$1.1 million awarded to projects driving workforce development initiatives
The Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine (Engine) is pleased to announce the launch of its Energy Storage Workforce Development Network and the awarding of an initial $1.1 million to projects aimed at educating and training the next-gen battery workforce. The network brings together a broad spectrum of organizations and initiatives to address critical skills gaps for the growing domestic battery industry.
Poised for growth, the network spans 27 counties across the Southern Tier, Central, and Western New York and is designed to create unique programs to build talent at all skill levels. The initial projects bring together community colleges, universities, industry, and non-profit organizations from across the region in a collaborative ecosystem as key contributors to the mission of training the next generation of energy storage professionals.
“Workforce development is one of the Engine’s core pillars and is crucial to its success,” said Meera Sampath, Engine CEO. “The launch of this network is a significant milestone in realizing our vision to transform Upstate New York into America’s battery capital. I am delighted to see the breadth and diversity of organizations receiving these initial awards, underscoring our goal to reach and provide opportunities to all those who are interested in participating in the battery sector.”
At the heart of this network is Syracuse University, one of the Engine’s core partners and lead agency for workforce development. According to Donald Crampton, a key member of the workforce development team, the strategy prioritizes creation of industry-driven education and training programs that will build a strong pipeline of industry-ready individuals to serve the growing battery industry.
“When evaluating proposals for the initial funding, we prioritized scalability and the potential for replication across the state,” said Crampton. “We also assessed the organizations’ readiness and capacity to execute their projects effectively, ensuring the success and sustainability of these initiatives.”
The projects, as part of the newly launched Workforce Development Network, represent a broad portfolio of programs and target groups, including high school and college students, individuals from underserved communities (including families in some cases), and Deaf/hard of hearing populations. The initiatives are designed to provide a range of learning experiences including classroom education, hands-on training in specially designed labs, industry and research experiences and job-ready skills.
“The Network is uniquely positioned to build on the remarkable efforts of New Energy New York’s workforce development efforts, including the Battery Academy, and maximize synergies across federal funding streams to catalyze the growth of energy storage training programs in New York State,” said Tim Thomas, the Engine’s chief workforce development officer. “By aligning resources and fostering collaboration, we can scale successful initiatives regionally and create a replicable model for national deployment, driving meaningful impact for the battery workforce and clean energy economy.”
Award recipients include SUNY Broome Community College, Binghamton University, BAE Systems, Alfred University, GreenWorks Training, Inc., Rochester Institute of Technology as well as its National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Syracuse University, and the YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County.
Contact:
Tim Thomas
Chief Workforce Development Officer
NSF Engines: Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine
tthomas@griffisinstitute.org
About the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine:
The Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine, led by Binghamton University, is a U.S. National Science Foundation-funded, place-based innovation program. The coalition of more than 40 academic, industry, nonprofit, state, and community organizations includes Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, LAUNCH-NY, and NY-BEST as core partners. The Engine advances next-gen battery technology development and manufacturing to drive economic growth and bolster national security. Its vision is to transform upstate New York into America’s Battery Capital. For more information on the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine, visit https://upstatenyengine.org/.
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