KeyBank in partnership with the First Niagara Foundation is making a $750,000 donation to Goodwill of Western New York to support a new program, the Long Term Employment Support (LTES) initiative. LTES aims to improve job retention by supporting Goodwill’s clients for up to 36 months after their initial job placement.
“Helping people develop skills for success in the workplace and find jobs strengthens our local economy and community,” said Buford Sears, KeyBank Buffalo Region Market President. “KeyBank is proud to support the work of Goodwill of Western New York and give all our residents the opportunity to earn a living and enjoy more financial stability for themselves and their loved ones, while helping their careers reach their full potential.”
“We are grateful to KeyBank and excited about the opportunity to help our clients not only maintain employment for a longer term, but help them advance along a career path,” said Thomas Lynch, Goodwill President & CEO. “This initiative will improve our clients’ initial preparation, provide support in dealing with life issues that can impede job success and provide career counseling and mentorship.”
Across the Buffalo Niagara region, workforce development efforts are focused to a large extent on helping unemployed people secure jobs. While this can be an effective strategy to help individuals who have been unemployed for a short time, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests this approach is inadequate to serve the long term unemployed and under employed. LTES is designed specifically to support this latter group, by not only helping them to find jobs, but also providing the needed support to help them succeed in the workplace.
A recent report from Invest Buffalo Niagara estimates that a fifth of all jobs across the Buffalo Niagara region may be impacted by retirements over the next 10 years. This potential employee shortage poses a threat to employers. Providing a pipeline of qualified, engaged workers is a key element of ensuring continued economic success in Western New York. Additional coverage: http://buffalonews.com/2018/06/06/keybank-gives-750000-to-goodwills-push-to-keep-people-in-jobs/
https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2018/06/06/goodwill-creates-new-workforce-development-program.html https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2018/06/07/132896/keybank-donates-750000-to-goodwill-of-western-new-york-to-support-new-workforce-development-initiative
