U.S. Chamber Workforce Program Selects NY Chamber

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to the Workforce Innovation Networks, a national partnership that works with employer organizations on the cutting-edge of workforce development to meet the needs of their member firms for employees at the entry-level and above.

"Hiring, training, and retaining qualified employees is a top priority for almost every business owner," said Beth B. Buehlmann, executive director of the U.S. Chamber's Center for Workforce Preparation. "The Brooklyn Chamber's success can be a learning tool for other local chambers that want to have the same kind of bottom-line impact for their members and local workers."

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce joins six local chambers and 14 other Workforce Innovation Networks partners to help improve workforce systems, provide targeted training and services, and improve the hiring and promotion of workers with multiple barriers to successful employment.

"Our goal is to create a workforce center that is connected to the publicly funded workforce system," said Randolph Peers, executive director of workforce development for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. "Effectively engaging small and mid-sized businesses, increasing their access to workforce related services, and promoting their representation on the Workforce Investment Board will all be priorities for the Brooklyn Chamber under this initiative."

The Brooklyn program will seek to expand its ability and capacity to offer more employer services; collect and analyze local labor market information with a focus on Brooklyn; and institute a workforce academy model.

The Center for Workforce Preparation, established in 1990, is a nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that develops workforce strategies for businesses, chambers of commerce, and communities to hire, train, retain, and advance skilled workers in the 21st century.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses, 3,000 state and local chambers, 830 business associations, and 92 American Chambers of Commerce abroad.

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