retention.
Success Story Example
Many participating companies have converted FLYAP students into full-time employees after graduation reducing recruitment costs and turnover while giving young people a clear pathway to stable, well-paying careers in manufacturing.
Employer Playbook
The Greater Rochester region is working toward ACT Work Ready Community certification, a national framework that helps employers validate the foundational skills of their workforce.
Why It Matters
Across the country, employers struggle to measure real skills not just degrees The ACT Work Ready Communities (WRC) framework bridges that gap by using data and credentialing to connect education, employers, and workforce systems. It ensures students and job seekers are developing the skills businesses actually need, while giving employers a common language for hiring and advancement.
Our Regional Goal
The Greater Rochester region including Monroe and Genesee Counties is collaborating with ACT, schools, workforce boards, and employers to become fully certified as Work Ready Communities. Together, we’re aligning education and industry so every graduate, career changer, and job seeker can demonstrate their readiness and every employer can hire with confidence. Other counties are in the early stages and will be added here when they come online
Learn More
�� PBS: “Certification Test Focuses on Readying Students for Work”
Show Your Support
Genesee County: https://wwwworkreadycommunitiesorg/NY/037 Monroe County: https://wwwworkreadycommunitiesorg/NY/055
Together, we can make Greater Rochester a region where skill—not circumstance defines opportunity.
Employer Playbook
Building Equity Through Opportunity
Rochester faces some of the most severe racial and economic disparities in the nation, including one of the highest childhood poverty rates in the U.S. Nearly 48.2% of our children live in poverty, more than double the national average These disparities are deeply rooted in systemic racism, particularly the legacy of redlining
Beginning in the 1930s, federal housing policies and local lenders classified predominantly Black and immigrant neighborhoods as “hazardous” on official maps, cutting them off from home loans, investment, and public resources. These redlined neighborhoods were denied the same opportunity to build generational wealth as their white counterparts, creating long-lasting inequities in housing, education, health outcomes, and economic mobility.
The impact remains visible today: a short drive from Rochester to Penfield can mean a decade’s difference in life expectancy or a threefold difference in household income. Employers can be part of changing that story Every internship, job shadow, and mentorship helps close the gap by giving young people access and exposure to opportunities.
Understanding Our Local History
Exploring Racism Group (ERG) offers facilitated spaces for individuals and organizations to learn, reflect, and take action toward racial equity A special half-day session, introduced by the CEO of one of Rochester’s largest privately owned businesses, will be held on Thursday, January 15, from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. This seminar has no cost to participate.
Watch the 75-second invitation video: vimeo.com/wroc/review/1122288731/8ad3c3c96e Register Here: ERG Half-Day Registration Form
https://www.ccsi.org/ourlocalhistory/ https://exploringracism.org/
Employer Playbook
Supporting All Job Seekers
Greater ROC Careers: Job Board
The Greater ROC Careers job board powered by a collaboration between Greater Rochester Chamber and RochesterWorks is a free regional platform connecting employers with local talent across nine counties Its AI-driven tools and searchable résumé database make it easy to find qualified candidates and promote opportunities to people who want to live and work in our community.
Beyond TalentEdge: Hiring Solutions
Beyond TalentEdge is a full-service hiring agency dedicated to helping employers across the Greater Rochester region find and onboard top talent. From recruitment to onboarding, Beyond TalentEdge provides expert support to connect businesses with skilled professionals who keep our local economy thriving
Tax Credits for Hiring Youth ��
Employers may qualify for federal and state tax credits when hiring youth, particularly through programs like SYEP, SOOP, or ROC Your Job. These credits such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) reward businesses for creating jobs for individuals who face barriers to employment
Learn more at EmployerTaxCreditServicescom or talk with your payroll or tax professional to see if your hires are eligible.
Closing the Gap Together
The old playbook won’t solve today’s workforce challenges. We can’t afford to let potential go untapped simply because young people haven’t yet been given the chance to see what’s possible
When employers engage early, they don’t just build skills they build confidence, purpose, and connection to our region. The real impact begins when doors open and opportunities follow. Together, we can close the gap between talent and opportunity and build a stronger, more equitable Rochester.