CenterState CEO's Workforce Innovation Efforts Featured on Syracuse.com

Posted On
December 12, 2025

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CenterState CEO's Aimee Durfee recently spoke with Syracuse.com on efforts to address employment disparities for Black and Hispanic Syracuse residents. Durfee explained how CenterState supported initiatives are trying to expose more people to high tech careers with family sustaining wages: 

Even employers in high-tech fields often seek employees with basic skills like good problem-solving capabilities, critical thinking and persistence, said Aimee Durfee, vice president for workforce innovation at CenterState CEO, a business and economic development group in Syracuse.

Someone with experience in auto repair or retail might not realize they could have a place at a company like Micron, Durfee said. But they could.

“A big piece of this work is just career awareness,” Durfee said. “So we’re digging in with companies around what are some of those transferable skills that may not be obvious to a job seeker.”

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