MCC Daily Tribune
SUNY, NYS Department of Labor Launch Apprenticeship Programs Campaign
As New York state’s economic reopening accelerates and demand for highly skilled workers surges, SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras launched a campaign urging New York State employers to sign up for Apprenticeship Programs at SUNY. By pairing New York State businesses of all sizes with participating SUNY colleges, the program fuses paid, on-the-job training with traditional educational instruction, helping companies attract, train, retain, and promote employees (media release)
Since the program’s 2017 inception, 28 SUNY institutions have provided educational support to 385 apprentices working in full-time, paid positions. SUNY has also trained hundreds of pre-apprentices who are ready to continue their training as apprentices in paid, full-time positions. Throughout the pandemic, SUNY has provided educational support to 124 apprentices and 22 pre-apprentices, helping people reimagine and rebuild their careers and lives during a tumultuous period. According to New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) data, salaries for experienced apprentices range between $50,000 and $100,000.
More than 100 employers are already participating—companies work directly with SUNY and NYSDOL to establish Registered Apprenticeship Programs. This formalizes a framework for the on-the-job training. SUNY then provides related instruction through a mix of credit and non-credit courses. Tuition is waived up to $5,000 per person for both apprentices and pre-apprentices due to $17 million in funding from the NYSDOL and the United States Department of Labor.
The campaign coincides with NYSDOL resuming and ramping up of in-person outreach designed to raise awareness about the benefits of registered apprenticeships, particularly among employers in the advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology sectors—three central focus areas of Apprenticeship Programs at SUNY. And, SUNY will be working with associations, including the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, to reach out to companies directly. Companies with apprentices report higher productivity and worker satisfaction, less turnover, and substantial return on investment.
SUNY will also reach out to students at its Educational Opportunity Centers and those enrolled in coursework through SUNY’s Online Training Center to raise awareness about available apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities. ...
Chancellor Malatras and NYSDOL Commissioner Roberta Reardon announced the campaign from Fiber Instrument Sales (FIS) in Oriskany, where they were accompanied by FIS Chief Executive Officer Frank Giotto and Mohawk Valley Community College President Randall VanWagoner. A major manufacturer and distributor of communication fiber optics, FIS is a member of Apprenticeship Programs at SUNY—with Mohawk Valley Community College providing its related educational instruction. FIS is one of seven Giotto Enterprises affiliates that recently implemented a registered apprenticeship program. Mohawk Valley Community College is SUNY’s lead institution on advanced manufacturing apprenticeships, whiles SUNY Schenectady serves as the lead on healthcare.
“Apprenticeship Programs at SUNY are poised to be a pivotal tool for both employers seeking highly-skilled workers, and people looking to reimagine their careers, expand their skillset, and forge a new path forward as New York comes out of the pandemic,” said Chancellor Malatras. “We have more than 100 New York State businesses already signed on and hundreds of pre-apprentices waiting in the wings for full-time jobs. Our apprenticeship program marries tailored, on-the-job training with related classroom instruction, allowing businesses to invest in current workers in a truly meaningful way, bring on new employees eager to learn and grow, increase overall productivity, and reach their business objectives. That’s been true for Giotto Enterprises, which is hiring at least a dozen SUNY apprentices over the next year. I want to thank CEO Frank Giotto for being such a strong proponent of our program, MVCC President Randall VanWagoner and his team for leading our advanced manufacturing apprenticeship concentration, and Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon for her tireless commitment to funding, building, and promoting this program statewide.”
SUNY Board Trustee Bob Duffy said, “SUNY community colleges continue to lead the way in helping our students use what they learn in their schoolwork to thrive as employees in the workforce. Our world-class Apprenticeship Programs show that our system takes seriously the need to fill the employment gap. We are proud to partner with local businesses who need skilled workers by connecting them with our incredible pool of talented students and graduates. Frank Giotto and the rest of the team at Giotto Enterprises have opened their doors to SUNY, and I thank them for all that they are doing to help our students succeed as professionals once they graduate.” ...
Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Senior Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges and Education Pipeline, said, “The power of our community colleges to provide students with the opportunity to pursue careers is more than ever before to address the needs of our future workforce. By engaging with SUNY’s apprenticeship programs, businesses can ensure that they will remain competitive in the marketplace, and that their employees have the precise skill sets required for their company to thrive.” ...
For more information on the SUNY Apprenticeship Program, click here.
Rosanna Yule
Government and Community Relations
06/17/2021