For more than 70 years, SUNY Broome has shaped the Southern Tier as a leader in workforce development, partnering with local industry and connecting local residents with the training they need to succeed in the workplace.
College and community workforce connections continued to strengthen and grow throughout 2019 in a wide range of areas, and plans are in the works to continue this positive trajectory for years to come.
“SUNY Broome is committed to workforce development in the Southern Tier, both through our academic program and extensive training offerings. We bridge two very important parties: local employers seeking skilled workers, and local residents looking for rewarding jobs and careers,” said SUNY Broome President Kevin E. Drumm. “Partnerships of this type are truly central to our mission as a community college, serving our community’s needs while making education accessible to all those who seek it.”
The Opportunity Impact Training Program
The college is partnering with Broome-Tioga Workforce and local industry for a third Opportunity Impact Training Program (OITP) in manufacturing.
OITP not only provides training to the long-term unemployed, but guaranteed jobs with local employers with positions to fill. OITP also helps participants overcome barriers to employment, such as childcare, transportation and even equipment such as work boots.
The previous manufacturing class of 13 participants graduated in July 2019, and obtained employment at Samscreen, Inc.; Engineering Manufacturing Technologies Metals; and Triple Cities Metal Finishing. In December 2018, a Warehouse Opportunity Impact Program connected 21 graduates with careers in the warehouse sector.
Classes for the upcoming manufacturing OITP will start at the end of February. Funding sources include Broome-Tioga Workforce’s Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) funds and SUNY’s pre-apprenticeship fund.
Training opportunities through local employers
SUNY Broome Continuing Education and Workforce Development continues to partner with local employers to meet their training needs.
“SUNY Broome’s Workforce Development department is pleased to have access to funds to help with training new hires as well as existing employees,” said Director of Continuing Education and Workforce Development Janet Hertzog. “A new emphasis on apprenticeships has expanded the availability of training funds and is opening up new doors for workers across several job categories, not just in manufacturing, but also in healthcare and IT.”
Recent grants include:
- $50,000 for Raymond Corp. in Greene for training in basic manufacturing, leadership, computer use and other professional development
- $18,000 for BAE Systems to offer supply chain management certification to their employees
- $17,000 for Buckingham Manufacturing for classes in leadership and supply chain management
- $14,000 for Dick’s Sporting Goods to provide classes in leadership and computer training
- $5,000 for George Industries to provide classes in basic manufacturing skills
Trainings funded through SUNY’s apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs include:
- $16,500 to provide basic manufacturing work readiness skills for 30 new hires at Amphenol Aerospace
- $5,000 to provide work readiness skills for Raymond Corp. employees
- $8,250 toward the OITP program in manufacturing
SUNY Broome’s Workforce Development also received funding for the creation of a locally-recognized certificate in basic manufacturing, and conducted three manufacturing roundtable discussions – two in the Binghamton region and one in Oneonta – to discuss apprenticeship opportunities and the funds and tax breaks available for participating employers.
In addition to manufacturing, SUNY Broome also offers two courses in electrical theory, taught by Professor Alan Dixon every semester, developed for NYSEG employees. The college also provided basic soldering training for employees of Ametek Aerospace in the Calice Advanced Manufacturing Center.
Entrepreneurship
Small businesses are a cornerstone of the Southern Tier economy, and SUNY Broome’s Entrepreneurial Assistance Center (EAC) connects these business owners with the resources they need to succeed. In 2019, SUNY Broome’s EAC – one of 24 such centers in the State of New York, won a statewide award for Outstanding Performance from Empire State Development.
Nineteen participants are currently enrolled in the EAC’s 60-hour training course that covers all aspects of starting a business. Successful graduates include Parlor City Vegan, which recently opened a Binghamton restaurant, and Waterman Distillery, which won a statewide award for Entrepreneur of the Year.
Darlene Kanuk, whose office is located in SUNY Broome’s floor of the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, has also assisted six business owners in obtaining certification as minority or women-owned business enterprises (MWBE) this year, with five achieving certification.
MWBE certification allows business owners to compete for state contracts, and involves a complex application process. Kanuk has assisted 73 business in obtaining this certification since 2005, and 51 had their certification approved.
“The mission of higher education goes beyond credit-bearing courses and degrees. Helping individuals achieve their personal and professional goals — whether as employees, employers or entrepreneurs — is truly central,” said SUNY Broome Vice President of Academic Affairs Penny Haynes. “We are thrilled to be part of these diverse workforce development initiatives, and continue to work on new opportunities.”
