March 04, 2010 Grants to fund work force projects at GlobalFoundries By EMILY DONOHUE, The Saratogian
MALTA Bringing a new industry to a region is akin to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. State and local officials announced another piece of the puzzle that will turn the Capital District and Saratoga County in particular into the worlds newest headquarters for the semiconductor and nanotechnology industries.
On Wednesday morning the state Department of Labor announced three grants, which will be administered by the Greater Capital Region Workforce Investment Boards, to fund a variety of work force development projects.
"Welcome to tech valley," said Colleen Gardner, the states acting commissioner of Labor, as she announced the $150,000 in grants. The goal of the three grants is to create a work force ready to handle the estimated 5,000 new, largely high-tech, jobs that are expected to accompany GlobalFoundries to the region. That is in addition to the 1,400 people GlobalFoundries is expected to employ at the plant.
A $25,000 grant will allow the Labor Department, the Greater Capital Region WIB and the Center for Economic Growth to work with private sector employers to assess and help meet their current and future workforce needs.
Another $25,000 grant will be used to develop a regionwide career-readiness program.
With a $100,000 grant the Greater Capital Region WIB will inform students, parents and educators about technical careers. The hope expressed by nearly every speaker at the press conference is to create a "pipeline" of highly skilled local workers who are prepared for technical careers.
Anita Daly, chairperson of the countys Economic Development committee, said Wednesdays announcement is another example of the results of partnerships between public, private and academic organizations.
"We believe that here in Saratoga County we are building the economy of tomorrow and investing in the future of our citizens," she said.
Dan Gentile, of the Greater Capital Region WIB, a group that will receive some of the grant money, said that training the regions work force will contribute to the stability of the area economy.
"Our region has an excellent new opportunity to build a sustainable work force and educational pipeline to support job growth for decades," he said.
The $4.2 billion microchip plant is being touted as the most advanced in the world and will employ 1,400 workers once it reaches its full operating capacity in 2012.
