PEER Academy Fellows Meet in Buffalo for Opening Retreat

The inaugural Partnering Economic & Employment Research (PEER) Academy brought together 16 dynamic fellows from Southeast Michigan and Western New York to ignite innovation in workforce and economic development. Hosted in partnership with the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) and the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP), this transformative academy marked the beginning of an exciting journey for regional leaders.

Highlights from the event included:

• Sixteen fellows from diverse backgrounds—including nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, and public agencies—convened to collaborate on enhancing labor market information (LMI) capabilities and addressing regional economic and workforce opportunities.
• Regional guest faculty shared real-time insights and experiences in leveraging labor market information, equipping fellows with the knowledge to consider data-driven strategies.
• Built meaningful connections, laying the foundation for a network that will continue to support their work beyond the academy.

The PEER Academy is poised to empower these leaders to drive innovation in their communities, collaborative solutions and impactful regional systems change through labor market information. 

Thank you to our speakers, invited guests and M&T Tech Academy for hosting us! Here are a few photos from the event! 

RELATED LINKS: 

• ABOUT THE PARTNERING FOR ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT RESEARCH (PEER) ACADEMY
• MEET THE 2024-25 PEER ACADEMY COHORT

Interested in learning more about the PEER Academy and how to bring it to your region?  Contact Joelle Monaco, Director of Level Up, at [email protected].