By Jacob Tierney – Reporter, Buffalo Business First
May 26, 2023
The workforce development programs at Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology are about more than just job skills.
Many participants are from the poorest regions in Buffalo. They struggle with issues like transportation and food insecurity. BCAT's staff help connect students with resources to help them with those issues. All of BCAT's services are completely free of charge.
"Our goal is, if you sign up for our program, we stay with you to get you through it," said President and CEO Gina Burkhardt.
The organization's adult workforce development program has an 85% retention rate, and its graduates have found jobs in healthcare, IT and other high-demand fields.
BCAT is celebrating its tenth anniversary and looking toward the future with plans for expansion.
The organization's one-on-one approach to education requires small class sizes, and BCAT's Main Street headquarters has limited room for growth. The organization had 160 adults in its workforce development programs last year, in addition to the kids who take part in a youth arts and technology program.
"We've run out of classroom space here," Burkhardt said.
Seven employees run the workforce development program, most of them part-time instructors.
BCAT is working on plans to expand its space and grow its staff. The KeyBank Foundation this year gave a $1 million grant to expand the organization's workforce development programs.
This will allow BCAT to add more classes, Burkhardt said.
The organization aims to fill a specific niche in Western New York's workforce development landscape. It chooses its program offerings carefully It wants to give workers the skills for high-demand, middle-skill jobs that provide sustainable wages, while avoiding overlap with other local workforce training programs.
When it started 10 years ago it offered two courses: medical coding and pharmacy technician. Partnerships with Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center help graduates find jobs.
It's since added programs in IT, phlebotomy, landscaping and other careers.
One former graduate is now an instructor with BCAT. Another sits on the organization's board.
Burkhardt said her mission is to create equitable access to workforce development programs for everyone in Western New York. Everyone deserves the ability to pursue a job that motivates them, she said.
More employers have started talking seriously about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, which is an important move in the right direction, she said.
"That's the first step to action," she said. "I'm seeing a lot of organizations really step up to the plate."