September/October 2018
AAI Grant Program Newsletter
AAP Apprentices Graduate
The HMO AAI grant program recently partnered with the Tioga County Career Center to offer a workforce development and training program initiative in Tioga County, NY .

Apprentices that successfully completed the Accelerated Apprenticeship Program (AAP) were guaranteed direct hire manufacturing jobs in Tioga and surrounding counties.

AAP prepared participants for several advanced manufacturing positions , including work as a computer numeric controlled (CNC) machinist, maintenance mechanic, and an industrial-manufacturing technician .

The successful completion of the program allowed participants to continue in a f our-year NYS Apprenticeship program with built-in pay increases based on performance .

The training, which which began in mid-July, concluded last month. The candidates began full-time employment with their respective employers at the end of August .

CONGRATULATIONS, APPRENTICES!!

Manufacturers participating in the program included: Applied Technology Manufacturing Corporation of Owego, Crowley Fabricating and Machining Co. Inc. of Endicott, Crown Cork and Seal (NYSE: CCK) in Nichols, Granite Works LLC of Waverly, and the Wagner Companies, which has a location in Owego.
AAP Apprentices
Graduation Celebration

Photo Courtesy Nate Crossett
Accelerated Apprenticeship Program (AAP) Continues to See Success in Central New york

Our Accelerated Apprenticeship Progra (AAP) was recently highlighted in the Workforce Development Institute's (WDI) "Featured Projects."

"This training program is an excellent mechanism to attract potential employees (paid training) and is responsive to employer needs in that it can be moved anywhere and can accommodate whatever targeted training the employer wants .

WDI and partners are looking to move this successful model again . Potential future programs may include a second round in Tioga County and/or a first in Chemung County or Broome County. "

To read the entire article, click here .

If you are interested in participating in the AAP program, please contact us .
Meet Our New Apprenticeship Coordinators!

AAI now has Apprenticeship Coordinators located in regional territories to serve local businesses and potential apprentices.
Heather Schaap will be stationed in the Southern Tier.

Heather was born and raised in Cortland N.Y., and has made her home in Chenango County over the last 20 years.

She holds two Associate Degrees, one in Human Services and the other in Drug and Alcohol Counseling Studies, both received from Tompkins Cortland Community College. She received her Bachelor Degree in Community and Human Services from Empire State College in 2006 and completed her Human Services Master’s program, specializing in Organizational and Social Services in 2017 from Kaplan University.

Before joining the American Apprenticeship Initiative program, Heather case managed the BEAM (Bridge to Employment and Academic Marketplace) program, assisting adult students return to college or training. Prior to that, she case managed for DCMO BOCES Adult Education and was the Youth Counselor at CDO Workforce in Norwich for many years.

Heather's passion has always been assisting people with furthering their education and gaining employment skills to increase their employability and ability to be self-sufficient.

Heather says, "I am very excited to begin working with the AAI program and can’t wait to start helping workers acquire skills that are needed to succeed in today’s advanced jobs."

Mamie Smith will be stationed in the Mohawk Valley.

Mamie Smith was born and raised in Utica, N.Y., where she now resides with her three children.

Mamie has more than 20 years of experience working within the health and human service field providing outreach, counseling and case management services to individuals in need.

Prior to joining the American Apprenticeship Initiative program, Mamie case managed the BEAM (Bridge to Employment and Academic Marketplace) program, assisting adult students return to college or training.

Mamie says, "I am very proud to be working with the American Apprenticeship Initiative, to assist individuals with furthering their education and gaining employment skills to increase their employability to become self-sufficient and supporting the local manufacturing business who allow this growth to happen." 

WELCOME HEATHER & MAMIE!

Photos Courtesy Heather Schaap and Mamie Smith
Heather Schaap
Mamie Smith
"All education is career education, and employers know what skills employees need to succeed in the workplace. Through the ongoing implementation of the  Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act,  workforce programs like apprenticeships will aid in closing the skills gap and putting more Americans to work."

--Committee on Education and The Workforce
Subcommittee Explores the Success of Apprenticeship Programs
The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development recently held a  hearing  to examine how the  Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act  (WIOA) supports work-based learning, including on-the-job education and apprenticeships

“In 2014, after years of hard work from the Education and Workforce Committee, the  Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act  was signed into law. WIOA made significant progress rebuilding our national workforce development system by promoting employer-led innovation in and access to work-based learning experiences like on-the-job education and apprenticeship programs,” Chairman Guthrie said in his  opening statement .

“By strengthening on-the-job technical education and apprenticeship programs, we can streamline the connection between education and the workforce and encourage more Americans to pursue in-demand jobs, improving their own earning potential and the national workforce as a whole.” 

For the first time in Bureau of Labor and Statistics’ (BLS) history, the number of job openings in the United States exceeds the number of job seekers nationwide, says the Committee on Education and The Workforce release . With the large number of job openings, the need for skilled workers has increased. The release notes that currently, there are more than six million unfilled jobs in America, and approaches like on-the-job education and apprenticeships can prepare workers for in-demand industry careers.

To read the Press Release, click here .
To view the hearing, "On-The-Job: Rebuilding the Workforce Through Apprenticeships," click here .
Free Training Available
Free training in machinery and machine guarding hazards in general industry for employees of local manufacturers is available through MVCC's Center for Corporate & Community Education.

Topics Include:
  • Basics and Methods of Machine Safeguarding
  • Guard Construction
  • Machinery Maintenance and Repair
  • Utilization of Industry Consensus Standards

Training Opportunities are available until Sept. 30, 2018.

Four-hour training provided on-site (if available) and completed in one day.

Contact: Teresa Fava-Schram, Coordinator, Workforce Development, Center for Corporate and Community Education.
315-792-5681

To learn more or view/download the flyer, click here .
Mohawk Valley Advanced Manufacturing Development Plan - Now Available
To help this vital sector reach new heights , the Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties and its partners have developed the Mohawk Valley Advanced Manufacturing Plan to align all of the training and education resources in our region with the needs of our employers.

To read or download the report, click here .

For more in-depth information, view the appendices here .
Benefits of Apprenticeship
  • Helps recruit and develop a highly skilled workforce.
  • Improves productivity and the bottom line.
  • Provides opportunities for tax credits and employee tuition benefits in some states.
  • Reduces turnover costs and increases employee retention.
  • Creates industry driven and flexible training solutions to meet national and local needs.
  • Allows workers to earn and learn at the same time.

As we progress through  year three  of the AAI grant program, more and more companies are realizing the advantages we can offer in helping to train their future workforce .

So far, we've helped:
298 Apprentices
63 Sponsors
19 Counties

Employers: If you are interested in becoming a sponsor , please let us know!

We can also help you set up a new apprenticeship program .
Career Onestop Blog:
Why you should consider an apprenticeship

"An apprenticeship combines a full-time job with training-and can prepare you to enter a specialized career field .

Apprenticeships are a great way for entry-level workers to get started in a number of well-paying occupations  in industries like manufacturing, construction, health care, transportation, and many others

They are also  an excellent opportunity for those considering a mid-career switch. "

To read the blog post,  click here
"Our Nation is facing a skills crisis. There are currently more than 6.7 million unfilled jobs in the United States, and American workers, who are our country’s most valuable resource, need the skills training to fill them."

--From the Executive Order Establishing the President’s National Council for the American Worker
National Council for the American Worker Established
President Trump recently signed an Executive Order to establish the  National Council for the American Worker
 
Comprised of senior Administration officials, the Council is charged with developing a National strategy for training and retraining the workers needed across high-demand industries
 
The group will convene voices from the public, private, education, labor, and not-for-profit sectors to enhance employment opportunities for Americans of all ages .
 
The President has also asked companies and trade groups to sign a new Pledge to America's Workers .
 
To date, companies across the country have pledged to train and retrain more than 4.2 million American students and workers for new career opportunities, including through apprenticeships.
 
To read the press release, click here .
To read the Executive Order, click here
To read about the Pledge to the American Worker event, click here
Major Incentive Available!
To better respond to industry workforce demands , NYSDOL is making up to $4.1 million available until April 30, 2019 , in order to expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeships (RA) .

The New York State Apprenticeship Expansion Grant offers eligible companies up to  $5,000 per apprentice  for training and/or associated costs .

Registered Apprenticeship s are a “global, tried, and true workforce development strategy,” says the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), which offers apprentices opportunities to earn a salary while learning the skills that businesses demand in a variety of occupations across industries.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has recognized that NYS faces a middle-skill labor shortage and that failing to address this “middle-skill gap” will erode NYS’s ability to strengthen middle-class economic justice for its citizens , notes NYSDOL in its Request for Applications (RFA).

“This causes NYS’s businesses to be less competitive in the global economy due to losses in productivity and forces them to seek skilled workers elsewhere.”

Restoring middle-class security is significantly influenced by the availability of middle-skill jobs , NYSDOL says, because these jobs comprise the largest portion of the labor market, and key growth industries are unable to find sufficiently trained workers to fill middle-skill jobs.  

For the purposes of this RFA , NYSDOL notes that " middle-skill jobs" typically require more than a high school education and less than a bachelor’s degree , and are specific to the skills of the occupation rather than an individual’s education attainment.

This funding will cover costs associated with training apprentices through RA , such as Related instruction, On-the-Job training, books, and tools.

Please email us to find out how we can help!
“RA is a job-driven strategy, providing a pathway for many to the middle class. For businesses, RA serves as an opportunity to grow their own workforce and meet skill needs for the future.”

--NYSDOL
12 Valuable Things Young Professionals Can Gain From An Apprenticeship
Twelve members of   Forbes Coaches Council   share some of the valuable things aspiring professionals can gain from apprenticeships.

To read the Forbes Magazine article, click here .
Who We Are
In Central New York, The Herkimer, Madison, Oneida (HMO) Workforce Development Board's (WDB)  American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) Grant  is building a  new sustainable regional workforce pipeline  specific to  advanced manufacturing  including nanotechnology, cybersecurity and unmanned vehicle systems.

AAI helps companies  registered in the apprenticeship program recruit, train, retain and develop a diverse workforce of skilled employees .

Apprenticeships create a pipeline of skilled workers to help employers prepare for the “grey tsunami,” mend the skills gap and bring their companies to the next level. AAI can also help businesses set up an apprenticeship program .

AAI helps high school and college students, disconnected youth, unemployed adults, minorities and veterans  prepare for and secure apprenticeship opportunities. There is no charge to enroll in the program.

We provide opportunities to participants for:
  • On-the-Job Learning
  • Job Related Technical/Classroom or Online Instruction
  • Pre-Apprenticeship Training

This program is available to residents and businesses located in the following New York counties: Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Schuyler, St. Lawrence, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins.

CONTACT US   to find out how we can help!
Need Training Help?
Are you a smaller company looking to get additional training for your employees? We have heard from some of you regarding the need for  safety classes and more . If you would be interested in teaming up with other companies that are in a similar situation, let us know .
AAI participates in Manufacturing Day 2017, held at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, N.Y.

Mark your calendars for this year's upcoming MFG DAY on October 12th, 2018, 8:30 - 2:00 PM!

Photo Courtesy Nate Crossett
MFG Day's Effects on the Public Perception of Manufacturing
From MFGDAY.com:

Highlights from Deloitte’s 2015 and 2016 reports on the effects MFG DAY is having on the public perception of manufacturing particularly when it comes to student event attendees who haven’t been exposed to manufacturing or are considering manufacturing careers .

To read the article, click here .
How Does AAI Help Businesses?
We put together a 1 minute video to illustrate how AAI is helping local businesses!

Please like us on Facebook
Apprenticeships are a "hot topic" in the news!

We are keeping up with national and local news on our Facebook Page including:
  • Reports & Surveys,
  • Interviews (apprentices, students, schools employers & stakeholders),
  • Government news,
  • Apprenticeship tips,
  • Local opportunities and more!

Please like/follow us here: https://www.facebook.com/AAICNY/
Have Questions? Ask Our Staff
Nate Crossett , Project Director
315-798-5036

Heather Schaap , Apprenticeship Coordinator

Mamie Smith , Apprenticeship Coordinator
 
This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. This product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it.