Greater Utica Chamber Hosts Forum on Business Engagement in Education

UTICA, N.Y., Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tomorrow, the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Public Policy Institute of New York State (PPI) and the Committee for Economic Development (CED), will host a forum on the state's new K-12 education standards and the role that businesses can play to support them.

The event will be held from 8:30 – 10 a.m. (with registration at 8 a.m.) at the Radisson Hotel-Utica Centre at 200 Genesee Street in Utica. 

"The Chamber and its Government Affairs Council are fully in support of cultivating a college- and career-ready workforce for our employers. This forum is the right step in that direction," said Pamela G. Matt, Esq., executive director of the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce.

"Businesses across the state rely on the education system to prepare students for careers in the 21st century economy.  Unfortunately, as evident by the growing skills gap, there is a disconnect between what students are learning in school and what they need to know to succeed in the work world," said Heather C. Briccetti, Esq., president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc. "Innovative partnerships like the New York State Pathways in Technology Early High School program and preservation of the Common Core standards are crucial in helping students develop skills with real-world applicability." 

"Today, nearly 20 percent of American students require costly remediation to succeed in college," said Michael Petro, executive vice president of CED. "New York State's decision to adopt high-quality K-12 standards levels the playing field for all of its students to have successful college and career experiences."

During the forum, Briccetti will discuss the skills gap that's hampering job growth in New York and the nation, and why the new standards will help to close it. Additionally, Allison Armour-Garb, an education consultant for PPI, will speak about what steps the employer community can take to cultivate a college- and career-ready workforce. 

The Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization comprised of business and business-oriented members dedicated to the development of a prosperous economic climate that will enhance commercial growth and the quality of life for all who reside in the Utica area.

PPI is the 501 (c) 3 research arm of The Business Council.  PPI's goal is to formulate and promote public policies that restore New York's economic competitiveness. 

CED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, business-led public policy organization that delivers well-researched analysis and reasoned solutions to our nation's most critical issues. CED's work centers on the pursuit of seven core principles: sustainable capitalism, long-term economic growth, efficient fiscal & regulatory policy, competitive & open markets, globally competitive workforce, equal economic opportunity, and non-partisanship in the nation's interest. CED's research falls under four issue areas: fiscal health, education, global competitiveness, and democratic institutions. Learn more about CED online at www.ced.org, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Please visit the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce website for more information on tomorrow's event.

Media Contacts
Elise Perkins
202.469.7831
[email protected]

Gary Hughes
518.465.7511
[email protected]

Pamela G. Matt, Esq., Executive Director
(315) 724-3151
[email protected]

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SOURCE Committee for Economic Development

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