Jobs: they’ve been the number one issue in our community for a long time. We all know that we need good-paying jobs in our area, especially for our kids who are ready to join the workforce and want to stay and work here in Central New York and not be forced to move away.

What many people in our community don’t realize is that there are many good-paying local jobs that are unfilled, including jobs in engineering, healthcare and manufacturing. In fact, local manufacturers and other businesses in the area will tell you their number one challenge is filling open jobs with qualified workers.

That’s why I’ve been working with local manufacturers and educational institutions to improve job training programs and workforce pipelines to help job seekers get the qualifications and skills needed for good-paying local jobs.

One particular program has been focused on filling local jobs with local people in advanced manufacturing. By teaming up with the Manufacturing Careers Partnership, we successfully established a Machine Operator Program at Onondaga Community College. Using a total of $1.2 million in funding from the last two state budgets, the program is currently training participants in advanced manufacturing and linking them with future employers.

The program is unique because the employers helped design the coursework to reflect current industry needs and participated in the applicant selection process, guaranteeing these students are job-ready.

But, it’s not just machine operators who are in short supply in our area. With the evolution of advanced manufacturing, there is high demand for jobseekers in areas like information technology, biotechnology and engineering. In fact, 67 percent of U.S. manufacturers said they’ve experienced a moderate to serious shortage of qualified workers,¹ and in upstate New York, just 42 percent of employers in the industry feel the local supply of trained workers is sufficient.²

These statistics are evidence that we need to do even more to ensure that our current workforce is prepared for the jobs that are out there. A well-trained workforce will signal to companies in the state and across the globe that Central New York is the place to do business.

Workforce development is a key component to economic success, and we must do all we can to ensure that local residents are prepared to meet the demands of emerging and expanding industries. This begins with knowing what skills are needed for the jobs of the future and making sure the training is available to teach these skills.

When our kids decide they want to live, work and raise a family here in Central New York, it’s up to us to make that a possibility.

To learn more about opportunities in our area, or if you have questions about this or any other community issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me at StirpeA@assembly.state.ny.us or by calling 452-1115.

__________________________________