Updates from the North American Center of Excellence for Transportation Equipment
Workforce Solutions: Transitioning Soldiers
Did You Know?
Nearly 400 Fort Drum (Watertown, NY) soldiers separate from Active Duty each month. Of those 400, approximately 35% will relocate wherever career opportunities are available, 35% will remain in the greater Watertown area, and 30% tend to return home.

What Does That Mean?
These soldiers, and their family members, possess a wide variety of skills and are actively looking for a career in the civilian sector!
What Are We Doing To Help?
On November 7th, Joel traveled to Fort Drum to attend the Fort Drum Soldier for Life - Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP) Career Fair. Joel spent the day there representing area employers and speaking about the wealth of opportunities available.

The North Country Chamber of Commerce and NAmTrans will continue to actively work with Fort Drum and SFL-TAP to make transitioning personnel aware of all that our region and our North Country Transportation Equipment & Aerospace Cluster has to offer.

Interested in attending an upcoming career fair at Fort Drum?
Click here for the full schedule and registration information.
NAmTrans tabling at Fort Drum Career Fair in Nov.
NYS Workforce Development Initiative: Training Opportunities
Is your company looking to add talented individuals to your team or upgrade the skills of your current employees? Could you use some financial assistance to help train them? The State of New York may be able to help!

In May, Governor Cuomo announced $175 million in funding for the Workforce Development Initiative .
As part of this program, the New York State Department of Labor is making $25 million available for businesses to:

  • Train existing workers and upgrade their skills;
  • Train newly hired employees on work processes and procedures unique to your business;
  • Train groups of unemployed workers for specific jobs.

The NYS DOL Business Services team can:

  • Provide technical assistance to guide your business through the application process;
  • Help you find the candidates who are a fit for your organization;
  • Work with you to help you develop training needs and plans.

To learn more about the Workforce Development Initiative and other funding opportunities from the New York State Department of Labor, click here.

If you have questions or are ready to apply, please contact your local Business Services Representatives to get started. Direct contact information can be found here.
Cluster News
Nova Bus Celebrates 10 Years in Plattsburgh
Please join us in congratulating Nova Bus on 10 years, and counting, of success in Plattsburgh.

With more than 300 employees, $174.2 M in labor income, and over 100 NYS suppliers, Nova Bus is not only a major economic driver for our region but a centerpiece of our North Country Transportation Equipment and Aerospace Cluster.

Greg Cody, Nova Bus Plattsburgh Plant Manager and NAmTrans Advisory Board Member said, “Every day for the past 10 years in Plattsburgh, we at Nova Bus have tackled the daily challenge of making a social, economic and environmental difference. With the recent launch of the LFSe+, our new long-range 100% electric bus with dual charging options powered by BAE Systems, we can bring this challenge to another level. We are a passionate team – our employees are the best and we know that’s the reason why we succeed in delivering the best buses to our customers all over the country."

Congratulations, again! We at NAmTrans wish Nova Bus many more years of continued success!

To read more , click here.
Photo provided by Nova Bus
Welcoming Mr. Renaud Bouchard to the Pôle
Please join us in welcoming Mr. Renaud Bouchard, the new Executive Director of Le Pôle d’Excellence Québécois en Transport Terrestre (The Quebec Ground Transportation Cluster).
Mr. Bouchard (pictured on the right) was appointed following the departure of Mr. Jean Simard, who served the Pôle for over a decade in various leadership roles.
We at NAmTrans would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Simard (pictured to the left) for his service, support, and partnership over the years. We would also like to welcome Mr. Bouchard to his new role - we look forward to continued collaboration and mutual success!
To read more, click here.
Save the Dates!
NYS Department of Labor Mini Career Fair

When: Monday, December 16th 10:00AM - 1:00PM
Where: OneWorkSource
194 US Oval, Plattsburgh, NY 12903

Please join NYSDOL on Monday, December 16, 2019 for a career fair at OneWorkSource. Find out more information about this event, including how to register by clicking here.

DOL Contact Name: John Hetfield
DOL Contact Phone : 518-561-0430 ext. 3081
NEATEC:
Interested in Hiring a Veteran?

When: January 6th - January 15th
Where: Lewis County/Jefferson Community College Education Center
7395 East Road, Lowville, NY 13367

The Northeast Advanced Technogical Education Center (NEATEC) is working with the Soldier for Life-Transition Assistance Program at Fort Drum to identify soldiers with mechanical and electrical backgrounds. NEATEC encourages the soldiers to consider civilian careers in advanced manufacturing and offers a free, 72 hour training program to help them prepare. A maximum of 12 soldiers/soon to be veterans will participate in the class.

Throughout the training, manufacturers are invited to meet with the participants to brief them about their company, products/process, and available maintenance or tool tech positions. Companies are encouraged to bring plant managers and HR professionals who can answer questions about the scope of work, benefits, and company culture.

The training program begins January 6th, 2020. Manufacturers are invited to pitch their company to the class during their lunch breaks (Noon - 1:00pm) face-to-face or via video-conference on any of the following dates: Mon. Jan 6, Tues. Jan 7, Wed. Jan 8, Thurs. Jan 9, Fri. Jan 10, Mon. Jan 13, Tues. Jan 14, or Wed. Jan 15.

For more information, or to sign-up, please contact Kate Alcott - NEATEC Associate Director - at 315.792.7549 or
North Country Connection:
Connecting future leaders with the tools they need to grow personally and professionally.

When: February 27th - May 28th, 2020
Where: North Country Chamber of Commerce
7061 Route 9, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Cost: $169 (Members) or $269 (Not Yet Members)

Through a series of Community Exploration sessions, participants will learn about the challenges facing our region and how they can get involved to make the North Country stronger than ever. Professional Development sessions will be included to help participants build the skills necessary to take their career to the next level.

Discover how you can play a vital role in our community, take the next step in your career development and make valuable connections that will last for years.
North Country Chamber of Commerce
Safety Training
The North Country Chamber of Commerce has been the recipient of funding for several years from the
New York State Labor Dept. Occupational Safety and Health Hazard Abatement Board . This funding has allowed the Chamber to develop and deliver an active and multi-faceted program of services in support of workplace safety in the North Country, including year-round seminars and training programs, an actively used Safety Lending Library, and on-site employer specific training.
The Chamber may use the funds to pay for training at your facility when you have a group of people who need training on a particular subject, and they may be able to bring in a qualified safety trainer at no cost to you. The best part? There is almost no paperwork for you to fill out. The Chamber takes care of everything!
A list of possible training subjects can be found here , but if you don’t see the subject you are interested in listed, or if you have any questions or need any further information about the safety training assistance the Chamber can provide, please contact Becky Drollette at
(518) 563-1000  or beckym@northcountrychamber.com .
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