CAMS building progress continues with additional grants
Richard Decker
Staff Writer
Hudson Valley has plans to construct an additional educational facility, the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skill with the intent of doubling its enrollment in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology (A.O.S.) degree program to meet an urgent workforce demand for skilled employees within the Capital District.
The demand for machinists and computer-controlled machine operators and programmers is projected to grow by anywhere from 14 percent to 35 percent by 2022, according to estimates from the state Department of Labor.
In 2016, the Albany-Schenectady-Troy had the fifth fastest-growing manufacturing sector among the nation’s largest 100 manufacturing metros, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates.
The region added 26,300 manufacturing jobs in 2016, up 3.5 percent from the previous year. However, the skilled labor force population has not been able to keep up with this growth.
With the construction of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills, Hudson Valley is poised to help fill the shortage of well-trained, skilled craftspeople and help manufacturing firms to expand, create new jobs and contribute to economic growth.
The Center, a $14.5 million 37,000 square foot building designed by Troy-based architecture firm Mosaic Associates, will serve as a model for the country preparing students to operate computer-controlled lathes, mills, grinders and three-dimensional printers in two years rather than a four-year apprenticeship.
By doubling the enrollment of manufacturing students and the addition of a new facility, the project also will give the school enough space to give other students technical training to prepare them for careers in marketing, management and sales.
Currently, nine out of 10 students enrolled in the school’s advanced manufacturing program receive job offers before they graduate from General Electric, Simmons Machine Tool Corp. in Menands, P1 Industries in Schenectady and Kintz Plastics in Howes Caves.
The fundraising arm of the project has largely been handled by the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation, securing more than $3.5 million to date.
Among the private investors are: the Gene Haas Foundation, the building will bear his name; Simmons Machine Tool Corporation (part of the NSH Group), for the construction of a state-of-the-art electro/mechanical industrial maintenance lab; General Electric Power, to develop a Student Advisement Center named in the memory of GE Human Resources Manager, Gale O’Gorman, who was instrumental in creating and sustaining GE’s machinist program; and the Hearst Foundation as a contribution.
In recent months, however, Regina LaGatta, Interim Executive Director of the HVCC Foundation, alongside President Motonak and President-elect Ramsammay, have campaigning for state and federal funding.
In December, a $2.9 million grant was announced by Governor Cuomo through the New York State Regional Economic Development Council award and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $1.5 million in federal funding for the facility as well.
Shovels are expected to break ground sometime this year.