SUNY Poly Names Erica Schoff Senior Director of Workforce Development

 

SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is pleased to announce that Erica Schoff has
joined the university as its Senior Director of Workforce Development. Schoff will lead the
university’s newly launched Office of Workforce Development, which was announced earlier this week
during a campus visit by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.

Housed within SUNY Poly’s Division of External Relations and led by Wayne Westervelt, Chief of
Staff and Vice President for External Relations, the new office integrates career readiness, industry
collaboration, internships, lifelong learning, and advanced training to prepare individuals for
meaningful, sustainable careers in high-demand sectors while advancing regional, statewide,
national, and global economic development goals.

Schoff brings 20 years of experience across K–12 education, industry, and higher education. Her
background includes founding a P-TECH STEM regional high school for underrepresented students
at OHM BOCES, building industry-aligned career pathways as Director of Career and Technical
Education at Utica City School District, and strengthening national defense and STEM pipelines at
the Griffiss Institute.

“Workforce development is at the heart of SUNY Poly’s mission, creating real pathways from
learning to opportunity,” said Westervelt. “This new office strengthens our ability to align education
with employer needs and expand our impact across the Mohawk Valley and New York State. Erica
Schoff is the ideal leader to build it. Her track record of connecting classrooms to careers—across
K–12, higher education, and industry—will help more learners access high-demand fields while
helping employers develop the talent they need.”

“Our goal is to ensure every learner has equitable access to hands-on, experiential learning that
prepares them to contribute on day one of their career,” said Schoff. “By embedding real-world
experiences into flexible pathways—from certificates and apprenticeship advancement to micro-credentials and upskilling—we are creating clear routes to upward mobility while strengthening the
regional workforce. SUNY Poly is committed to leading the way in aligning education with industry
needs so students, alumni, adult learners, and working professionals can thrive and drive inclusive
economic growth in a rapidly evolving economy.”

The office directly advances SUNY Poly’s strategic plan priorities by aligning education with regional
and statewide workforce demand, promoting experiential and career-connected learning,
deepening partnerships with industry and school districts, and expanding access to high impact
workforce initiatives.

Key efforts will include building strategic partnerships with industry and community stakeholders,
supporting career services that empower students and alumni to thrive professionally, expanding
workforce development training, certificate programs, pre-apprenticeship pathways,
apprenticeship advancement, micro-credentials, and upskilling opportunities for students, adult
learners, and the existing workforce; and enhancing pre-collegiate outreach to K–12 students to
foster early engagement with STEM and emerging career pathways.

Industry and community partners interested in learning more or exploring collaboration opportunities are encouraged to contact Schoff at erica.schoff@sunypoly.edu.

 

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