Scholarship Awards

Innovating the Talent Pipeline: A New Dawn for Long Island’s Workforce Development

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Rich Humann, President & CEO at H2M architects + engineers, and an HIA-LI board member, moderated the panel.

The much-anticipated report, “Innovating the Talent Pipeline: Strategies for Workforce Development in the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge,” was unveiled at HIA-LI’s “Workforce Development Conference and Scholarship Awards” event on October 13, 2023, at Farmingdale State College. This report is a testament to our commitment, as outlined in my June 5, 2023 blog post, to address the skills gap on Long Island.

The Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge (LI-IPH), the Northeast’s largest industrial park, is a beacon of regional economic strength, with over 1,300 companies and employing more than 55,000 workers. However, the challenge of a skilled workforce shortage looms large. This report, a collaborative effort between HIA-LI, the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), and the Workforce Development Institute (WDI), provides a roadmap to ensure the long-term resilience and competitiveness of the Long Island business sector.

James Lima Planning + Development, a renowned a New York City-based planning, real estate, and economic advisory firm, undertook the strategic analysis. Their comprehensive study, based on surveys from 34 Long Island employers, sheds light on the skills and talent needs of businesses, with a special focus on the LI-IPH.

The report’s findings are both insightful and actionable. It emphasizes the importance of:

  1. Access and Awareness: An island-wide campaign to promote resources such as adult English classes, career support, and job fairs.
  2. Strengthening Industry-Academia Partnerships: Encouraging project-based learning, AI tools, and best practices in the manufacturing sector.
  3. Promoting Intra- and Cross-Sector Collaborations: Highlighting best practices, foreign language support, and software training.
  4. Fostering a Learning and Advancement Culture: Championing mentorship initiatives and branded learning programs.
  5. Building Affordable and Attractive Communities: Advocating for workforce housing and transit-oriented development.

I’d like to extend my gratitude to the panelists and contributors who made this event and report possible. Their insights and expertise have been invaluable.

And of course, a special thanks to our partners in this effort: Kelly Murphy, Acting Executive Director of the Suffolk County IDA, and Robyn Fellrath, Long Island Regional Director at the Workforce Development Institute. We couldn’t have done this without their steadfast support.

Another highlight of the morning was the Scholarship Awards ceremony. This initiative is more than just financial assistance; it’s a commitment to the future of Long Island. By providing scholarships to high school graduates who choose to pursue their college studies here on Long Island, we’re not only investing in their education but also fostering a sense of community and continuity. It’s a clear message: we believe in the potential of our young minds and the promise they hold for our region’s future.

It’s also a testament to our dedication to keeping local talent local. By incentivizing our youth to study and subsequently work in the Nassau-Suffolk region, we’re ensuring a steady stream of skilled professionals who are familiar with the unique challenges and opportunities here on Long Island. These young individuals, equipped with local knowledge and a world-class education, will be the driving force behind Long Island’s continued economic growth and innovation.

In conclusion, as the President and CEO of HIA-LI, I am proud of this monumental step towards bridging the skills gap on Long Island. The recommendations in this report are not just words on paper; they are a call to action. Together, we can ensure a vibrant, resilient, and future-ready regional economy.

Young Professionals Impart Wisdom

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There was a full-house at the June 18 HIA-LI Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (H.Y.P.E.) Executive Breakfast and Scholarship Awards ceremony.

We all know the challenge of young people leaving Long Island to live and work in other regions. In fact, it is stated by the year 2025 seventy-five percent of the workforce will be millennials who, if they continue to exit Long Island, will create an even larger challenge. We also know the urgent need to create jobs and connect our educational partners. It is the very reason that several years ago the HIA-LI created a Young Professionals Committee (now H.Y.P.E.) that every year creates a young professionals panel to speak to our scholarship recipients.

There were some great takeaways this year from the June 18th HIA-LI Young Professionals Scholarship Awards and Executive Breakfast held at the WizdomOne Group of Companies in Islandia.  Here are a few that stand out:

  • Follow your passion because passion equals excellence. Now is not the time to “settle” or second-guess your dreams.
  • If you’re not sure of your career direction, use college to explore your options. Take classes that interest you . . . one of them might just ignite a ‘spark.’
  • There is no substitute for hard work. (You’ve heard the expression, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.  Well, it’s true.)
  • Look at failures as learning opportunities. You can’t learn to succeed unless you’ve learned to fail.  And when you do fail, fail hard, fail fast, and then get up and continue moving forward.
  • Be present in whatever you’re doing. Put down the cell phone.  Turn off the TV.  Focus on people.
  • It’s important to have a support system. It may your parents.  It may be friends.  It may be extended family.  Or it may be co-workers.  But no matter, surround yourself with people who are positive and supportive.
  • Find work-life balance that makes you happy. It may not look like your parents, friends, or colleagues, but that’s ok.  So long as it works for you.
  • Make your bed every morning! Yes, starting the day in an organized way sets a positive tone for the rest of your day.

Many thanks to the stellar panel of young professionals who helped to impart these insightful pieces of advice.  They were moderators Jason Hershkowitz, Account Manager and Executive Recruiter, Choice Long Island, and Gregg Pajak, Founder and Managing Partner, WizdomeOne Group of Companies. Panelists included Josiah Cheatham, Senior Business Development Representative, People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union; Adam Holtzer, Director of Business Development, Generations Beyond; Lauren Kanter-Lawrence, Director of Communications, Campolo Middleton & McCormick, LLP; and, David Whelan, Director of Development, Harvest Power.

Congratulations to the 12 scholarship recipients, all children of HIA-LI members who chose to continue their post-high school education right here on Long Island.

Want to find out more about HIA-LI’s Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs (H.Y.P.E.) Committee?  Call Connor Robertson at 631-543-5355 or email crobertson@hia-li.org.