Federal funding aids the effort Syracuse University (SU) and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) plan to expand workforce-training programs for students entering the clean-energy workforce. The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the schools a total of $1.3 million in federal funding, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced on Dec. 5. […]
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Federal funding aids the effort
Syracuse University (SU) and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) plan to expand workforce-training programs for students entering the clean-energy workforce.
The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the schools a total of $1.3 million in federal funding, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced on Dec. 5. It’s funding Schumer secured in the Infrastructure & Jobs Law, his office said.
“Syracuse University and MVCC are being recognized
and rewarded as leaders for their growing clean energy workforce training programs, and now new [federal] funding through our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law will help power the next generation of students to get the skills they need to secure these highly in-demand careers in Upstate NY,” Schumer said in a news release. “This $1.3 million will help our students get the hands-on, real-world training they need to succeed in careers from HVAC to advanced engineering.
Schumer further explained that the investment will bring Syracuse University into an “exclusive” cohort of only 10 Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTAC) in America with $900,000 in funding to grow their clean-energy jobs programs.
It also means $440,000 for MVCC as the newest addition to the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program to help expand the school’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and advanced-manufacturing programs.
The DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) manages the IAC program, and the Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) manages the BTAC Program.
MESC focuses on accelerating America’s transition to a resilient, equitable energy future through $20 billion of direct investments in manufacturing and workforce development. SCEP works with state and local organizations to accelerate clean-energy technologies, catalyze local economic development and create jobs, reduce energy costs, and avoid pollution.
Syracuse University funding
Schumer explained that the Syracuse University Building Training and Assessment Center (SU-BTAC) will use its funding to educate and provide hands-on training for up to 15 engineering students and 20-30 building personnel while performing 10-15 building assessments focused on reducing the energy burden and carbon emission each year.
Specifically, the SU-BATC will train both undergraduate and graduate students in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); building-energy management systems; Internet of Things-based monitoring and innovative assessments; machine learning-based smart controls; and more.
The SU-BTAC will work with several regional entities, companies, and labor unions to identify and assist potential commercial and institutional building clients and provide a variety of high-quality job training pathways.
“I am grateful that Senate Majority Leader Schumer recognizes the value in programs that leverage Syracuse University’s intellectual capacity to address societal needs and global challenges,” Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation at Syracuse University, said in the release. “We at Syracuse University are going well beyond the traditional classroom education to provide our students with relevant experiences and training that can solve some of the most important environmental problems of our day. This kind of federal funding is an investment in the future, and the education and training it supports will pay back dividends in terms of a healthier community and climate.”
MVCC funding
MVCC will use its award to work with its regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and other community and industry partners to provide assessments to local manufacturers while training students for HVAC and advanced-manufacturing technician roles.
The college will also develop and disseminate training modules to manufacturing workers in clean-energy techniques. It’ll also work with local partners to expand pre-college training programs, with a focus on serving Utica’s low-income communities.
Over the three-year span of the initiative, MVCC envisions the creation of 60 new jobs, the reconfiguration of 90 existing positions, the development of 15 courses, and the enrollment of at least 100 trainees.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to Senator Schumer for championing investment in both physical and human infrastructure. Through the Mohawk Valley Industrial Assessment Center, we are confident this funding will drive Upstate NY towards a sustainable future, generating clean energy jobs and tackling workforce challenges,” MVCC President Randall VanWagoner said. “This initiative underscores our dedication to innovation and community collaboration, promising a transformative influence on our students and the entire region.”