On November 7, RochesterWorks! and the Greece Central School District presented "Preparing Youth for the Future," a forum for educators, youth and the community. The Forum was held at the Athena Performing Arts Center.   Connie Felder, Deputy Director of RochesterWorks! said the purpose of the forum was “to increase awareness for the kinds of skills employers need for key growth industries, encourage youth to get those skills through education and ultimately to create a talent pipeline that drives economic growth in our region.” The interactive forum presented the perspectives of area business leaders on skill needs and opportunities in high growth industries including the: Critical skills and competencies required to compete for future jobs. Importance of foundation skills for success in today’s workplace (reading, writing, interpersonal skills, teamwork, initiative and willingness to learn) and the need to embed in curriculum and reinforce in the home. Need to increase youth interest and participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) coursework and careers. Business leaders who spoke represented key industries in the region including health care, biotechnology and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, photonics and optics, engineering, telecommunications and information technology. They discussed the demand for skills and opportunities in their industries and also took questions. Matthew Hurlbutt, Executive Director of RochesterWorks!, summarized the results of recent economic development analyses regarding key industry competencies and theprojected need for specific workforce skills. Speakers included: Robert Donahue – Vice President Corporate Services, Unity Health Systems Sergio Esteban – President & CEO, LaBella Associates, PC Michael R. Nuccitelli – President & CEO, Parlec, Inc. Michael J. Pavia – President, Sydor Instruments Jay Baker – Chief Financial Officer, iCardiac Technologies Jacqueline Morana – Employment Coordinator, PAETEC Photos Robert Donahue, Vice President Corporate Services, Unity Health Systems Jay Baker, Chief Financial Officer, iCardiac Technologies Mike Nuccitelli, President & CEO, Parlec, Inc. Jacqueline Morana – Employment Coordinator, PAETEC Dr.Ann Mitchell, Asst. Superintendent Greece Central School District Sergio Esteban, President & CEO, LaBella Associates, PC Michael Pavia, President, Sydor Instruments   Sergio Esteban (l) and Matthew Hurlbutt (r)