New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand toured a rail car manufacturer in Plattsburgh this afternoon and highlighted efforts to provide funding for advanced manufacturing training.
Gillibrand is a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, which has passed a measure that includes $350,000 for the North Country Chamber of Commerce to support the expansion of skilled labor training programs.
Gillibrand toured Alstom, a rail manufacturer in Plattsburgh, and noted that nationally about 400,000 manufacturing jobs are currently unfilled and by 2030 that number could climb to 2.1 million.
“Without a strong pipeline of workers large scale projects will struggle to secure necessary labor and our economy will suffer. That’s why programs that prepare the next generation of workers are essential.”
Alstom Site Manager Jeffrey Lambert said developing skilled tradespeople benefits more than the employees.
“It’s critical for our ability to deliver the current projects that we have in house. It’s also critical for us to successfully compete for the programs of the future.”
