At the core of every thriving community is the ability for its people to access meaningful careers and stable employment. Asantewa Holley, Vice President of Operations at Northland Workforce Training Center, has made it her life’s work to connect individuals with the tools, training, and support needed to build lasting careers.
Her path into workforce development wasn’t a straight line. Coming from a background in finance, she didn’t initially see herself in the nonprofit space. But a combination of mentorship, opportunity, and a deep understanding of community needs led her to discover a greater calling—helping individuals not only find jobs but build sustainable careers that support families and uplift communities.
A Journey of Impact: From Finance to Workforce Development
For nearly two decades, Asantewa worked in banking and financial operations. Her expertise in managing complex systems and ensuring efficiency put her on track for a corporate leadership role. But aAfter being introduced to Northland Workforce Training Center, she realized that her operational skills could be used in a different way—to create clear, structured pathways for people to secure well-paying jobs in high-demand industries.
“I had spent years ensuring businesses ran smoothly,” she shares. “But when I learned about workforce development, I saw an opportunity to help people find not just jobs, but real careers that could change their lives.”
That realization sparked a shift in her career, one that allowed her to combine business strategy, leadership, and a passion for community engagement.
Building a Workforce that Works for Everyone
At Northland, Asantewa focuses on removing barriers that prevent individuals from entering and excelling in the workforce. Whether it’s access to training, transportation challenges, or employer engagement, she works to create solutions that meet people where they are.
“When you look at what prevents people from advancing in their careers, it’s often not a lack of skill or drive,” she explains. “It’s that they don’t have access to the right opportunities or the right support.”
Through her work, she has helped design training programs that align with industry needs, ensuring that individuals don’t just complete a program but transition directly into careers that offer stability and growth.
Personal Motivation: Creating Opportunities for the Next Generation
Asantewa’s work is personal. She has seen firsthand how exposure to career opportunities can transform lives, and she carries that lesson into everything she does. Her own journey, shaped by mentors who recognized her potential, fuels her commitment to helping others see what’s possible for them.
“Sometimes people just need someone to tell them, ‘You have the skills. You can do this,’” she says. “That encouragement can be the difference between someone stepping into a new career or staying in a cycle of uncertainty.”
Her belief in meeting individuals where they are, listening to their challenges, and creating real solutions has made a lasting impact on the people and communities she serves.
A Vision for Lasting Change
As a member of the NYSACTE Postsecondary CTE Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE sponsored by ECMC Foundation, Asantewa is expanding her reach beyond Buffalo, working on initiatives that will help strengthen workforce development efforts statewide. Her real-world project focuses on building stronger connections between training providers, community organizations, and employers—ensuring that individuals who complete training programs have clear next steps toward employment.
“This work isn’t just about training people for jobs,” she explains. “It’s about making sure those jobs exist, that people know about them, and that they have the support to succeed once they’re there.”
Her leadership has positioned her as a driving force in shaping the future of workforce development, ensuring that more people have access to careers that provide stability, growth, and long-term success.
| To hear more about Asantewa Holley’s journey and her work in building stronger workforce pathways, tune into her full conversation on the NYSACTE Postsecondary Fellowship Podcast, available now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. |  |
