×

Stefanik pressed on workforce needs

Funding: Congresswoman promises continued support of training programs

Rep. Elise Stefanik

PLATTSBURGH — Providing a ready and capable workforce remains a high priority for the North Country, and area education and development leaders emphasized that point Monday with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

Stefanik (R-Willsboro) was in Plattsburgh for a roundtable discussion on workforce development at OneWorkSource, where she heard a resounding theme: We need more funding for training programs.

Programs to train people in a wide variety of manufacturing areas are needed to supply companies such as NovaBus, Prevost, Bombardier and Norsk Titanium with workers for the future, the panelists said.

Stefanik agreed, saying having a well-trained work force is extremely important.

“It’s the No. 1 issue when I talk to employers,” she said.

“Oftentimes there are jobs that are unfilled, and they are looking for qualified workforce.”

Stabilize colleges

During the roundtable discussion, North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said that maintaining at least the same level of training funding is critical.

“And there is nothing more important than stabilizing and supporting the most positive, positive trajectory for community colleges,” Douglas said.

Clinton Community College President Ray DiPasquale said CCC offers programs where actual workplaces are replicated, so potential workers get the best training possible.

“It is very important for the community and the region to provide training in a way that has never been seen,” DiPasquale said.

Rural funds lacking

Douglas noted that former President Barack Obama increased allocations for community colleges to provide more training.

He urged Stefanik to maintain support for that funding and not let it get caught up in partisan politics in Washington.

“I hope that this is not seen as an Obama program,” Douglas said.

Panel members also stressed that many funding programs for workforce education are geared too much toward urban places, not rural areas like the North Country.

“We get left out a lot,” said Thomas Plastino of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency.

Specific to region

Stefanik said she has supported many of the funding streams that help North Country workforce training programs and will continue to do so.

“As the appropriations process moves forward, I will work on a regular basis on amendments that are very specific to programs in this district,” she said.

“What is unique in our area is the employers are really partnering with organizations like OneWorkSource, with Clinton Community College and with the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing, an exciting new opportunity for employers to identify what skills they need and make sure we have a pipeline.”

More women needed

Paul Grasso, president and CEO of the Development Corp. in Clinton County, said it is important to open up manufacturing training to women, too.

“By and large, they (females) are not directed to manufacturing when they are in middle school,” he said.

As part of her visit to OneWorkSource, Stefanik toured a CV-TEC class where students were working to get their high school equivalency degrees in hopes of joining the local workforce or continuing on in college.

Support matters

Karisma Garcia recently completed studies to receive her equivalency, 16 years after leaving high school.

“I thought it would be hard because I had been away from school for so long, but with all the help I received it was easy,” she told the congresswoman.

Garcia will go on to CCC to further her education.

“We all helped each other in this class,” she said.

“You just have to keep working hard and tell yourself that you are worth it.”

[Editor’s note: Four daily newspapers in the North Country — the Enterprise, Post-Star of Glens Falls, Watertown Daily Times and Press-Republican of Plattsburgh — are sharing content to better cover New York’s 21st Congressional District.]

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.75/week.

Subscribe Today