On Monday, December 2nd, Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos announced the expansion of FutureReadyNYC, a program designed to prepare high school students for success in the evolving workforce. The initiative will now reach 15,000 students across 135 schools, adding 36 new schools to the program’s roster.
The expansion also introduces new career pathways in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), decarbonization, and human and social services, further enhancing student opportunities through mentorship, paid internships, and industry-focused coursework.
“Education must prepare our young people for the 21st-century economy by helping them learn the skills they need to succeed,” Mayor Adams said. “Our signature program connects students to rigorous, tailored coursework, real job credentials, paid work-based learning, and puts them on a pathway to good-paying careers.”
The FutureReadyNYC program, launched in 2022, already offers career-connected learning in technology, healthcare, business, and finance. The newly added HVAC and decarbonization pathway is expected to meet the growing demand for green-economy jobs, as New York City anticipates 230,000 such positions by 2030.
Students in this pathway will gain expertise in electrical and mechanical applications, construction safety, and building decarbonization. The human and social services pathway will focus on counseling, mental health, and psychology courses, offering students the chance to explore careers in public health and social work.
Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos emphasized the program’s broader impact, noting, “Through the expansion of FutureReadyNYC, we are taking bold steps to ensure that every student in New York City has access to the skills, experiences, and mentorship they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving workforce.”
Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor of The City University of New York (CUNY), highlighted the role of partnerships in expanding career pathways. “The sustained expansion of FutureReadyNYC is helping New York City build an economy that is truly inclusive and providing more opportunities for New Yorkers to thrive,” he said.
“Its programs are helping to ensure that students are exposed to the infinite range of jobs with good wages and benefits that are open to them in the city and beyond,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City.
Mayor Adams’s $53 million investment in FutureReadyNYC makes its expansion possible, with more than $30 million earmarked directly for schools. This initiative is part of the administration’s broader commitment to workforce development, including a $600 million young adult action plan focused on career readiness and work-based learning.
State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, who attended the announcement, said, “In a city where 12 percent of young adults are neither in school nor employed, we must open the door to economic opportunity, especially for our Black and Hispanic students. Our groundbreaking FutureReadyNYC program provides students with valuable vocational education and mentorship, setting them on the path to meaningful careers.”
This expansion allows FutureReadyNYC to further equip students with the skills and experiences necessary to succeed in the evolving job market, paving the way for a brighter future for the city’s young people.
