New York City Mayor Eric Adams and CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez announced the launch of a new inclusive economy initiative designed to boost student career success.
The private-public partnership features a $16 million investment in campus-industry engagement, advising and internships for CUNY students.
“As a CUNY alum, I know the important role this institution plays in helping New Yorkers create a better future for themselves and their families,” said Mayor Adams on Sept 22. “Career preparedness comes from a mixture of education, commitment, and early exposure to workforce development — allowing students to light a path to economic mobility. By launching the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative, we are growing the student-to-career pipeline for CUNY students and providing early exposure to professions through skills training and quality internships.”
This initiative will help thousands of CUNY students as they explore and strengthen their careers.
“The Inclusive Economy Initiative builds on proven models for connecting students to in-demand careers and expanding the capacity of CUNY campuses to grow and sustain talent pipelines with employers across multiple fast-growing sectors — such as tech, healthcare and green jobs,” said Chancellor Matos Rodríguez. “Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Adams and the generous support of our partners, we will be able to connect even more CUNY students to paid internships, apprenticeships and jobs. We know it hasn’t always been easy to work with a big institution like CUNY. We want to change that and our plans will make it easier for employers to access our talent.”
Additionally, the initiative will help to meet the city’s goal of connecting 80 percent of CUNY graduates to careers following graduation by 2030.
“Investing in New Yorkers and preparing them to succeed in the workplace is how we will ensure our city continues to thrive in the global economy of the 21st century,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres Springer. “The Inclusive Economy Initiative leverages CUNY’s scale and its proven role as an engine for economic mobility while adding critical infrastructure to help employers grow right here in the five boroughs.”
