Governor Cuomo Announces New Manufacturing Technology Institute in Olean
September 15, 2016
From the office of Governor Cuomo
New $6 Million Jamestown Community College Facility Will Provide Education and Training in High-Demand Manufacturing Technologies
WNYREDC Priority Project and SUNY2020 Challenge Grant Awardee Designated to Prepare Regional Workforce
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the opening of the new Manufacturing Technology Institute on Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus in Olean. The $6 million, 20,000-square foot facility will address the need for education and training in high-demand manufacturing technologies in Western New York.
“This new institute will equip students with the tools they need to be leaders in the growing, innovative field of manufacturing technologies,” Governor Cuomo said. “The new facility will help provide the high tech workforce in these growing and increasingly in demand sectors and is one more reason why Western New York is a region on the move."
The new building features classrooms, specialized training space for machining and other industrial skills, light duty labs, and a computer-aided design lab. The institute is offering credit and non-credit courses through its welding technology, CAD/CNC, and machine tool technology certificate programs to train skilled workers for regional manufacturers. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was on hand for the ribbon cutting.
Lieutenant Governor Hochul said, “Community colleges are key to ensuring that New York State has a skilled workforce ready for the challenges of a changing economy. The expansion of the Jamestown MTI program into Cattaraugus County is a perfect example of the regional cooperation Governor Cuomo is encouraging through the REDC process and the Community College Councils. This new facility bridges the gap between classroom and employers and puts us on the path to prosperity in Western New York.”
SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher said, “SUNY community colleges across the state are among New York’s greatest workforce development assets, even more so since the inception of Governor Cuomo’s NYSUNY 2020 program. This state-of-the-art facility at Jamestown Community College will broaden SUNY’s service to students and employers throughout Western New York, delivering top quality education and job-training in a high-demand field. Congratulations to President Duckworth and the entire JCC campus on this exciting grand opening.”
The total project cost for the construction of the new Manufacturing Technology Institute on the Cattaraugus County Campus in Olean and the expansion of the existing Manufacturing Technology Institute on the Jamestown Campus is approximately $10 million. Funding for both facilities includes $5 million from the State University of New York SUNY 2020 program; $2 million from the SUNY capital facilities division; $2 million from local sponsors, including Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties; and nearly $1 million from Empire State Development as recommended by the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council.
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “JCC’s Manufacturing Technology Institute will prepare students for successful careers in advanced manufacturing. Employers shared with the Institute which skills they require of their employees and the coursework has been designed with this in mind to help students get ready for real jobs and to continue to grow the advanced manufacturing sector in the region.”
Jeff Belt, Western New York Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chair and SolEpoxy President said, “The Olean MTI will be a real asset for the community and area manufacturers by providing the education and training for employment opportunities close to home. One of the WNYREDC’s core strategies is preparing our workforce and JCC’s new MTI fits that bill perfectly. I am proud that the WNYREDC supported this important project.”
Satish Tripathi, Western New York Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chair and University at Buffalo President said, “The partnership between MTI and area advanced manufacturers positions students for careers in advanced manufacturing. The coordination between educational opportunities and workforce needs is creating a win-win situation for JCC students and companies expressing a strong need for well-trained employees.”
Jamestown Community College has two campuses: a main campus in Jamestown and the Cattaraugus County Campus in Olean. Until today, the college only offered advanced manufacturing courses at the Jamestown Manufacturing Technology Institute, which is currently undergoing a $4 million expansion from 23,000 square feet to approximately 34,000 square feet. Both of Jamestown Community College’s Manufacturing Technology Institute facilities will be used to educate students in advanced manufacturing programs and expand these programs by 50 percent, which includes training an additional 190 students annually.
The new Manufacturing Technology Institute in Olean provides maker spaces in which local industrial entrepreneurs can partner with Jamestown Community College’s advanced manufacturing faculty and students to develop prototypes. The facility also offers hands-on experience with techniques such as 3-D printing that students can obtain through Jamestown Community College’s programs to enhance their competitive edge.
Jamestown Community College President Dr. Cory Duckworth said, “The new MTI facility will allow JCC to significantly expand its manufacturing education programs into Cattaraugus County. We are truly gratified by the high level of support from the local manufacturing community. This project represents the highest degree of collaboration among all concerned stakeholders.”
John Sayegh, Vice President of JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus, Continuing Education and External Partnerships said, “The advanced manufacturing and technical post-secondary educational programs that JCC is offering at MTI will contribute to the development of our local economy by bridging the demand and supply gap with highly skilled graduates and gives students the opportunity to take marketable skills from the classroom directly into manufacturing sectors.”
Senator Catharine Young said, “Employers are looking for a skilled workforce that is well versed in an array of advanced manufacturing tools. Employees need to be able to constantly evolve and refine their skill sets to stay on the cutting edge of technology and industry so that they can secure good paying jobs. The new Manufacturing Technology Institute (MTI) will be an economic catalyst for the region and I was proud to support the funding for the facility in the state budget. I also applaud the members of the Cattaraugus and Chautauqua County Legislatures who recognized this invaluable opportunity to expand the resources available to our local labor force and joined us in investing in the facility.”
Assemblyman Joseph M. Giglio said, "Our region already benefits from a variety resources offered by JCC’s campuses. The new MTI facility in Olean will offer even greater opportunities for students and employers in Cattaraugus County to develop their skills to increase our economic viability. This facility is a crucial investment in our workforce and its importance cannot be overstated."
Mayor William J. Aiello said, "The Manufacturing Technology Institute on Olean’s JCC campus will be an important asset to the industries located in the Olean area as well as Cattaraugus County. The facility will better prepare our local employees for the future and help our industries compete in today’s global marketplace."
Several businesses and corporations, including Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, Cutco Foundation, Inc., Dresser-Rand Co., Eaton/Cooper Power Systems, Fitzpatrick & Weller, Keystone Tool & Die, Mazza Mechanical Services, Inc., Napoleon Engineering Services, Olean Area Federal Credit Union, and SolEpoxy, have pledged $300,000 to provide scholarship funding for eligible students.
Additional information on MTI programs and courses can be obtained by calling 716.376.7501 or visiting www.sunyjcc.edu/MTIcattco.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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