{"id":671,"date":"2021-07-29T21:43:22","date_gmt":"2021-07-29T21:43:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.monroecc.edu\/news\/?p=671"},"modified":"2024-08-30T11:14:47","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T15:14:47","slug":"suny-chancellor-malatras-announces-start-of-construction-of-11-million-fwd-center-at-mcc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.monroecc.edu\/news\/2021\/07\/29\/suny-chancellor-malatras-announces-start-of-construction-of-11-million-fwd-center-at-mcc\/","title":{"rendered":"SUNY Chancellor Malatras Announces Start of Construction of $11 Million FWD Center at MCC"},"content":{"rendered":"

State-of-the-Art Facility Will Offer Accelerated Training Programs for Over 2,500 Students in High-Demand Careers in Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Various Apprenticeship Programs <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

New Center is the Model of Co-Locating Multiple Colleges and Private Sector\u00a0to Help Fill the Growing Need for Skilled and Ready Workforce to Meet the Demands of Regional Employers\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Photos Available from Today’s Announcement Here<\/a> \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rochester, NY<\/strong> \u2013 State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras on Thursday joined SUNY Trustees Robert Duffy and Christy Fogal, Monroe Community College President DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, the regional state legislative delegation, and local officials to announce the start of construction on the $11.4 million Finger Lakes Workforce Development (FWD) Center on Monroe Community College\u2019s (MCC) Downtown Campus. As a regional workforce model, the FWD Center will be operated with industry and partnerships with Genesee Community College, Finger Lakes Community College, BOCES, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association, Greater Rochester Enterprise, NYS Department of Labor, RochesterWorks!, and Monroe County. The new state-of-the-art facility will train at least 2,500 students in various in-demand careers in manufacturing and technology. The center is expected to open early 2022.<\/p>\n

\"\"

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras, MCC President DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna and MCC students gather around a robot, following the FWD Center construction kickoff ceremony.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center has been designed to focus on short-term and accelerated training programs that place individuals in high-demand jobs within advanced manufacturing, information technology, health care, skilled trades apprenticeship, and professional services. It will also be home to critical training programs for all learners: credit and non-credit based programs and customized training to meet the needs of an employer. A recent survey conducted by the New York State Department of Labor found 48% of New York employers ranked the lack of qualified applicants as their main barriers to hiring.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of skills gaps, there are critical workforce shortages across our state and SUNY will help fill that growing need.\u00a0Today\u2019s start of construction of the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center is a key example of our SUNY for All program\u2014going into communities too often left behind; bringing multiple colleges together under one roof to leverage the individual SUNY campuses\u2019 strength to provide students more opportunities; and connecting students who will be ready for work, with the Department of Labor and public industry partners ready to connect them to in-demand, well-paying jobs,\u201d said Chancellor Malatras<\/strong>. \u201cThanks to the investment from New York State, we can make this a reality, and start to fill the 20,000 open jobs in the Finger Lakes region. We have to give the community a chance at economic opportunities, and not only provide high-quality education to our students, but set them up for success, which is exactly what will take place at this center. I thank President Burt-Nanna and her campus leadership team, Trustees Duffy and Fogal, Monroe County Executive Bello, our state legislative delegation, and all our partners for their advocacy and support of this project.\u201d<\/p>\n

SUNY Board of Trustee Robert Duffy said<\/strong>, \u201cToday\u2019s announcement is a cause for celebration\u2014SUNY is creating clear education-to-career pathways for our students, and helping the economy move forward after all the hardships faced by businesses throughout New York State due to the pandemic. The Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center shows what can be accomplished when elected officials, the workforce, and higher education all work together to support a common goal. Our students who take courses at the center will receive hands-on learning experiences that will prepare them to enter into a job feeling confident to succeed.”<\/p>\n

SUNY Board of Trustee Christy Fogal said<\/strong>, \u201cSUNY\u2019s community colleges are leading the way in workforce development, and the addition of the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center underscores how much of a priority it is for our system to offer world-class training programs. We know that there is a need for more employees in the manufacturing and technology sectors\u2014SUNY is answering that call through the academic offerings that will train our students at the center. With accessibility and equity at the forefront of its mission, this center will be a beacon of opportunity for those living in the surrounding areas and help the region bounce back after COVID-19.”<\/p>\n

Monroe Community College President Dr. Burt-Nanna<\/strong> said<\/strong>, \u201cAs Industry 4.0 changes the way all of us live and do business, it\u2019s critical that employers have access to a workforce that is able to use smart technologies in business environments. The Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center will be home to affordable, high-caliber education and training programs that will be accessible to diverse learners across the region, preparing them for in-demand tech-oriented careers that pay living wages and are less vulnerable to future displacement. With a 60-year track record of putting people back to work, Monroe Community College is excited to be part of a regional effort in developing the next generation of skilled technicians and moving the economy forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Made possible by New York State and SUNY capital funding, the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center is expected to open in early 2022 and anticipates training an estimated 2,500 individuals in the first three years of its operation. The project is budgeted at $11.4M, with $6M coming from a SUNY2020 grant, and $5.4M coming from the Finger Lakes Forward Upstate Revitalization Initiative.<\/p>\n

Undeveloped sections on the fifth and sixth floors of the MCC downtown campus on 321 State Street will be renovated to accommodate the 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art FWD Center. MCC conducted 22 focus groups with over 80 regional stakeholders and employers to determine the impact of new technologies on Finger Lakes businesses and the skills these employers most need in their workers.<\/p>\n

The FWD Center is strategically designed and will not be fully built out at launch in order to support a variety of programs and allow for quick modification of the space to meet the specific needs of regional employers.<\/p>\n

County Executive Adam Bello said<\/strong>, \u201cWith its focus on in-demand skills of today and tomorrow, the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center will truly increase job opportunities for people living in Monroe County and the Finger Lakes region, make our existing businesses stronger, and help spur more investment in our economy and our people. This is an incredible investment in our community, and will be a critical part of rebuilding our local workforce and economy from the COVID-19 pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additional partnerships are in development and will be announced next year. For more information, visit www.FWD-Center.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The full release is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

FAST FACTS on FWD CENTER<\/strong><\/p>\n

The FWD (Finger Lakes Workforce Development) Center, at 321 State St., will: <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25a0 Occupy 50,000 square feet of flexible training space on the fifth and sixth floors of Monroe Community College\u2019s Downtown Campus.<\/p>\n

\u25a0 Serve the entire region, with a focus on the rapid training and retraining of technical middle-skill workers.<\/p>\n

\u25a0 Link education and training with regional employers\u2019 evolving workforce demands.<\/p>\n

\u25a0 Adapt to the changing and emerging technologies that are driving the future of work within advanced manufacturing, health care, information technology, skilled trades, apprenticeships and professional services.<\/p>\n

\u25a0 Increase the local pool of skilled technicians.<\/p>\n

\u25a0 Focus on developing partnerships and joint ventures with regional workforce organizations, industry groups and educational institutions to increase opportunities for students to gain work-based learning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Programs and services will include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25a0 Skilled trades, apprenticeships and training in Industry 4.0, automation, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and smart technologies.<\/p>\n