Workforce Development
Verizon Skill Forward Registration
The Buffalo Urban League has partnered with Verizon to provide you with the skills to pave your path to new career opportunities with job-relevant programs from edX, part of Verizon’s goal to make quality education accessible for all. Please take 5 minutes to complete this registration form.
Introductory Level (No Experience Required)-Self Paced (Progress at your own speed)-Course commitment (4-24 hours per week)-Earn certificates in high-growth fields.
Earn instructor-signed certificates from leading universities and organizations to prove your proficiency in the following high-growth careers
Through Verizon Skill Forward, you receive one (1) year of free access to edX’s self-paced, expert-led online programs to align with in-demand roles and essential skills to prepare you to pursue a role at any company. Time to complete a certification varies by program, but some certifications can be earned in as little as a month. Verizon believes that everyone has an opportunity to succeed and prosper. Through the Verizon Skill Forward program, which is part of the Citizen Verizon initiative, our goal is to prepare 500,000 individuals for future-proof jobs by 2030. To serve native Spanish speakers, we also offer select Spanish-language programs.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT:
EDUCATION, JOB TRAINING, AND EMPLOYMENT
Our Workforce & Economic Development seeks to create avenues for economic empowerment through educational attainment, intentional programming, skills and career readiness training, mentorship, and employment outreach services. Youth and young adults ages 14-24 have access to paid work experience opportunities with local businesses, skilled trade apprenticeships and training programs with our community partners.
Through our workforce development programs, we provide education, job training, and employment services that ensure individuals are prepared to secure employment opportunities leading to economic self-reliance. High educational achievement is a critical pathway to fostering gainful employment.
HIGHLIGHTS
- 89% of our graduates in advanced manufacturing, construction, and hospitality training are employed
- Individuals secured jobs with average annual earnings of $40,000
PROGRAMS
You Only Live Once (YOLO)
For eligible out of school youth, 16 – 24 in need of their high school equivalency (HSE). In the YOLO program, the youth will learn basic job readiness skills with a focus on their HSE. This exciting program provides services including classroom training, on-the job training, job shadowing, and work experience with the opportunity to earn monetary stipends. The YOLO program focuses on preparing youth for career pathways in areas consistent with the needs of the labor market, such as advanced manufacturing, health care, hospitality, and tourism. Based on need, youth can participate in programming for up to 30 hours per week for 26 weeks.
TRAINING: Northland Workforce Training Center
Working as a partner along with Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, and Goodwill Industries, the Buffalo Urban League provides assistance to students 18 and over who are interested in advanced manufacturing and energy sector career opportunities and pathways. Through the program’s SUNY educational partners, ECC and Alfred State, individuals accepted into this program will be eligible for credit, certificate and associate degrees.
Employment
Through our employment transition services, we serve residents of Erie County, ages 18 and over, who are unemployed, underemployed, dislocated workers or seeking employment change. Individual assessments are made to determine the specific services required for an individual to address their needs and barriers so that they can become an active job seeker and compete in the labor market. As a part of our outreach plan, services are provided twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday, at the Buffalo Employment and Training Center. (BETC)
Start Up Together - SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program
Start Up Together is the Buffalo Urban League's new small business development program, launched in partnership with the theNational Urban League and the US Small Business Administration's community navigator program.
The program's focus is to reach and support underserved small businesses, with an emphasis on those owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals to help them recover from the effects of COVID-19.
As a trusted community member, the Buffalo Urban League acts as a Hub to deliver technical assistance and resources to businesses in their respective communities during economic recovery, including:
- financial assistance and access to capital
- contracting and procurement
- marketing, operations, and business development
- industry-specific training
In addition to these services, the Buffalo Urban League will assist entrepreneurs to recover from the effects of the pandemic by providing information and tools to help stabilize and grow your businesses, including individualized counseling, mentoring, training, workshops, seminars, and printed materials that will be delivered online as well as in-person.
