Mayor Brown to Host Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth in Buffalo

Calling all concerned citizens of the City of Buffalo! Mayor Byron Brown is hosting a Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth at the Buffalo Convention Center Wednesday December 9th from 4-6:30pm to explore every possible avenue for job creation and get ideas from CEOs, small business owners, economists, financial experts, labor union representatives, nonprofit groups and city residents who have felt the impact of this economic crisis firsthand. Here's your opportunity to contribute to the growth and economic welfare of our city by sharing your unique insights and experiences during this turbulent economic period in our nation. Your participation is critical to making sure that we have input from every sector of this great city, so that President Obama will have a clear understanding of our region and its' job creation efforts. Come join us, register to attend now at http://www.city-buffalo.com/mayors-jobforum. I'll see you there!

Until next time, Let's Keep Building a Better Community Together!

Buffalo Mayor Brown Brokers the Creation of New “Green Collar” Jobs

Among the many “firsts” in Buffalo with the Extreme Makeover Home Edition project is the introduction to the local market of an entirely new kind of “green” job—involving the documentation of construction waste recycling efforts on the job site.

Through an innovative partnership brokered by Mayor Brown's economic development department, WasteCap Resource Solutions, the nation's leading construction waste recycling organization, partnered with Buffalo's Minority Contractor Alliance. The first of its kind partnership in the US developed and implemented a construction and demolition waste recycling plan for the Extreme MakeOver Home Edition project right here in Buffalo.

Over a dozen MCA members took part in the week-long monitoring and verification of the construction site's waste materials. Demolition and construction veteran Mr. Jabril Shareef, who led MCA's efforts in the field, ensured Makeover's construction workers and volunteers put all waste coming off the site in its correct place for maximum recycling. “We organized dumpsters for separating scrap metal, wood, cardboard, even drywall coming off the construction site.” By vigilantly monitoring the construction site, each designated box was kept from being contaminated by non recyclable and reusable materials. “Keeping each box clean we made we were maximizing the value of the material's reuse and ensuring there would be good markets for the its reuse, rather then sending it all to a landfill like projects before us” said Shareef.

No one has done this kind of job at this level before in Western New York. These are truly a new kind of job. The construction waste recycling industry is growing fast in US cities like Chicago.

While MCA was donating its labor, like everyone did on the Extreme Makeover site this week, as Community Partners with WasteCap we are eager to provide these services on a paid basis for other construction projects looking to save money through avoided disposal costs or obtain any number of new “green” certifications. Regional builder David Homes has committed to construction waste recycling on their future new built homes. We're ready to provide those services for them, and others.

MCA founder, Michael Peterson, sees providing construction waste recycling plans and on site monitoring as a natural addition to the contractor services MCA has long provided. “We have members of the Alliance who do demolition, lead abatement, framing, heating and cooling, general contracting and more. These recycling services are responding to a new market demand,” Peterson projects. Increasingly, companies want to be environmentally responsible and one way to prove it is through certification programs like the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ , Green Guidelines for Healthcare, or what Extreme Makeover's new home construction in Buffalo this week is pursuing through David Homes--the National Association of Homebuilders' “Certified Green Professional Designation.” President Obama signed an executive order that all new Department of Defense building projects recycle their construction waste. States like Wisconsin also have such regulations, as do an increasing number of cities.

WasteCap's Jim Birmingham, who was on site since Monday, has monitored dozens of such projects throughout the country. “WasteCap has provided such services to building owners, builders and developers on over $3 billion worth of construction projects, achieving average recycling rates of 70% which all together have diverted over 267,000 tons of construction waste from US landfills,” he reported. “This Community Partnership with Buffalo's MCA can grow that kind of environmental business here. We're pleased to be a part of it,” said Birmingham.

Mayor Byron W. Brown applauded the WasteCap and MCA partnership, forged by the City of Buffalo, and noted that “this will form WasteCap’s first community partnership in the US. This is the kind of technical assistance and knowledge transfer from national organizations to local companies that responds to market opportunities and creates jobs. I hope builders, architects and devlopers will want to get their green certifications and that they can take full advantage of these new skills in the local marketplace. When told by MCA and WasteCap that David Homes expected recycling rate would approach 90% o n the Extreme Makeover - Home Edition house, the Mayor congratulated all involved and stated, "with over 4 billion dollars of construction projects planned or underway in Buffalo, there's a lot of landfill waste that can be diverted and create local jobs in the process."

Until next time...Let's Keep Building A Better Community Together!

WNY Diversity Job Fair

The WNY Diversity Job Fair will be taking place at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on Franklin Street in downtown Buffalo. It's all happening tomorrow, Wednesday September 23rd from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM on the 2nd floor.

You'll have the opportunity to talk with 50 different companies that will be on-site. So bring your A-game, turn your swagger on and wow them with your skills! Come prepared to find a job or begin an exciting new career path. Dress professionally (translation, no jeans or sneakers please!!!). Bring lots of resumes and your winning attitude and who knows what good things can happen!

This job fair is free and open to everyone, so tell a friend as long as they promise not to compete with you for a job! (HA!) So what are you waiting for... let's get the resume updated and printed out! Good luck to you.

Until next time...Let's Keep Building A Better Community Together!

Pathways to Promise...

I was just thinking about the many avenues and outlets that exist right here in Buffalo that serve as pathways to promise for residents of this revitalizing city. It would seem that some of these paths have become overgrown and therefore, overlooked. I'd like to highlight one those pathways for you today:

The Buffalo Employment & Training Center (BETC) provides job training opportunities for consumers looking to enhance their skill set or for those who are looking to make a career change. They have staff on site to assist you with developing a top notch resume to present yourself as the shining star that you are! BETC also offers a multitude of computer training classes on the latest and most used software business applications like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and many others. The Career Counselors there are happy to assist you in developing career and job search plans that will help you to attain your desired goals.

Another unique service provided by BETC is their Breakfast Club... It's not what you think. Breakfast Clubs are arranged at no cost to local companies to come in and do presentations to about 35 pre-registered attendees who might be interested in employment opportunities being offered. There's a light continental breakfast provided and plenty of opportunity to learn more about the company and the positions that are being offered. This is an excellent forum for employers and potential employees to connect.

Hey but don't take my word for it, stop down to the BETC at 77 Goodell St, Bflo, NY 14203 and check it out for yourself! Just one more of the pathways to promise that Buffalo has to offer.

Until next time... Let's Keep Building a Better Community Together!

Gearing Up for the WNY Career Resource Expo!

Hey Gang, the WNY Career Resource Expo is just around the corner. This year's expo will be taking place at Erie Community College (ECC) City Campus on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 from 1pm to 5pm. There will be several employer led panels for discussion on the following topics:

• What Employers Are Looking For


• Healthcare Employment in WNY


• Green Jobs


• Accounting/Finance Hiring & Compensation Outlook

Also the event will feature a host of workshops covering a variety of topics with local experts on hand to provide insightful and relevant information to jobseekers. You don't want to miss this, it will be a great opportunity to add some additional tools for building the career that you've been working on. See you there!

Until next time...Lets Keep Building a Better Community Together!

My Two Cents on Polishing Up the Rust Belt

I live and work in Buffalo. Yep that's right, I'm a Buffalonian and proud of it! I know some of you out there are probably saying "this guy must have bumped his head?!?!" But here's what I know: having gone away and ventured out to the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia, New York City, and Baltimore I can safely say there's" no place like home." A bit cheesy I know, but it's the truth, for me anyhow.

My experiences have led me to this conclusion; the grass may be greener on the other side, but you better check out the water bill first! Folks everything just ain't what it seems and sometimes you miss out on what's right in front of you for chasing the elusive yet appealing thought of a better way. While I wouldn't trade my time in other places for nothin', because I learned and grew so much. I'm happy to report that Buffalo is the place for me.

Like so many other professionals that have gone away and returned back home, I've come to realize what a great place Buffalo actually is. And since I plan to be here, why not do my part to polish up this ole rust belt city and work to return it to it's former glory as the "Queen city." It's possible and well within our reach.

With President Obama rolling out the Federal stimulus package dollars across the nation, this is a real chance to enhance and transform our local economy along with other rust belt cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. All of these areas have been hit hard by the loss of manufacturing jobs, but speaking for Buffalo we have some of the best rated Colleges and Universities in the nation like the University at Buffalo (UB) and Canisius College that are turning out some of the best and brightest minds.

So, to those of you who are about to graduate and head out into the wild blue yonder, I invite you to stop and think about investing your time and talents right here, before you purchase that one way plane or bus ticket outta here. Buffalo is well positioned for an extreme makeover, but it can't happen without you. So if your interested in refurbishing a fixer-upper, then let's get to polishing my friend! Hey pizza and wings on me, but first let's get to work.

That's my two cents... you can keep the change.

Erie Community College Goes Green

The Center for Energy Efficiency and Building Science at Erie Community College is offering the following training opportunities for individuals interested in making some "green" while keeping the environment green in the process. Check the latest offerings and see if your interested. To find out more about these and other exciting opportunities just click on the links below:

1. Envelope Professional training


2. Building Analyst Training


3. Heating Professional Training


4. Cooling Professional Training

Until next time... Let's Keep Building a Better Community Together!

First Student Bus Company Hiring for Drivers

Hey gang, this week First Student Bus Company will be holding a Job Recruitment for Bus Drivers at the Buffalo Employment and Training Center (BETC) this Thursday and Friday, March 5th & 6th, 2009 from 11am to 3pm. BETC is located at 77 Goodell St., in downtown Buffalo, New York 14203.

They are planning on hiring between 50 to 100 new drivers. No experience is necessary! Training pay starts at $10/hr. and the on the job earnings could go up to $14.50 for experienced drivers. Be sure to bring your drivers license and social security card.

Candidates must be 21 or older with 3 years continuous driving license. All candidates must be able to pass a drug test and background check.


Until next time... Let's Keep Building a Better Community Together!

It's Almost Time for CareerFest!

Attention all Employers: CareerFest the annual Job Recruitment held by the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) is on the horizon. The job fair for everyone annually attracts over 1,000 participants eagerly looking for just the right company to lend their unique talents and abilities in exchange for a stable and sustainable work environment.

And to our area undergrad and grad students this is your opportunity to show off your business "Swag" (style) to some of the area's leading employers. So come and take full advantage of the opportunities available and help to reshape our great city by staying and lending your support to our collective reemergence as the "Queen City."

It's all taking place at the UB Alumni Arena- North Campus (in Amherst) on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 from 3:00pm to 6:30pm.

Until next time... Lets keep Building a Better Community Together!

Wake Up! and Begin Again...

You have the control to do one wonderful thing each day of your life....you can always begin again. Think about it no one can stop you from starting over and you have to freedom to do so, whenever you chose. Remember when we were kids and you started playing a game and you'd call out "do over" when things weren't going your way.

Just think for a moment about this... the power lies within you right now to chart a new course for your life, if you're willing to venture out and summon the strength to break free and take the road less traveled. You may be in the middle of a forced job transition, but you even have the power to direct that, if you can approach it with the right attitude. You could think of it this way, I now have the freedom to pursue that job that I've always wanted, or I can finally go back to school for retraining along another career path that will set me up for a great and exciting new career.

The national unemployment rate hit 7.2% in December and the number of jobless individuals climbed to over 11 million. President-Elect Obama is proposing a stimulus package that could create 4.1 million jobs in the economy. My point is simple, although there are challenges facing us during this period of economic hardship for many working Americans, we must remain alert and active in seeking opportunities that will allow us to begin again by forging a new direction for ourselves and our families.

Don't give up....Get up and keeping looking and positioning yourself for that next big break in your career. Who knows, that opportunity you've been looking for could be just around the corner. Keep at it and know that better days really are just ahead.

Until next time...let's keep building a better community together!

Think on These Things...

Let me start by wishing you a Happy New Year! Now let's talk about how that can actually become a reality for you. I recently shared this information with a colleague who has reached the breaking point as it relates to career advancement. Essentially, my colleague feels like he doesn't know what his purpose is and he wants a more fulfilling life. Here's some thoughts I shared with him that may be of help along your journey also:

Ask yourself the following three questions:

1. What is your purpose?
2. What do you want?
3. What are you willing to do to get it?

When I speak of purpose, I'm asking, what is it that you are here for? Not in your current job or whatever city your in, but what is it that you've been called to do. What is your reason for existence, what are you passionate about doing or achieving? What causes you to be irked or happy? What is the problem that you were specifically designed for to solve?

If you can reflect on your life and begin to answer those questions, then you can have some more direction to combat that dead end feeling.

Knowing your purpose is about more than just a job or a title, it's about fundamentally understanding that you have been designed to accomplish something wonderful in this earth with the unique gifts and talents that have been bestowed upon you.

Secondly, determine what it is that you really want. What do you want for real? Nobody can tell you that, because only you know. If you can verbalize it, then you can realize it.

Thirdly, what are you willing to do? Clearly, it's not that you can't focus, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten to where you are now. You need to know what it's worth to you to really change what's happening for you. If whatever you're doing is not currently yielding the results you want,then what are you going to do differently?

Think on these things...and chart a new course for yourself.

Until next time...we'll see you where the jobs are!