The Southern Tier of New York
13N Initiative (ST-WIRED)

The Southern Tier of New York 13N Initiative is a partnership of local workforce investment boards in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus-Allegany, Chemung-Schuyler-Steuben, Tompkins, Broome-Tioga, and Chenango-Delaware-Otsego to improve the region’s economic competitiveness through sector based approaches focused on talent attraction, development, and retention strategies.

The Leadership Council includes business, government, education, training, and economic development agencies experienced in dealing with advanced manufacturing employers.  Participating CDO Workforce area members include, Audrey Benkenstein, Program Services Manager of CDO Workforce; the CDO WIB Chairperson; Carolyn Lewis, Director of Otsego County Economic Development; Glenda Roberts, Director of Business and Community Services at SUNY Delhi; and other CDO Workforce area partners include Amphenol Aerospace Corp., Custom Electronics, Raymond Corporation, DCMO BOCES, and ONC BOCES. 

The council established a two-pronged strategy:

• Pipeline Development –school-to-work projects, job shadowing, tours, internships and special events to build career awareness for teachers and parents, and students.
• Workforce Sector Needs – Create a pipeline of qualified workers to meet current and future needs of the advance manufacturing sector.