2025 Conference and Events Year-End Impact Statement

Year-at-a-Glance Impact

As we close out the year, NYATEP proudly reflects on two of our signature convenings: the Youth Practitioners Conference and the Workforce Development Conference. Together, these events advanced our mission to strengthen youth- and workforce-serving systems across New York State by building community, fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and elevating practitioner voices. 

We also met with members across the state through a five-stop “Listening Tour” that took us through the Hudson Valley, the Capital Region, Central New York, Western New York, and New York City between late May and early August. In all, more than 200 members, partners, and guests attended these sessions, which featured group discussion on key questions regarding their experiences, challenges, and aspirations. To close each event, NYATEP was joined by partners from the NYS Department of Labor and State University of New York for “Ask Us Anything” sessions, followed by time for networking. We summarized what we heard and learned in an October 2025 brief titled “From the Field.”  Combined, these signature events served over 600 workforce development professionals with over 30 breakout sessions, and over 100 presenters from around New York State.

Youth Practitioners Conference

The Youth Practitioners Conference held from March 10-12, 2025 in Saratoga Springs, served as a dynamic space for professionals dedicated to supporting young people’s education, career readiness, and overall well-being. This year’s conference brought together program leaders, educators, and advocates from across the state to:

• Explore innovative strategies for engaging young people, particularly those facing systemic barriers
• Share practical tools and promising practices from community-based programs
• Center youth voice, equity, and trauma-informed approaches in service delivery 
• Strengthen peer connections and cross-sector collaboration

Workforce Development Conference

The Workforce Development Conference, held in Albany from October 20-22, 2025, highlighted the evolving needs of New York’s workforce system and the professionals working to connect jobseekers with meaningful employment. This year’s event convened workforce leaders, policymakers, employers, and service providers to:

• Examine labor market trends and emerging industries
• Discuss strategies for serving priority populations, including opportunity youth and adults facing employment barriers
• Strengthen alignment between education, training, and employer needs
• Highlight policy developments and system-level innovations

This year we also awarded the inaugural Melinda Mack Legacy Award. Take a look back at this year's award winners here: Statewide Workforce Awards & The Melinda Mack Legacy Award

Statewide Listening Tour

Over the spring and summer, the NYATEP team met members and partners in New York State with events in Newburgh (May 29), Troy (June 16), Syracuse (July 29), Buffalo (August 7), and Brooklyn (August 13). At each event, we asked attendees to share how they explained their work to friends, their most significant frustrations and hopes, and what NYATEP could do to support them. As noted in our From the Field brief, we learned that our community members are:

• Deeply proud of the work they do for and with jobseekers, employers, and youth
• Frustrated at the factors that constrain that work—above all, the limited understanding of what they do on the part of policymakers and employers, and program structures that severely restrict how long and how well they can serve high-need participants
• Anxious about pending changes, particularly related to federal policy and funding
• Fully committed to helping their clients and partners to thrive

We are in the process of developing plans to better support members with communications and storytelling, as well as helping them form stronger connections with local employers—more to come in 2026!

Did you know that NYATEP signature events are not only a great place to grow your skills but they also serve as a great place to build awareness about your organization? Click here to learn more about our Partnership Program or email the NYATEP team at [email protected] to learn more!