Workforce Challenges Are Daunting for Both Public, Private Sectors

By KRISTIAN CONNOLLY
OTSEGO COUNTY

The common thread running all the way through the Otsego County Board’s meeting on September 4 was the subject of workforce recruitment and retention, and the challenges that both private enterprises and the county itself have been trying to overcome in filling vital roles in the community.

At the outset of the meeting, the board heard wide-ranging presentations from both SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle and Otsego Now Chief Executive Officer Jody Zakresvky. Both leaders spoke about the various challenges each entity faces—particularly in recruitment and retention of staff.

Cardelle spoke about SUNY Oneonta’s Extended and Community Learning (ExCL) Center, which he termed the “workforce development arm of the college.”

Said Cardelle, “We have decided that the mission of workforce development, where that means providing opportunities for those that want more than just a college education but maybe entry-level positions, that’s a role that we have to play.”

Cardelle then spoke about a recent $1 million grant to help train individuals who will work as direct support professionals for students with cognitive disabilities in institutions such as Springbrook, Pathfinder Village and The ARC Otsego. Students get 18 credits toward a university degree, it’s free, they get paid while doing it, and they get a bump in pay.

“Not only does it improve the services at those institutions, it’s a good retention strategy, to try to keep individuals in those positions,” said Cardelle. “As we all know, those are hard areas to recruit.”

Cardelle also cited SUNY Oneonta’s Bassett Cares program, which provides a “greater and greater push for our students to get recruited into Bassett. Across the board, not only in clinical sciences, but everything from financing, food service, etc.”

More broadly, Cardelle told the board about how SUNY Oneonta is trying to find solutions that serve both the university and the Otsego County community.

“We continue to work in trying to identify areas and ways that we can not only benefit some of the work and mission of the university, but also the county,” said Cardelle. “One of the ways we’re doing that is trying to solve some of our own workforce challenges.

“We want to be able to provide opportunities for individuals, we want our students particularly to know the benefits of staying [in Otsego County] and working.”

Later in the week, County Board Chair Edwin Frazier Jr. said via e-mail that he’s been meeting regularly with Cardelle to see how more students can be integrated into county government.