PLATTSBURGH — Clinton County will turn to a local education system to run the Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and vault it toward a higher level of training opportunities.
“I think this is going to be a giant step forward,” Clinton County Legislature Chairman Mark Henry (R-Area 3, Chazy) said.
“We’re talking about basically the same mission in the sense of training and producing a highly trained workforce, and we want to make sure that the folks that go there receive top-notch training so they can enter the workforce.”
BOCES/CVES TABBED
The county will partner with Clinton-Essex-Warren-Washington BOCES/CVES to operate the IAM located on the campus of Clinton Community College in the Town of Plattsburgh.
BOCES/CVES will utilize the space at the IAM, which opened in 2017, and provide programming and workforce training that the institute was designed for. A long-term lease with the county is being negotiated for the transition.
The future of the IAM came into question when it was learned early this year that CCC would be moving its operation to the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh by fall of 2025.
The Clinton County Legislature, in conjunction with SUNY, appointed the North Country Chamber of Commerce CEO/President, Garry Douglas, to convene an IAM task force to figure out the best plan for the operation.
The task force was comprised of a group of community stakeholders who set out with the mission to preserve and enhance the IAM.
Henry said he believes the move to BOCES will be a positive one for the IAM, the county and the local manufacturing scene.
“They will focus on wider opportunities for training and moving that forward,” Henry said.
“CV-TEC has great expertise in that area… and they have a lot of resources to do that. So we think this is not going to be business or training as usual, but will be, as I said, a giant step forward for the improvement of our workforce.”
Henry envisions a full-time director for the IAM and efforts to bring in more students for training.
“They (CVES) are going to move in there and they are going to take it over and run it. They will get the students and they are going to train the students. There will be a lot of people involved, but they are going to run it,” Henry said.
MORE TRAINING
He anticipates that the program will not only provide basic training for manufacturing labor, but advanced training as well.
“I could see opportunities where perhaps you have employees all ready, but you want to train them and improve their ability with technology or improve their ability in welding or improve their ability in something else,” Henry said.
“They may already have those skills, but maybe there’s new techniques that came out or whatever, and those could be taught there.”
The new arrangement will also help with recruiting more workers to the manufacturing field and retaining those already working in it, Henry said.
“Workforce is a challenge everywhere as you know, and we want to provide not just a trained workforce, but a highly trained workforce for the employers that want to come here,” he said.
“This is a great deal for everyone and we are very excited about it.”
EXCITEMENT
CVES District Superintendent Dr. Mark Davey was also excited about the plan.
“Champlain Valley Educational Services is committed to supporting the growing educational needs of our region,” Davey said.
“Through this new partnership, we look forward to building on our successful track record of CV-TEC offering excellent opportunities, resources, and training to students, and providing North Country employers with new and talented candidates who strengthen our region’s workforce. We look forward to finalizing this agreement with the county and moving forward with the Task Force’s recommendation. ”
Douglas said the plan is, “a completely positive outcome for all concerned, including Clinton Community College, CVES and especially our region’s manufacturers and all who can benefit from the training made possible by the IAM.”
“CVES’ CV-TEC division has the experience and commitment to take the IAM to a top level of training activity that will support and attract quality jobs and help many of our residents enhance their skills and careers,” Douglas said.
“And the timing is perfect as CVES finalizes plans for its new facilities at the Clinton County Business Innovation Gateway (CBIG), allowing coordination of the two sites. We thank all of the Task Force members for helping to quickly identify the right path forward and we thank Clinton County, CVES and Clinton Community College for their positive teamwork. Onward and upward!”