January/February 2019
The Workforce Development Board of
Herkimer, Madison & Oneida Counties'
AAI Grant Program Newsletter
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AAI Announces Increases in Funding

AAI Now Offers Up to $10,000 for On-the-Job Learning!
And has increased Related Instruction to up to $5,000 and Pre-Apprenticeship funding up to $2,000!

If a mentor takes time out of his/her day to train an apprentice, we can reimburse your company the mentor’s hourly wage for the time spent training – up to $10,000 for On-the-Job Learning.

Also, AAI can now offer up to $5,000 for the Related Instruction of an apprentice and up to $2,000 for Pre-Apprenticeship Training .
 
To learn more ab out how you can take advantage of this new incentive, please email us .
New Registered Apprenticeship at Redding Reloading Equipment

AAI is excited to announce a new Registered Apprenticeship at Redding Reloading Equipment in Cortland , NY. The company started an Apprentice in the Machinist trade and is currently exploring Pre-Apprenticeship opportunities through the AAI grant.

The following was provided by Redding's Executive Vice President Robin Sharpless , in response to being asked what starting an apprenticeship program means to the company and the community at large.

"The New York State Apprentice Program was particularly appealing to us here at Redding Reloading Equipment due to the opportunities which are provided not simply for employees but for us as a Manufacturing entity in an area that has seen significant manufacturing decline.

"Historically, Cortland County and City of Cortland were both once major hubs of manufacturing and with that the region had training programs, opportunities and apprenticeships available through the then numerous local companies as well as vocational education in the region. This helped provide a ready pool of young people who were eager and had either a basic set of skills preparing them to enter the workforce or to better themselves transitioning from one position to another organization bringing their skills with them.
 
"That declining manufacturing base removed the opportunity for young people to learn the trades, which remain necessary for our business. Even our BOCES ended their machining technology courses some years ago leaving Broome County the closest location for young people to acquire the skills necessary to work in our field.

"This program with both its financial support and guidance will allow us to once again internally develop bright, young motivated, people to staff positions both today and to prepare for needed leadership positions in the future.

"The transferable skills affiliated with the machinist Journeyman’s card provides a lifelong benefit for the holder but also assures prospective employers of a level of skill and understanding within a candidate.
 
"The ability to offer a program such as this helps us build for our future through attracting young people interested in more than simply a paycheck. It allows them to learn a true trade and build a good life based on the application of long-standing and still very valuable skill sets. This program fills so very many needs in our business and our community as we all look to an improving manufacturing future in our region.

"We are very proud to have been accepted into the program and to have the ability to help train our next generation of manufacturing talent in Upstate New York."

--Robin Sharpless, Executive Vice President, Redding Reloading Equipment
"This program with both its financial support and guidance will allow us to once again internally develop bright, young motivated, people to staff positions both today and to prepare for needed leadership positions in the future."
...

"We are very proud to have been accepted into the program and to have the ability to help train our next generation of manufacturing talent in Upstate New York."
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Raymond Corporation offers Pre-Apprenticeship Training

Funded by AAI and SUNY , SUNY Broome is providing the following classes to  two cohorts of employees of Raymond Corporation :

  • Blueprint Reading
  • Shop- Floor Match
  • Measuring Devices

These classes are reflected in the related instruction for both the Welding and Maintenance Mechanics apprenticeships they have at Raymond .

These classes are being offered as pre-apprenticeship , giving the employees taking these classes an advantage in applying for an apprenticeship position .
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Griffiss Institute Joins National Cyber Security Alliance by Becoming a 2019 Champion
From the Utica Chamber of Commerce:

Griffiss Institute has announced its commitment to Data Privacy Day an international effort held annually on January 28 to create awareness about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data, and enabling trust – by signing on as a Data Privacy Day 2019 Champion .

As a Champion, Griffiss Institute recognizes and supports the principle that organizations, businesses, and government, all share the responsibility of being conscientious stewards of personal information .

To read the article, click here .
Apprenticeship Works for the Advanced Manufacturing Industry
"Increasingly, advanced manufacturing companies are turning to apprenticeship to develop, grow, and retain a skilled workforce. Apprenticeship programs combine on-the-job learning with related instruction in technical areas to produce qualified, highly-productive employees for careers requiring precision skills. Apprenticeship training ensures workers have the knowledge and competencies companies need for today and tomorrow."

For Apprenticeship Resources for the Manufacturing Industry, click here
https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/
Why Should You Consider Becoming an Apprentice?
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.

M ore and more companies are realizing the advantages we can offer in helping to train their future workforce .

Since 2015, our programs have helped more than 60 companies across the central New York region train more than 300 workers, and we've increased our geographic footprint from six to 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 .
15 Fast Facts about the Swiss Apprenticeship Program
In December, the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor and Commerce joined the Swiss government in signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on apprenticeships.

"This agreement will build upon ongoing collaboration between the United States and Switzerland to encourage businesses and stakeholders to promote the value of apprenticeship programs and develop effective strategies to increase awareness of and access to work-based learning," says the U.S. Department of Education.

While you may be familiar with apprenticeship programs in the United States, there is a lot to know about Switzerland’s programs.

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!
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“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
Article: "Bringing Back the Art of Apprenticeship and lifelong Learning"
"With an ever-increasing demand for skilled labor in America, to the tune of 7 million open jobs, it is evident we lack the talent supply to meet current hiring needs across most sectors. In fact, I have spent the past 25 years working in the employment industry and I cannot recall a time when there has been higher demand for skilled labor at all levels and in all industries. With only 62.9 percent of people participating in the workforce today, employers will likely fall short of meeting their labor needs."

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 .
284,000 Manufacturing Jobs Created in 2018
284,000 manufacturing jobs were created in 2018 – more than any year since 1997.

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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/
About the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison, Oneida (HMO) Counties:
The role of the local Workforce Development Board (WDB) is system focused and strategic in nature. As a decision-making entity, the WDB determines priorities of service, negotiates measures, facilitates integration, and ensures quality outcomes. By understanding workforce development needs, anticipating trends, and focusing on system outcomes and performance, the WDB can effect substantial long-term change in the economic well being of the community.
Have Questions? 
Please Contact us!
Nate Crossett , AAI Project Director
315-798-5036

  Heather Schaap ,
AAI Apprenticeship Coordinator
607-334-2201 Ext. 100


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.