Connecting Education, Careers
and Workforce Development
SUNY Poly formally launched its Office of Workforce Development to connect education with opportunity through three primary pillars: Pre-Collegiate Outreach, Career Services, and Continuing Professional Education. The office strengthens partnerships among SUNY Poly, employers, school districts, and community organizations while creating clearer pathways to high-demand careers.
Expanding Paid Internship Opportunities
SUNY Poly invested more than $100,000 in internship support during the 2025–26 academic year, helping 22 students participate in paid internships and summer research experiences. These funds expanded access to experiential learning, particularly for students who may otherwise have been unable to accept an unpaid opportunity.
Strengthening Career Readiness and Experiential Learning
The Office of Workforce Development and Career Services advanced SUNY’s goal of ensuring every undergraduate student participates in an internship or another high-quality experiential learning opportunity before graduation. This work included expanding internship partnerships, developing more consistent campus procedures, increased workshop opportunities that introduce students to industry partners with a focus on employability skills, and preparing new career-readiness programming that will be embedded into courses and student workshops.
Expanding K–12 Camps and Pre-Collegiate Engagement
Through Pre-Collegiate Outreach, SUNY Poly offered numerous camps, competitions, workshops, campus visits, and hands-on learning experiences for K–12 students throughout the region. Programming introduced young learners to fields such as STEM, engineering, technology, robotics, drone soccer, and career and technical education while helping students envision themselves on a college campus and explore future educational and career pathways. These opportunities were made possible through collaboration with school districts, community organizations, industry partners, and SUNY Poly faculty and staff.
Building Workforce Training Through the NSF EPIIC Grant
Through SUNY Poly’s $400,000 NSF EPIIC grant, the Office of Workforce Development continued building the infrastructure needed to develop employer-responsive education and training. The initiative supported partnerships with Griffiss Institute and Upstate Caring Partners, faculty, and industry leaders to identify regional workforce needs and develop new training opportunities in areas such as cybersecurity, behavioral health, artificial intelligence, microelectronics, and advanced technology.
Advancing Continuing Professional Education Opportunities
The Office of Workforce Development, in collaboration with SUNY Poly faculty and external partners, developed new continuing professional education opportunities to address regional workforce needs. Fall 2026 offerings include Boundary Law for surveying professionals, Wireless Communication Systems, and Poly Leadership Engagement and Development, and a Registered Behavior Technician certification course.
Launching Poly LEAD for Women
The Office of Workforce Development launched Poly LEAD for Women in collaboration with other departments on campus to provide a professional leadership development series designed to empower current and emerging women leaders across industries. The inaugural series brought together nearly 100 participants from SUNY Poly and organizations throughout the region for workshops focused on personal leadership, difficult conversations, well-being, and practical leadership skills.
Developing Employer-Responsive Training Partnerships
The Office of Workforce Development expanded its engagement with regional employers and community partners to identify skill gaps and create customized training solutions. This work has supported the development of new programming in artificial intelligence, behavioral health, engineering, surveying, cybersecurity, and other high-demand fields.
Improving Infrastructure for Workforce and Continuing Education Programs
The office began implementing a new customer relationship management system to support continuing education enrollment, employer engagement, communications, and program tracking. This infrastructure will help SUNY Poly more efficiently manage non-credit programs and expand access for adult learners, working professionals, and employer partners.