Kirsten Gillibrand
Funding will be used to implement workforce training programs in wood and paper products
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $571,267 in federal funding for the Workforce Development Institute, part of the AFL-CIO. Specifically, the funding will go towards creating and implementing workforce training programs in the production of wood and paper products. WDI supports rural economies in New York by addressing worker skills needs, helping workers get local jobs, and expanding opportunities for employment in local communities.
“This federal investment is a major victory for Upstate New York, in that it will help our potential workforce develop the skills needed to get and keep good-paying jobs,” said Senator Schumer. “The Workforce Development Institute is exactly the type of job- and economy-boosting program we should be prioritizing. I’m proud to announce these essential federal funds and will always fight tooth and nail to bring resources Upstate that help ensure New Yorkers thrive in the workforce.”
“This funding is great news for workers across Upstate New York,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The wood and paper products industry is vital to our state’s economy and this federal funding will help train workers to get jobs in this field. I will continue fighting in the Senate to ensure that workers in New York have the training they need to be successful.”
“The Workforce Development Institute is grateful and honored to be granted this award through the Northern Border Regional Commission. With a myriad of strong partners, we will work to strengthen this robust economic sector. We will do this by supporting the workforce from the forest to the factory floor all along the value chain,” said Greg Hart, Regional Director for the North Country, Workforce Development Institute.
The funding was allocated through the Northern Border Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership that invests in economic and community development projects throughout Upstate New York, as well as in rural communities in other states in the Northeast.