SEN. FARLEY NOTES SENATE PASSES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) announced that he and his colleagues in the New York State Senate passed six bills that will strengthen the state’s economy by training job seekers and existing employees for the employment opportunities that are in demand. The package of legislation is among the results of the Senate’s Task Force on Workforce Development, which has examined ways to close the skills gap by improving the connections between prospective employees and employers looking to hire new skilled workers.

In May, the Task Force issued a report summarizing their findings and recommendations after holding forums across the state to receive input from leaders in business, labor, public education, higher education, local governments, and workforce training and development. The report identified ways to help improve employee readiness; better meet the workforce needs of private sector employers; connect job seekers with potential employers; retrain those who have lost jobs; and help make New York State’s overall economy more robust, dynamic, and resilient. The legislation passed today would make great strides in accomplishing these goals and includes:

· S7967 expands the type of data collected by the Department of Labor to include forward-facing job statistics that can be used by employers and educators to accurately predict future needs and properly prepare the workforce for career opportunities. Often, the best way to fill jobs requires raising awareness about opportunities at the high school and community college levels, allowing students the chance to identify and qualify for such job opportunities. This bill aims to put the requisite information and data in the hands of students and administrators so that students can be best informed about the skills and experiences necessary to obtain employment as they consider their future educational and/or career path beyond high school and community college.

· S7921 would invest $35 million to expand New York State’s Pathways in Technology Schools (P-TECHs) and Early College High Schools to meet student demand and enhance educational performance. These unique programs prepare students for college-level coursework that promotes future academic performance and enables students to get their high school diplomas while also earning free associate degrees for high-skilled jobs or taking other college-credit-bearing courses. Currently, P-TECHs and Early College High Schools are not codified in state law, but this bill would make them permanent and provide a reliable funding stream that eliminates uncertainty and gives reliability to participating students.

Senator Farley noted the PTECH programs in his district have been extremely successful, including Ballston Spa’s program that is paired with Hudson Valley Community College. HFM BOCES also runs an excellent PTECH program in Johnstown that is paired with Fulton-Montgomery Community College and they are gearing up to open another program in St. Johnsville in the fall.

· S7920 helps increase access to career and tech programs at BOCES. The bill would require the state Department of Education to work with districts to remove some of the stigma associated with taking classes through BOCES; have districts encourage students to take advantage of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) services that BOCES offers; and increase the current salary cap for BOCES instructors from $30,000 to $50,000 to attract and retain qualified and skilled teachers.
 

· S7915 improves participation in apprenticeships by promoting coordination between high school guidance counselors and local building trades councils. The bill requires the state Education Department, in consultation with the Department of Labor, to develop guidelines for guidance counselors to help make students aware of the full complement of options available to them after high school, including apprenticeship programs that allow students to earn a paycheck while undergoing classroom learning under the supervision of a professional tradesman.

· S7646 creates the Help Individuals Reach Employment (HIRE) program to help students who have graduated from a SUNY or CUNY institution but cannot find full-time employment. To enhance their employment marketability, a qualified applicant who graduates, but then cannot find full-time employment, could apply for a certificate program tailored to job market needs, free of charge, either on campus or online.
 

· S7968A enhances degree or certificate programs at community colleges in order to increase successful job placements for students. Regional Community College Councils would consult with and make recommendations to community college boards of trustees on ways to create new degree or certificate programs, or restructure current programs to improve the connections between the skills being taught and the needs of industry.

The bills have been sent to the Assembly.