Application - Training and Education Providers
Application Process
All applicants will submit their application through the form below. The application deadline is Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 11:59 PM.
The top training and education applicants in each category will be selected and designated as “finalists” by The Business Council for the purpose of social media promotion and public voting to select the winners. In addition to recognizing excellent workforce programs across the state, The Business Council would like to promote these exemplary programs to the public to increase the visibility of successful education connecting individuals to quality skills training that leads to good jobs.
Training and education applicants will be required to submit a video up to 60 seconds in length which will be shared online and across social media platforms for promotion and voting. It is recommended that the video be developed by students and filmed with a mobile device. Students are encouraged to be creative and express what makes their program special to them in the video.
After the finalists are selected, the online public voting process will begin in early April and run for two weeks. All finalists will be encouraged to promote online voting for their program through various social media channels.
All final awardees will be announced in early May. The awards luncheon will be held in May 2022 in Albany, NY - date and location to be announced.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What should the videos include?
A: There are no content requirements for the videos. They are intended to complement the application and will be used for social media promotion of programs for online voting. There is no need to duplicate information that is included in the application, we encourage you to showcase the uniqueness of the program in the videos. Only finalists’ videos will be shared on social media by The Business Council.
Q: What file format should videos be uploaded in?
A: Videos should be uploaded in one of the following file formats: MP4, MOV, or AVI.
Q: Are chambers of commerce and industry associations eligible for an award?
A: Yes, under most circumstances, industry associations that are a 501(c)3, 501(c)4, or 501(c)6 are eligible for the “Non-Profit Workforce Leadership Award.”
Q: Are organizations headquartered outside of New York State eligible for an award?
A: Yes, an organization does not need to be headquartered in New York, they only need to have a program or facility operating in New York State.
Q: If my training and education program falls into multiple categories, e.g., both P-12 and higher education, which should I select to apply for?
A: Applicants should select the category that they believe their application will be most competitive in.
Q: Can organizations nominate themselves?
A: Yes, organizations are encouraged to nominate their own program, school, or company.
Q: Can a school apply for multiple programs?
A: If a school has several innovative programs it would like to apply for, they are welcome to submit multiple applications for consideration. However, only one of their programs is eligible to be considered as a finalist. Organizations with multiple programs are encouraged to submit an application for their most competitive program.
Q: What type of criteria will applications be rated on?
A: Applications will be rated on innovation, uniqueness, student or employee success metrics, access and equity to programs, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives or programs, and to the extent to which programs meet the training and education needs of employers.
Q: Which category should BOCES Adult education programs apply for, P-12 Innovation Award or the Non-Profit Innovation Award?
A: BOCES adult programs are eligible to apply for either the P-12 Innovation Award category or the Non-Profit Innovation Award category. If the program also has a p-12 component, they may want to apply in that category, but if the program is strictly an adult education program, the application may be better suited for the Non-Profit category.