Greater Rochester Chamber strengthens regional workforce strategy through new national opportunities and community partnerships

Rochester, New York – The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is taking another major step forward in shaping the region’s future workforce, strengthening its role as a connector between education and economic opportunity. A combination of new partnerships, national recognition, and targeted initiatives is positioning the Chamber at the center of efforts to address the evolving needs of employers while creating clearer pathways for workers and students alike.

The latest milestone came with the announcement that Melanie Russo, Workforce Innovation Partner at Greater Rochester Chamber, has been chosen to join the twelfth cohort of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Leads Fellowship Program. This national fellowship gathers leaders from chambers of commerce, trade associations, and economic development organizations across the country, all committed to rethinking how education and workforce systems intersect.

Russo’s selection is more than personal recognition—it signals Greater Rochester Chamber’s growing voice in a national conversation about how communities can prepare for future jobs. Over the six-month program, Russo will join 34 other participants in examining approaches that cover the entire talent pipeline, from early childhood education to advanced workforce development.

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“This Fellowship comes at a pivotal moment for our region, as we align our education and workforce systems to meet the demands of the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub and other emerging industries. As both a workforce strategist and a parent of four school-aged children, I see every day how important it is that young people and job seekers can clearly see, and access, a path to meaningful careers,” Russo said. “I’m honored to join this national network and look forward to bringing back practical strategies that benefit both our community members and our employers.”

The appointment arrives at a time when Greater Rochester Chamber is layering national opportunities on top of local initiatives to ensure the region’s workforce is both resilient and competitive. The Chamber has long emphasized that collaboration—between businesses, schools, and community leaders—is key to building long-term systems that can adapt to shifting industry demands. Russo’s fellowship adds to that strategy by embedding Rochester into a network of peers who are experimenting with workforce solutions across the country.

Beyond the fellowship, the Chamber is preparing for a series of other efforts that extend its reach and reinforce its workforce development mission. In early September, Greater Rochester Chamber will take part in the Back to School Summit in New York City, a global event focused on linking education systems more directly with workforce pipelines. The Chamber’s participation is made possible through collaboration with InSpring, the administrator of Greater ROC Global, which helps connect international talent to high-demand positions in the region’s hospitals. That initiative, already tackling gaps in healthcare, may soon expand into advanced manufacturing and education sectors—areas that have been flagged as critical for the NY SMART I-Corridor’s success.

InSpring also supports the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Leadership Council, a forum where employers, educators, and community leaders align their strategies for talent development. Russo serves on the Council, ensuring that Rochester’s voice is part of a larger regional push to identify what works, share lessons across industries, and raise awareness of local successes on a national stage.

At the same time, the Chamber is advancing the ACT Work Ready Communities framework, a data-driven tool that allows regions to validate the skills of their workforce and build stronger employer partnerships. By creating measurable benchmarks and linking them to employer needs, the initiative helps ensure that training programs produce outcomes directly tied to in-demand jobs. This complements Greater Rochester Chamber’s STEP UP program—Sector-based Training & Employer Partnerships Unified Program—which already connects students and adults with industry-recognized credentials designed in close collaboration with employers.

Taken together, these efforts form a web of strategies aimed at tackling one of the region’s most pressing challenges: ensuring that workers are ready for the jobs of tomorrow, while employers can rely on a steady pipeline of talent. Chamber leaders stress that there is no single fix. Instead, it will take coordinated action, creative thinking, and a commitment to inclusivity.

“There’s no single solution to solving our workforce challenges. We must grow our talent pool by both attracting skilled international talent and expanding access to training and career pathways for historically excluded populations. It’s going to take collaboration, creativity, and a commitment to equity—and that’s exactly what these efforts represent,” a Chamber statement emphasized.

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The pace of change in industries like healthcare, technology, and advanced manufacturing means that regions like Rochester must continuously adapt. By aligning local partnerships with national networks, Greater Rochester Chamber is betting that it can secure not just short-term fixes but long-lasting systems that keep pace with new opportunities. Russo’s fellowship, the upcoming summit, and ongoing collaborations all contribute to that broader vision.

As Rochester positions itself as a critical part of the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub, the Chamber’s work underscores the reality that workforce readiness is not just about training workers, but about reshaping the ecosystem that supports them—from early learning to lifelong careers. With national recognition and regional initiatives advancing in tandem, Greater Rochester Chamber appears determined to ensure that the community’s economic growth is powered by an inclusive and future-ready workforce.