Consultant outlines leadership program and school-to-work pipeline for Herkimer County

Denali Partners delivered a presentation to the Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency on the agency’s workforce and leadership development work across Central New York.

The firm’s presenter, Dave (identified in the meeting as a Denali Partners representative), described a three-part methodology intended to help individuals identify innate talents, clarify personal and professional aspirations, and aim those strengths at concrete career pathways. He said the programming has been delivered to at least 42 local businesses and is being taught in 21 school districts across seven regions.

"We went to the school systems," Dave said, describing efforts to adapt the leadership curriculum for younger students and to develop early career pathways that could connect graduates to local employers. He pointed to regional economic growth from employers such as Chobani and Micron and argued that stronger school–business partnerships can help retain talent in the Mohawk Valley.

The presenter noted recent state education changes — referencing the Department of Education’s portrait-of-a-graduate and pathways initiatives set to phase in beginning in 2027 — and said those policy shifts create an opportunity for local programs to align curricula with employer needs.

Board members thanked Denali Partners for the briefing and asked a few procedural questions. The presentation concluded with remarks urging board members and civic leaders to take a more active role on local boards and institutions to help change local narratives about economic decline.

The IDA meeting moved on to routine agenda items after the presentation.