Advanced manufacturing training benefits from federal funding

New York’s U.S. senators announced today that the state college system will be receiving nearly $8 million in federal funds to boost job training in advanced manufacturing, particularly for under-served and unemployed populations.

The grant goes to the Research Foundation for the State University of New York System and will be used to create a SUNY New York College Apprenticeship Network to provide pre-apprenticeship and on-the-job training.

“This $8 million federal investment is great news for the 30 SUNY community colleges throughout New York State. With these crucial funds, the SUNY system will be able to rev up its new apprenticeship program and help New York students throughout the state get on-the-job training and, more importantly, good-paying jobs,” said Sen. Charles E. Schumer.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said, “The pre-apprenticeship programs will especially benefit people that are underrepresented in this field — such as women and people of color. Pre-apprenticeship and work-based learning programs create pathways to the workforce through hands-on experience and on-the-job training. This helps ensure that New Yorkers have the skills to compete for the jobs of today and tomorrow and helps bring local development to our communities.”

Training through the network will combine online coursework and on-the-job teaching, the senators said.

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Cuomo announces funding for clean-energy job training

Boosting his clean energy goals for the state, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Monday that the state has $27.5 million available for workforce development and training programs to help expand the number of people working in that area.

Cuomo also released a report on the clean energy industry that said there are 151,000 New Yorkers working in clean energy now, with 5,600 jobs added last year.

“By investing in our clean energy workforce, we are supporting the industry’s growing demands while creating jobs throughout the state utilizing clean energy technologies that will reduce emissions and protect our environment,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Our nation-leading commitment to fighting climate change is also an economic driver that is creating good-paying jobs all across the state.”

Cuomo has set the goals of having half the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2030, and reducing New York’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent in the same time.

The money is earmarked for energy efficiency training, on-the-job training, and internships in clean energy. Workforce trainers, schools, unions and businesses, can apply for the funding online.

Some key points of the report include that most clean energy jobs in New York are in energy-efficiency positions. Also, the fastest-growing area in the clean energy industry is the grid modernization and energy storage areas, which grew 12.6 percent in 2017.

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