The Job Development Bureau is located at the Genesee County Career Center.
587 East Main Street, Suite 100 Batavia, New York 14020
(585) 344-2042 Fax (585) 344-4495 Email: jdb@co.genesee.ny.us
Hours: Monday - Friday Regular Hours 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Summer Hours (Memorial - Labor Day) 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
2023 Awards
Business of the Year
Wright Beverage Distributing
(Pictured: Amber Eighmey, Counselor; Teresa Van Son, Director; Chris Yauchzee, Office Manager Wright Bev.,
Dawn Record, HR Director Wright Bev.; Lisa Smith, Sr. Counselor; Jeff Young, Counselor)
Wright Beverage deserves applause for their outstanding support in connecting the community with meaningful careers! They've been a driving force in creating opportunities for the workforce,
especially talented youth.
Participant of the Year
Audra Bates (pictured with her Counselor Amber Eighmey)
Audra is a shining example of dedication and career advancement!
Starting as a hairdresser, Audra shifted gears, earned her CNA license in 2017,
and recently became a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2023.
2023 Youth Participant of the Year
Ethan Howe
Picture not available
Ethan came to us through the Probation Dept., to participate in a Work Experience. The thought being that it would help Ethan with structure, and introduce him into the world of employment. Ethan had to wait due to Covid and a counselor change, before everything was settled for him to start. About the time his Work Experience started it was Jan. and very cold. We used WIOA- Youth dollars to supply cold weather gear for Ethan because he was working outside and it was very nasty. Ethan never complained even when he had to walk to work a couple times and it was about 12 miles away. After the Work Experience, Ethan had found an open position at CH Wright near his home. He asked if he could use his counselor one of his references, at which I had no problem as Ethan was doing his plan right. Ethan did get hired at the distributor. Recently Ethan has acquired a new position in a Union with Lapp Insulator continuing on his plan.
2022 AWARDS
2022 Youth Participant of the Year
Pictured are Lance and Lisa Smith, Senior Counselor
Lance had participated in the SYEP program for 5 years in a variety of experiences including a groundskeeper and as a cleaner. He enrolled as a WIOA youth shortly after graduating high school and really wanted to try a WEX in production. He had been too young to try this during SYEP. Unfortunately some heath issues followed his enrollment which delayed his progress initially. Once resolved, the first order of business was a driver’s license. Lance lives in a very rural area of the county with his grandparents and getting a driver’s license was very important to open up his employment opportunities. Throughout his time with us we assisted with career exploration, resume writing, supportive services to get his driver’s license, job search and placement activities, interview preparation, and several WEX opportunities, not to mention counseling and guidance. Lance began his factory work experience and learned quickly that production was not for him. He is a hard worker and kept the pace however the mandatory long shifts were too much for him to sustain. We went back to the drawing board. Lance was placed at Oakfield Alabama Central School in a WEX as a groundskeeper. It was a great match and has turned to unsubsidized full time employment. Lance has since passed his driver’s test and saved up to buy a truck. He has demonstrated resilience, courage, strength, and determination throughout his time with us. Lance has overcome more obstacles than we can share, and we know he will continue to rise above the many barriers that he has had to deal with and overcome them to reach the goals he has set for himself.
2022 Participant of the Year
Pictured are Dan and his Counselor, Jeff Young
Dan came to the Career Center the same day he was referred to us by the DOL Rapid Response Unit as a former employee of Panasonic. The business was closing due to foreign trade impact. He was not sure what he wanted to pursue so career exploration was in order. After exploration he decided on Conservation and Heavy Equipment Operation. A waiver was required until the class started in the fall. Dan took advantage of another training opportunity while waiting, taking a welding course at GV BOCES. Fall finally arrived and Dan began training in the Conservation class. He came weekly to the Career Center to check in with his Counselor. Issues began early on with the class which was a mix of adult learners and High School youth. Dan advocated for himself and his classmates to try to resolve issues on multiple occasions throughout his time in the program. He even assisted with teaching when their instructor left for other employment. Adjusting to a new instructor and curriculum changes became his next challenge. Dan never quit, in fact he only missed one day of training and maintained an excellent average throughout his time in the program. He took advantage of every certification available and walked away with too many to count. Over the summer he participated in CDL-B training and earned his CDL license. He began his job search and has been offered employment with NYS Thruway Authority.
2022 Business of the Year
Pictured are Gregory Hallock, Executive Director of GO ART and Amber Eighmey, Counselor
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) works to build a creative and inclusive environment for our community to celebrate the arts, traditions and culture. This organization hosts open art sessions, comedy shows, art camps and many other programs. GO ART has been a long standing site for Genesee County’s work experience programs including summer youth employment program, ACCES, and WIOA youth programs. Gregory Hallock and his staff are always willing and happy to support our youth and provide a meaningful work experience for them. They always accept any of our youth with an interest in art regardless of experience or possible barriers. Gregory and his staff work closely with the kids teaching them about the workforce, how to be successful and overcome obstacles. These work experiences include learning about managing a non-profit, coordinating a gallery and marketing all while exploring their creativity in a safe and inclusive environment. These experiences have not all had positive outcomes. In fact sometimes they have been so bad that we have been surprised that Gregory will still take our phone calls. He has not written off our program or our youth. Gregory is always willing to give them a try and provide a positive atmosphere for our young folks and the youth who complete a work experience at Go Art leave with a better understanding of the workforce, a greater sense of community and the confidence to move forward with their artistic journey.
2021 AWARDS
2021 Youth of the Year
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Aaron was referred to us for a Work Experience.
He was still in High School so placement had its difficulties. We found a position for him at Go Art in Batavia. He had the opportunity to set-up a viewing room using local artists work. He did really well, however the Work Experience was ended abruptly due to Covid-19.
Aaron, who wanted to work stayed vigilant through some tough months, wanting our assistance in developing his career path. We enrolled him as a WIOA Youth, reviewed his career path, goals, and provided career element services. We saw a job posting at ARC of Genesee/Orleans for an entry level maintenance person. This fit in with his career plan and we thought it could be a good fit. We contacted ARC to discuss WIOA and the Work Experience portion of our program. It took some work, but after a couple of phone and in person meetings and then an interview, Aaron was hired for a 200 hour Work Experience. We developed the plan for the Occupational and Academic Skill to be learned during the work experience. Now it was up to him with a little support from us. He was on time and worked very hard every day. The placement was a great fit for him, he was excited about his work and it showed. Shortly after starting it was discovered that he needed work boots, so we put in a request for supportive services. The reports we received back from his supervisor was that his work was great. After the work experience was up, the ARC contacted Aaron and offered him the position permanently. He is currently working at ARC and he loves his job. The work experience afforded him the opportunity to see what work was like and to learn the beginning skills of the maintenance trade. It showed him what hard work can do for you and how it can pay off. He has a job he enjoys and a local employer benefited by gaining an employee they can mold and train in his career. He not only has his foot in the door of a job he truly appreciates but this is the start of a career that can lead to so many opportunities for Aaron.
2021 Participant of the Year
Shannon had been out of the workforce for several years after
sustaining a disabling back injury while she was a CNA. While off work, she had been active in the community as a volunteer but wanted to get off of disability. She wanted a better financial future for herself and her grandson who she is raising. It was also important to her to continue in a job that helped others. Looking at her aspirations and limitations she decided Phlebotomy would be a good fit.
She attended training and did quite well. She completed the course and took her licensure exam which she passed. After assisting with her job search, Shannon was offered employment at UMMC.
She was very excited however she had not worked in a while and was nervous.
She says that school was a big help giving her a sense of structure
that now has carried over to the work environment.
2021 WIOA Business of the Year
 - Copy (3).jpg)
We truly appreciate the efforts the GCEDC has made to expand partnerships,
identify new services, align resources, and the collaboration on delivering training services to ensure employers have access to a skilled workforce, while providing opportunities for jobseekers.
These partnerships improve opportunities for current job seekers and establish a conduit for our future workforce to meet the needs of this community. GCEDC has paved the way, working together on events such as GLOW with Your Hands, Advanced Manufacturing Boot Camp, and other projects aimed at ensuring we have local training that leads to meaningful, long-term employment in this community.
They have assisted us in connecting with local businesses for recruitments and
worked with us to develop solutions for future training needs.
The GCEDC has done a great job of bringing players to the table,
coming up with new and creative workforce solutions and a heightened partnership approach
that aligns resources to benefit businesses and job seekers alike in Genesee County.
2020 AWARDS
2020 WIOA Youth Participant of the Year
Amanda came to us in March of 2019 shortly before her 25th birthday, as a single mom of a 4 month old. She was working full time as a CNA and had been since graduation from high school, always wanting to become an LPN. She had enrolled at Genesee Valley BOCES and was awarded some financial aid. This was not enough to cover her tuition and other needs. We were able to assist her with the remainder of her tuition and provide her with supportive services paying for her Licensure Exam. Amanda completed the program and passed her NCLEX Exam in May of 2020. She is working at Orchard Rehab and Nursing Center, has bought a house, and has another baby on the way.
587 East Main Street, Suite 100 Batavia, New York 14020
(585) 344-2042 Fax (585) 344-4495 Email: jdb@co.genesee.ny.us
Hours: Monday - Friday Regular Hours 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Summer Hours (Memorial - Labor Day) 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
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2023 Awards
Business of the Year
Wright Beverage Distributing
(Pictured: Amber Eighmey, Counselor; Teresa Van Son, Director; Chris Yauchzee, Office Manager Wright Bev.,
Dawn Record, HR Director Wright Bev.; Lisa Smith, Sr. Counselor; Jeff Young, Counselor)
Wright Beverage deserves applause for their outstanding support in connecting the community with meaningful careers! They've been a driving force in creating opportunities for the workforce,
especially talented youth.
Participant of the Year
Audra Bates (pictured with her Counselor Amber Eighmey)
Audra is a shining example of dedication and career advancement!
Starting as a hairdresser, Audra shifted gears, earned her CNA license in 2017,
and recently became a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2023.
2023 Youth Participant of the Year
Ethan Howe
Picture not available
Ethan came to us through the Probation Dept., to participate in a Work Experience. The thought being that it would help Ethan with structure, and introduce him into the world of employment. Ethan had to wait due to Covid and a counselor change, before everything was settled for him to start. About the time his Work Experience started it was Jan. and very cold. We used WIOA- Youth dollars to supply cold weather gear for Ethan because he was working outside and it was very nasty. Ethan never complained even when he had to walk to work a couple times and it was about 12 miles away. After the Work Experience, Ethan had found an open position at CH Wright near his home. He asked if he could use his counselor one of his references, at which I had no problem as Ethan was doing his plan right. Ethan did get hired at the distributor. Recently Ethan has acquired a new position in a Union with Lapp Insulator continuing on his plan.
2022 AWARDS
2022 Youth Participant of the Year
Pictured are Lance and Lisa Smith, Senior Counselor
Lance had participated in the SYEP program for 5 years in a variety of experiences including a groundskeeper and as a cleaner. He enrolled as a WIOA youth shortly after graduating high school and really wanted to try a WEX in production. He had been too young to try this during SYEP. Unfortunately some heath issues followed his enrollment which delayed his progress initially. Once resolved, the first order of business was a driver’s license. Lance lives in a very rural area of the county with his grandparents and getting a driver’s license was very important to open up his employment opportunities. Throughout his time with us we assisted with career exploration, resume writing, supportive services to get his driver’s license, job search and placement activities, interview preparation, and several WEX opportunities, not to mention counseling and guidance. Lance began his factory work experience and learned quickly that production was not for him. He is a hard worker and kept the pace however the mandatory long shifts were too much for him to sustain. We went back to the drawing board. Lance was placed at Oakfield Alabama Central School in a WEX as a groundskeeper. It was a great match and has turned to unsubsidized full time employment. Lance has since passed his driver’s test and saved up to buy a truck. He has demonstrated resilience, courage, strength, and determination throughout his time with us. Lance has overcome more obstacles than we can share, and we know he will continue to rise above the many barriers that he has had to deal with and overcome them to reach the goals he has set for himself.
2022 Participant of the Year
Pictured are Dan and his Counselor, Jeff Young
Dan came to the Career Center the same day he was referred to us by the DOL Rapid Response Unit as a former employee of Panasonic. The business was closing due to foreign trade impact. He was not sure what he wanted to pursue so career exploration was in order. After exploration he decided on Conservation and Heavy Equipment Operation. A waiver was required until the class started in the fall. Dan took advantage of another training opportunity while waiting, taking a welding course at GV BOCES. Fall finally arrived and Dan began training in the Conservation class. He came weekly to the Career Center to check in with his Counselor. Issues began early on with the class which was a mix of adult learners and High School youth. Dan advocated for himself and his classmates to try to resolve issues on multiple occasions throughout his time in the program. He even assisted with teaching when their instructor left for other employment. Adjusting to a new instructor and curriculum changes became his next challenge. Dan never quit, in fact he only missed one day of training and maintained an excellent average throughout his time in the program. He took advantage of every certification available and walked away with too many to count. Over the summer he participated in CDL-B training and earned his CDL license. He began his job search and has been offered employment with NYS Thruway Authority.
2022 Business of the Year
Pictured are Gregory Hallock, Executive Director of GO ART and Amber Eighmey, Counselor
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) works to build a creative and inclusive environment for our community to celebrate the arts, traditions and culture. This organization hosts open art sessions, comedy shows, art camps and many other programs. GO ART has been a long standing site for Genesee County’s work experience programs including summer youth employment program, ACCES, and WIOA youth programs. Gregory Hallock and his staff are always willing and happy to support our youth and provide a meaningful work experience for them. They always accept any of our youth with an interest in art regardless of experience or possible barriers. Gregory and his staff work closely with the kids teaching them about the workforce, how to be successful and overcome obstacles. These work experiences include learning about managing a non-profit, coordinating a gallery and marketing all while exploring their creativity in a safe and inclusive environment. These experiences have not all had positive outcomes. In fact sometimes they have been so bad that we have been surprised that Gregory will still take our phone calls. He has not written off our program or our youth. Gregory is always willing to give them a try and provide a positive atmosphere for our young folks and the youth who complete a work experience at Go Art leave with a better understanding of the workforce, a greater sense of community and the confidence to move forward with their artistic journey.
2021 AWARDS
2021 Youth of the Year
Aaron was referred to us for a Work Experience.
He was still in High School so placement had its difficulties. We found a position for him at Go Art in Batavia. He had the opportunity to set-up a viewing room using local artists work. He did really well, however the Work Experience was ended abruptly due to Covid-19.
Aaron, who wanted to work stayed vigilant through some tough months, wanting our assistance in developing his career path. We enrolled him as a WIOA Youth, reviewed his career path, goals, and provided career element services. We saw a job posting at ARC of Genesee/Orleans for an entry level maintenance person. This fit in with his career plan and we thought it could be a good fit. We contacted ARC to discuss WIOA and the Work Experience portion of our program. It took some work, but after a couple of phone and in person meetings and then an interview, Aaron was hired for a 200 hour Work Experience. We developed the plan for the Occupational and Academic Skill to be learned during the work experience. Now it was up to him with a little support from us. He was on time and worked very hard every day. The placement was a great fit for him, he was excited about his work and it showed. Shortly after starting it was discovered that he needed work boots, so we put in a request for supportive services. The reports we received back from his supervisor was that his work was great. After the work experience was up, the ARC contacted Aaron and offered him the position permanently. He is currently working at ARC and he loves his job. The work experience afforded him the opportunity to see what work was like and to learn the beginning skills of the maintenance trade. It showed him what hard work can do for you and how it can pay off. He has a job he enjoys and a local employer benefited by gaining an employee they can mold and train in his career. He not only has his foot in the door of a job he truly appreciates but this is the start of a career that can lead to so many opportunities for Aaron.
2021 Participant of the Year
Shannon had been out of the workforce for several years after
sustaining a disabling back injury while she was a CNA. While off work, she had been active in the community as a volunteer but wanted to get off of disability. She wanted a better financial future for herself and her grandson who she is raising. It was also important to her to continue in a job that helped others. Looking at her aspirations and limitations she decided Phlebotomy would be a good fit.
She attended training and did quite well. She completed the course and took her licensure exam which she passed. After assisting with her job search, Shannon was offered employment at UMMC.
She was very excited however she had not worked in a while and was nervous.
She says that school was a big help giving her a sense of structure
that now has carried over to the work environment.
2021 WIOA Business of the Year
We truly appreciate the efforts the GCEDC has made to expand partnerships,
identify new services, align resources, and the collaboration on delivering training services to ensure employers have access to a skilled workforce, while providing opportunities for jobseekers.
These partnerships improve opportunities for current job seekers and establish a conduit for our future workforce to meet the needs of this community. GCEDC has paved the way, working together on events such as GLOW with Your Hands, Advanced Manufacturing Boot Camp, and other projects aimed at ensuring we have local training that leads to meaningful, long-term employment in this community.
They have assisted us in connecting with local businesses for recruitments and
worked with us to develop solutions for future training needs.
The GCEDC has done a great job of bringing players to the table,
coming up with new and creative workforce solutions and a heightened partnership approach
that aligns resources to benefit businesses and job seekers alike in Genesee County.
2020 AWARDS
2020 WIOA Youth Participant of the Year
Amanda came to us in March of 2019 shortly before her 25th birthday, as a single mom of a 4 month old. She was working full time as a CNA and had been since graduation from high school, always wanting to become an LPN. She had enrolled at Genesee Valley BOCES and was awarded some financial aid. This was not enough to cover her tuition and other needs. We were able to assist her with the remainder of her tuition and provide her with supportive services paying for her Licensure Exam. Amanda completed the program and passed her NCLEX Exam in May of 2020. She is working at Orchard Rehab and Nursing Center, has bought a house, and has another baby on the way.
2020 WIOA Adult Participant of the Year 
Kelli came to us in February of 2020 she was on unemployment and dealing with workers compensation for a shoulder injury from another job and could not return to her previous industry. She was interested in attending Clinical Medical Assistant Training through the BEST Center at Genesee Community College. She started her training just before COVID restrictions were put in place. She had to adjust to virtual learning and then had multiple delays in the clinical/hands on portions of her training but she never gave up. Kelli started looking for jobs before classes ended. She passed her licensure exam and is currently working as a Medical Assistant and is enjoying her new career.
2020 WIOA Business of the Year
Tractor Supply has provided multiple Work Experience opportunities for our area youth. Taking young folks with little to no successful work history and giving them a chance to gain skills in customer service, janitorial and grounds keeping, self-management, and to develop a stronger work ethic. They have been very accommodating in taking multiple youth, provided them with good experiences, mentoring and assist them in improving their skills, and then hiring on all that were successful at the end of the training.
2020 Summer Youth Employment Program
April received a total of 3 Awards at our SYEP Year End Celebration.
She has been a participant in the program for 4 years, has perfect attendance, and was nominated by her worksite for a Work Ethic Award based on her outstanding cooperation. April is going into her Senior Year of High School and plans to attend college after she participates in the SYEP one more time this coming summer to help with college expenses.
April received a total of 3 Awards at our SYEP Year End Celebration.
She has been a participant in the program for 4 years, has perfect attendance, and was nominated by her worksite for a Work Ethic Award based on her outstanding cooperation. April is going into her Senior Year of High School and plans to attend college after she participates in the SYEP one more time this coming summer to help with college expenses.
Ticket to Work
Watch a video about Jeff's story here.
Jeff’s story is like so many others who are receiving Social Security Disability Benefits but with his own personal twist. He had been in a successful job on a whole different path when a life changing accident caused him to have to rethink his career. Jeff, a former Marine and Limousine Mechanic, was in a horrific motorcycle accident. After the accident, he had multiple surgeries and countless therapies which left him in constant pain and his right arm paralyzed. After much contemplation, some career exploration, and several years of recovery, he returned to college with the goal of helping others. He attended Genesee Community College and then the College at Brockport with assistance from ACCES-VR and emerged with his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. His goal was to give back to help others who need career services. He had his degree, now he needed some experience and was hired as an Employment and Training Counselor here at the Genesee County Job Development Bureau on a part-time basis. Jeff began receiving service as a Ticket to Work Customer and was awarded our participant of the year in 2019.
Jeff is now a Full-Time Counselor assisting others who need help getting back to work. He is able to give a unique perspective and truly help and motivate his clients. In the future, Jeff would like to continue to follow his passion of helping by becoming certified as a Rehabilitation Counselor. His courage, determination, and persistence are an inspiration to us all.