Patrick: Thanks. There's a lot to be excited about this year. For me, it's more than just taking a new position at a new place. You start off by getting to know all the people involved and how things are done, stay focused and objective. Not only do you have the college, which is a microcosm, but nonetheless large pillar of the community, and then you have the community itself. After a while you get more subjective and focus on what you think you can do as an individual to continue to make the program successful - what you can achieve on your own and with the help of others.

SS: What's one way you are looking to be helped by others?

Patrick: This year, I'm looking forward to participating in Leadership Schenectady, which is run by the Schenectady Chamber of Commerce. I'm one of many SCCC staff who've had the chance to do this, and I know it opens things up as far as building relationships in the community, as well as contributing through a group project, which is yet to be determined. I also plan on going to a Workforce Development conference in January. I think conferences are what you make of them, and I always come out with a fresh perspective or a new spark that generates ideas and deals. It more or less regenerates your work spirit.

SS: Are there programs that you would like to highlight for this article?

Patrick: There're two, actually - one's new, and the other is experiencing some growth and change. The first is our Certified Nurses Aide Program, which looks to be graduating at least four students per session. We're looking to raise that to about nine students per session. Things are progressing and everyone is settling into their individual role and coming together as a whole as well. So I'm confident that the goal can be met. Many of our students are getting a chance to build a career out of a grant-funded program, and it's great to see that the money is well spent.

SS: That's sounds great. Want about the other program?

Patrick: Our Bridge Program is doing well, and we're trying to build greater cohesiveness with other agencies in the area. Wendy Blake, our Case Manager, has done a great job of fortifying the program, building solid relationships with grant staff and with the clientele, and together, we're making sure we head in the right direction. We applied for a new round of the grant, which included a request for additional funding, and we're hoping to change what clients we serve and how we can best serve them. It'd be easier to talk about when or if we get approved, but we look forward to this new and exciting challenge, because you genuinely get a chance to help people.

Besides that, I've been working on getting several local business people trained on different computer programs. We've been able to work out some great deals with local training agencies that cater to individual and group needs. I'm looking to ramp that up over the coming months, as well as writing some unique training curricula that I wish to introduce in spring.

SS: Can you tell me more about the "unique" curricula?

Patrick: In October, SCCC held another community conference, titled SCCC and You: Community that Works, which focused on workforce development, community services/outreach and community revitalization. It involved three separate discussion groups with county business members, agencies and citizens. Generally, it helped me get a better idea of how to identify and satisfy future training needs. I need and want to be a part of that and I think many local businesses are looking for employees to be trained in a way that seems difficult. Or impossible, in some people's opinion. They want more creative, out-of-the-box thinkers as employees.

Maybe this is too confusing, but I like to put it this way: It's one thing to hire a tree, and it's another thing to grow one. If you already hired a maple, how can you get a pine? If you already have the tree, then you need to help it grow. You need to help it grow in the right direction without completely changing the tree. Otherwise, next time you have to identify the right tree for you before you hire it, and I'm working on a curriculum that should satisfy that need on both ends. Both on the training and hiring end. Some people think you can't help someone become more creative, in general. And a lot of people think there're very few genuinely creative people coming out of American schools these days. I do. And it's very exciting for me to be able to marry my past and present experience in this unique way. To be able to help people in a way that's challenging and productive.

SS: Anything else, before we go?

Patrick: I also recently was elected President of the Board of the JOBS, etc. Consortium, where I'm expected to help facilitate communication between various agencies serving the Schenectady community.

SS: What agencies?

Patrick: The consortium includes Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority, Schenectady Community Action Program, the Department of Labor, Schenectady Job Training Agency and city government. And SCCC. If I left anyone out, I'm very sorry in advance. Regardless, I'm looking forward to working with people who are caring, intelligent, pro-active people who have a genuine stake in this community. You can't count the things I can learn from their collective experience and input.

SS: Thank you. We'll be looking for some updates in the up-coming issues.

Patrick: Great. Thank you.

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