DeWITT — DeWitt–based MACNY, the Manufacturers Association, will use $6.5 million in state funding to expand its direct entry pre-apprenticeship programs to areas beyond the Mohawk Valley.

The $6.5 million grant will enable the nonprofit MACNY to extend its Real Life Rosies and Advance 2 Apprenticeship pre-apprenticeship training programs to multiple regions across New York state, including Central New York, Capital Region, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Western New York, and New York City.

These efforts will “significantly increase access to high-quality, industry-recognized training” in advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology, and clean energy, MACNY said in its announcement.

The office of Gov. Kathy Hochul first announced the funding on Dec. 5, which is part of more than $15.5 million earmarked to support workforce initiatives across New York. The Empire State Development Office of Strategic Workforce Development awarded the MACNY grant.

These programs, which MACNY launched in 2023 in the Mohawk Valley, “have already proven successful” in introducing underrepresented communities — including women and people with disabilities — to careers in advanced manufacturing, MACNY contended its announcement.

To date, the Real Life Rosies program has introduced more than 100 trainees to advanced-manufacturing careers. The expansion will scale the original pre-apprenticeship program, MACNY said.

The Real Life Rosies program provides hands-on training and direct-entry pathways into apprenticeships for women and marginalized populations while also providing wrap-around services such as childcare and transportation, MACNY said. Likewise, the Advance 2 Apprenticeship program will work with local SUNY community colleges to offer training in the fields of semiconductor manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, and green energy.

Working with partners

In the expansion, MACNY says it’s collaborating with nonprofit organizations like the Center for Economic Growth (CEG) in Albany and Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA). MACNY will provide trainees with the “skills needed to succeed in sectors vital to the future of New York’s economy.”

“Real Life Rosies creates a supportive apprenticeship pathway for women to access good-paying careers in manufacturing,” Katie Newcombe, chief economic-development officer at CEG, said in the MACNY announcement. “This direct-entry model not only provides life-changing opportunities for women, but it also enhances our diverse, trained, and growing workforce for local manufacturers. The Center for Economic Growth is excited to continue its longstanding partnership with MACNY by helping to launch and manage Real Life Rosies in the Capital Region.”

“RTMA plans to expand Women in Manufacturing events, create a Real Life Rosies program, and grow the Advance 2 Apprenticeship efforts in the Finger Lakes, engaging underrepresented populations in advanced manufacturing,” Bob Coyne, executive director of the RTMA, said in the MACNY announcement. “These initiatives will provide registered apprenticeship opportunities with support from New York State workforce development funding. We would like to thank Governor Hochul for her vision and support in advancing economic growth in the region.”

MACNY says its programs are part of New York’s broader $60 million investment made to support workforce development across the state. To date, these efforts have impacted nearly 15,000 New Yorkers, with funding from both the state and private sector totaling more than $65 million. The initiative is focused on “building diverse, skilled talent pipelines and addressing critical workforce shortages in emerging industries,” per MACNY’s announcement.