Cayuga County Agency seeks to create Fund for Workplace Development
Cayuga Economic Development Agency hopes to start a workplace development fund that will help new and existing businesses provide training to employees. The matching grant fund would be supported by local philanthropy groups and available to any “high priority job retention, expansion, relocation or flight risk project,” CEDA Executive Director Terry Masterson said.
At first, that would restrict it to larger employers only, although Masterson said he hopes it can expand later.
It likely wouldn’t be very much money — maybe $15,000 in matching dollars -- but could be offered in addition to existing incentive packages that other agencies already provides. “Other forms of job training have basically dried up,” Masterson said. “Workforce training is critical in economic development ... and we want to be sure to show our best effort to support job growth and retention.”
Auburn Planning Director Jennifer Haines said that several companies have expressed interest in some sort of employee training program. “One of the things companies have been looking for is assistance with workforce development, whether they’re looking to expand or they’re looking to come here,” she said. “They want to be sure the employees they hire have the specific skills they need for that particular industry. ... Having that kind of money available to us locally, I think, would give us a competitive advantage over other localities.”
The actual job training would ideally happen through Cayuga Community College, Wells College or Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES. That could involve sending employees to existing courses or developing new, industry-specific ones.
CCC Dean of Community Education Carla DeShaw, who is working on the project from the educational standpoint, has previously put together similar training for Welch Allyn and other companies, Masterson said. Masterson is currently trying to find ways to fund the program and plans to reach out to several local groups soon.
—Staff writer Justin Murphy
Read more: http://auburnpub.com/news/local/article_8ea210dc-1b0c-11e1-865b-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1fCm5k7Kc
