SERINO SEEKS INPUT FROM AREA YOUTH

HYDE PARK, NY - With countless reports detailing the droves of residents fleeing New York, Senator Sue Serino recently brought together a dynamic group of local college student leaders, career counselors, and business leaders to hear first-hand from young people about the factors they consider when deciding where to start their adult lives post-graduation.

“Our community is home to some really incredible higher education institutions that attract world-class talent to their programs,” said Senator Sue Serino. “As a representative, I want to be sure that we are doing all that we can to ensure that our community is a place where young people want, and can afford, to start the next phase of their lives. Through an on-going and open dialogue with local business leaders and young people, we can develop unique initiatives and continue to create more opportunity for students to succeed when it comes time to find a career and embark on that next chapter.”

Frank Castella Jr., President and CEO of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce participated in the event and said, “What we learned today can help us do a better job attracting talent to our region.  This is vital to the continued growth and support of businesses who are struggling to find skilled employees.  We can also improve exposure of students to the exciting quality of life in the Hudson Valley. This will make them feel welcome and open pathways to integrate them into our local community. We heard students have experienced some of what we have to offer, they love what they see, but to convince them to stay we need to prove the quality jobs are also here. Industry in the Hudson Valley has a competitive advantage — an underutilized resource in our extensive local higher learning institutions — and we do have the careers to retain students.  Our colleges and businesses clearly have a connection already, but it was also apparent there is still work to be done.”

Jane Rodd, 4-H Youth Development Program Leader from Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County said “The opportunity this roundtable provided us, to listen in person to what the youth themselves need and want, is invaluable in empowering us to make meaningful decisions in how we shape the future.”

Student representatives came from Dutchess Community College, the Culinary Institute of America, Vassar College, and Marist College. Some of the topics discussed included factors that originally drew students to study in the Hudson Valley, available internship opportunities, and the importance of strengthening connections between students and local businesses.

This event is the first in a series that Serino hopes to host throughout the year to seek innovative solutions to bring local students together with local businesses, and community organizations, to help foster relationships that may play an invaluable role in helping students ultimately choose to build their careers and start their families here in the local area.

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