KINGSTON – Ulster County will host an Economic Futures Summit on Oct. 27 at SUNY New Paltz, bringing together educators, students, employers, workforce organizations, government leaders, labor representatives, and community partners to discuss the county’s economic future.
The full-day summit will focus on strengthening connections between education and industries experiencing growth in Ulster County and developing accessible pathways to living-wage careers. Educational partners include SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Ulster and Ulster BOCES.
“The Ulster County Economic Futures Summit is about building a more connected ecosystem of educators and employers, and creating pathways to good careers that meet current and emerging needs in key economic sectors,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “We have tremendous assets across our educational institutions and industries, and this is our moment to align them to support innovation, resilience, and shared prosperity. I want to thank SUNY Ulster, SUNY New Paltz and Ulster BOCES, the Ulster County Workforce Development Board, and all the students and industry stakeholders who will be part of this work. I’m looking forward to a dynamic and productive day, and the ongoing partnerships this summit seeks to foster.”
The summit will examine how the county can strengthen pathways from education to local careers while supporting long-term economic resilience. Discussions will center on five industry clusters identified through workforce demand, existing partnerships and county economic priorities:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Value-added agriculture and food production
- Health care
- Green building, infrastructure, energy and skilled trades
- Film and media
Breakout sessions will bring together employers, educators and workforce leaders to discuss industry trends, challenges and opportunities and develop recommendations for strengthening career pathways and long-term sector development.
County officials said the summit is also intended to strengthen relationships among industry, education and government. Organizers said many groups share similar goals but lack opportunities for structured collaboration.
The summit will seek to foster new partnerships, improve communication and develop a shared approach to talent development and economic opportunity in Ulster County.
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