SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $1.3+ MILLION FOR SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND MOHAWK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE THROUGH THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE & JOBS LAW TO EXPAND CLEAN ENERGY WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS TO HELP STUDENTS ACCESS GOOD-PAYING JOBS IN HVAC, ADVANCED ENGINEERING, AND OTHER IN-DEMAND INDUSTRIES
Schumer Says Syracuse University Was Selected As One Of Only 10 Inaugural Building Training and Assessment Centers In The Country, Along With Mohawk Valley Community College, As The Latest Addition To The New Industrial Assessment Centers To Receive Funding To Boost Training For Local Workforce Development
New Federal $$$ Made Possible By The Historic Investments Schumer Secured In The Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law Will Help Students Get Hands-On Skills They Need For Good-Paying Union Jobs In The Clean Energy Industry
Schumer: My Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law Is Training The Next Generation Of Clean Energy Workers Right Here In Upstate NY!
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced today announced $1.3+ million from the Department of Energy (DOE) for Syracuse University and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) to expand workforce training programs for students entering the clean energy workforce. Schumer explained that this federal investment, powered by the historic levels of funding he secured in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, will bring Syracuse University into an exclusive cohort of only 10 Building Training and Assessment Center (BTAC) in America with $900,000 in funding to grow their clean energy jobs programs, as well as $440,000 for MVCC as the newest addition to the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program to help expand their HVAC and advanced manufacturing programs.
“Syracuse University and MVCC are being recognized and rewarded as leaders for their growing clean energy workforce training programs, and now new fed funding through our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law will help power the next generation of students to get the skills they need to secure these highly in-demand careers in Upstate NY,” said Senator Schumer. “This $1.3 million will help our students get the hands-on, real-world training they need to succeed in careers from HVAC to advanced engineering. When I led the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to passage, it was game-changing investments like these – that not only advance environmental goals, but also create pathways for good-paying, union jobs that can help young people build their lives here in CNY and the Mohawk Valley – that I had in mind. I am proud to see these funds supporting Syracuse University and Mohawk Valley Community College in leading the charge toward a cleaner, more prosperous future."
“I am grateful that Senate Majority Leader Schumer recognizes the value in programs that leverage Syracuse University’s intellectual capacity to address societal needs and global challenges. We at Syracuse University are going well beyond the traditional classroom education to provide our students with relevant experiences and training that can solve some of the most important environmental problems of our day. This kind of federal funding is an investment in the future, and the education and training it supports will pay back dividends in terms of a healthier community and climate,” said Syracuse University Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation Mike Haynie.
"We extend our deepest gratitude to Senator Schumer for championing investment in both physical and human infrastructure. Through the Mohawk Valley Industrial Assessment Center, we are confident this funding will drive Upstate NY towards a sustainable future, generating clean energy jobs and tackling workforce challenges. This initiative underscores our dedication to innovation and community collaboration, promising a transformative influence on our students and the entire region,” said Mohawk Valley Community College President Randall VanWagoner.
Schumer explained that the Syracuse University Building Training and Assessment Center (SU-BTAC) will utilize the $900,000 federal investment to educate and provide hands-on training for up to 15 engineering students and 20-30 building personnel while performing 10-15 building assessments focused on reducing the energy burden and carbon emission each year. Specifically, the SU-BATC will train both undergraduate and graduate students in heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC), building energy management systems, Internet of Things-based monitoring and innovative assessments, machine learning-based smart controls, and more. The SU-BTAC will work with several regional entities, companies, and labor unions to identify and assist potential commercial and institutional building clients and provide a variety of high-quality job training pathways.
Schumer said Mohawk Valley Community College will use the $440,000 in federal funding to work with their regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and other community and industry partners to provide assessments to local manufacturers while training students for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC) and advanced manufacturing technician roles. The college will also develop and disseminate training modules to manufacturing workers in clean energy techniques and work with local partners to expand pre-college training programs, with a focus on serving Utica’s low-income communities. Over the three-year span of the initiative, MVCC envisions the creation of 60 new jobs, the reconfiguration of 90 existing positions, the development of 15 courses, and the enrollment of at least 100 trainees.
The DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) manages the IAC Program, and the Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) manages the BTAC Program. MESC focuses on accelerating America’s transition to a resilient, equitable energy future through $20 billion of direct investments in manufacturing and workforce development. SCEP works with state and local organizations to accelerate clean energy technologies, catalyze local economic development and create jobs, reduce energy costs, and avoid pollution.
Schumer has an extensive record of championing workforce development efforts at both Syracuse University and Mohawk Valley Community College. In September, Schumer delivered $5M in DoD funding for Syracuse University and partners to expand microelectronics workforce training and connect job seekers with defense manufacturing and tech employers, as well as $2M in DOL funding for the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties and Mohawk Valley Community College to develop Fast Track Plus, a compressed-time training program covering the basic employment skills that students need before starting technical training. In July, Schumer secured $2.5M in NSF funding to help increase access for underserved populations and diversify the New York State STEM workforce. In May, Schumer brought NSF Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan and Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra to Syracuse University to unveil the Northeast University Semiconductor Network of 20+ universities focused on semiconductor workforce training and meet with key workforce development stakeholders from across Central New York. In January, Schumer secured $2 million in CDS funding for Mohawk Valley Community College to create a new state-of-the-art semiconductor-and-advanced-manufacturing training center.
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