This program targets the disadvantaged and underrepresented populations within Rochester’s urban center to provide access to skill-based careers. Participants receive intensive developmental education to improve their literacy and math skills before transitioning into one of MCC’s accelerated certificate programs. There are many other good examples of cooperative workforce development programs in the New York Fed’s District. In Buffalo, the Overhead Electric Line Worker training program at Erie Community College (ECC) was created in conjunction with National Grid to address the critical shortage of overhead line workers and technicians. To date, the program has graduated 132 students, including 42 who are currently employed at National Grid. Another example is OnForce Solar, which sells and installs solar energy packages for commercial and residential customers. In 2010, OnForce Solar CEO Charles Feit moved his rapidly growing company to a then unoccupied building in the Port Morris area of the Bronx. After struggling to find skilled workers, OnForce Solar partnered with Bronx Community College to create a $ million technology hub which will be paid for by the company. The partnership was made possible by the Governor’s Start-Up NY Program, which was launched in 2013 to spur job growth in distressed areas by designating tax-free zones at various colleges and universities. OnForce Solar also developed and taught a newly designed technology course at Bronx Community College. Another example is Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. When I visited Stevens in April, I learned how they are preparing their students to meet local workforce needs.

Forward-looking partnerships such as these create “win-win” opportunities for everyone involved, and help the local economy grow and prosper. Monroe Community College (MCC) also stands out with its significant workforce development initiatives. In fact, earlier this year Vice President Joe Biden – who was back in Rochester recently to announce the creation of a new manufacturing photonics hub – presented the college as a model for developing meaningful collaborations with employers to create job-training programs that align with current employment opportunities. MCC has taken a uniquely data driven approach to the development of tools and programs that work to address the most pressing workforce development needs in the greater Rochester area, and to provide diverse learners with clear paths to sustaining meaningful careers. For instance, the MCC Corporate College program has designed and delivered more than 100 new noncredit courses and provided education and training to more than 2,000 individuals. Additionally, the college has partnered with 128 employers, including CooperVision and Thermo Fisher Scientific, to deliver customized training to their employees. The Corporate College takes an innovative approach in providing workforce learning and development solutions informed by current labor market data and expert analysis. BIS central bankers’ speeches  3  There is increased awareness, both locally and nationally, of a growing skills gap within industries. Supporting middle-skill occupations has become a critical theme for many in the business community and within the workforce development community. In response to this issue, MCC announced a new collaboration with JPMorgan Chase called the Middle-Skills Bridge Program.