Eight things you need to know on topics related to Saratoga County's economy.

1. Saratoga Partnership Joins With Albany Can Code and SUNY Adirondack to Build Tech Talent Pipeline in Saratoga County 

The Saratoga Partnership is joining with Albany Can Code and SUNY Adirondack to address one of the biggest issues facing employers: the availability of a skilled and trained technology workforce. We will be teaming up to deliver Python for Data Analytics , which will cover the basics of Python, a tool that is increasingly being used by businesses to collect, analyze and visualize data. Developed with input from two of the area’s largest employers, MVP Health Care and GE, the course is designed to ensure students can start their coding careers in the Capital Region. The public is invited to learn more about the course by attending a free Information Session on Thursday, December 12 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at PUBG MadGlory , located at 36 Phila Street (first floor) in Saratoga Springs . $25k from SEFCU dedicated to Scholarships for Veterans interested in taking the course.

2. Saratoga Partnership to Create Economic Development Plan for Ballston Spa

The Saratoga Partnership has begun working with government, business and community leaders in Ballston Spa to develop a customized economic development plan that will help guide future growth in the village.

The effort is part of the Saratoga Partnership’s rapidly expanding Next Wave Communities initiative, through which the agency is creating tailored economic development plans that harness the individual strengths and assets of a municipality, address current needs and challenges, and create a road map to pursue new opportunities. The initial step in the process, now underway, is the launch of a survey designed to assess the community’s vision for Ballston Spa, identify both the advantages and obstacles to success, and seek ways to foster collaboration in crafting the plan. The Village held a public forum on November 19th, which was attended by roughly 50 people. That day we also released a public survey,  which has been taken by over 360 residents since its release on the 19th. Residents, business owners, elected officials and other stakeholders are encouraged to complete the survey. Read more from the Saratogian and the Daily Gazette.

3. Warm up at the HeatSmart Capital Region Speed Networking Event

Are you interested in learning about and/or working in the field of clean heating and cooling (air source and ground source heat pumps)? HeatSmart Capital Region invites you to this opportunity to engage and learn from Ground Source and Air Source Heat Pump experts in the region, including  Aztech Geothermal, Dandelion Geothermal, Choice Heating & Cooling, Hot Water Solutions, Rid geline Heating and Cooling, and Superior Co-Op HVAC . Join HeatSmart Capital Region on December 17th from 5:45pm - 8pm at TEC-SMART in Malta, NY for a free speed networking event. At this gathering, individuals interested in working in the clean heating & cooling industry will have the opportunity to meet local professionals, ask questions about the industry, and explore employment opportunities. HeatSmart Capital Region is a grassroots community initiative that supports residents and businesses in exploring ways to improve how they heat and cool their buildings.

Register here.

4. The Journey of the Ugly Sweater in a Global Economy

Where do ugly sweaters come from? How is it delivered to your doorstep? There are many stops, factories, and modes of transport involved before it arrives. Cushman and Wakefield’s Industrial team takes you through the supply chain journey, from the fields of New Zealand to a customer’s doorstep, explaining every step of the way. Click here to take the journey.

5. Saratoga Springs Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Sub-Grantee Applications Due Soon

The Saratoga Springs Community Development Department is currently accepting sub-grantee applications for the 2020 CDBG Program Year. The 2020 Entitlement grant from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development is expected to be approximately $306,269. Completed applications will be due to the Office of Community Development, City Hall Temporary Offices– 15 Vanderbilt Ave, Saratoga Springs 12866 by 4:30 PM on Friday, January 31, 2020. These funds are designed to assist activities that address community development needs as prioritized in the City’s Consolidated Plan, and that benefit persons of low and moderate income. Eligible activities may include public services; job creation; affordable housing acquisition, construction and rehabilitation; and other federally eligible activities. Click here for application materials .

6. IBM installs new supercomputer at Rensselaer as part of $2 billion AI Hardware Center

IBM has installed a new supercomputer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for researchers to model potential artificial intelligence solutions in fields such as health care, cybersecurity and climate change. The investment is part of IBM's $2 billion AI Hardware Center initiative based at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Albany. The new computer — named Artificial Intelligence Multiprocessing Optimized System, or AiMOS — is part of the test bed for the AI Hardware Center. The supercomputer will allow researchers to do modeling, simulations and computations as they develop new hardware. Click here to read more from the Albany Business Review.

7. Millennial Life: how young adulthood today compares with prior generations

Over the past 50 years – from the Silent Generation’s young adulthood to that of Millennials today – the United States has undergone large cultural and societal shifts. Now that the youngest Millennials are adults, how do they compare with those who were their age in the generations that came before them? This article from the Pew Research Center compares education, employment, income + wealth, housing, family, voting, and population information across the different generations.

8. What comes up, must go down...but when?

At 79, Hugh Johnson has lived through 12 recessions and helped thousands of clients survive downturns in his decades as a financial analyst. Johnson has developed a reputation as a highly regarded analyst, with his commentary featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and other media outlets. Johnson gave his 31st annual economic forecast Thursday at the Hilton Albany during a meeting of the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce last week. The U.S. economy has undergone unprecedented growth over the last decade — with the country in December seeing its 128th straight bull-market month and 125th successive month of economic expansion. But what comes up, must go down, warned Hugh Johnson. Click here to Read what Johnson forecasted here.