Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's office issued the following:
August 22, 2019
Funding Will Be Used to Implement Workforce Training Programs in Wood and Paper Products
Washington, DC –
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 (WDI), 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 (NBRC), 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.
