Workforce development Archives - FuzeHub

NY MEP: New Mission Statement Brings Workforce Together with a Common Vision

Paul Hook — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 16:31:40 +0000

About

Plattco Corporation is an employee-owned company with over 100 years of experience in designing, forging, and building dry-goods valves in the heart of Plattsburgh, NY. They invented the first double flap airlock valves that prevent leakage in the 1960s and have since developed thousands of custom solutions across many industries worldwide. Wherever you encounter difficult-to-manage dry materials in tough environments, you’ll find Plattco valves. Their team of about 55 people is dedicated to leading the industry by blending innovative ideas with respect for traditional craftsmanship and open communication. Plattco values their workforce and community, which is reflected in strong loyalty, long-term stability, and a long list of satisfied customers.

The Challenge

Plattco’s facilities consist of two aging buildings separated by gravel, leading to inefficiencies in key processes like design, production, inventory management, and shipping and receiving. This physical separation, along with outdated infrastructure, challenges interdepartmental communication and operational efficiency, and fails to meet current environmental and energy standards.

Planning the construction of a state-of-the-art facility while maintaining high-intensity production processes, including metal forging, requires careful coordination and a resilient, aligned workforce. Recognizing that this transformation affects every part of the organization, Plattco engaged CITEC, part of the New York MEP and the MEP National Network, to help build the organizational readiness and alignment needed to support their long-term growth and modernization goals over many years.

CITEC has been a trusted partner of Plattco for many years, supporting nearly every department across our organization. Whenever we encounter a challenge, we know CITEC either has the tools to help us address it directly or can leverage their extensive network to advance our goals. They consistently bring valuable resources to our attention, often ones we would not have known existed, and help us navigate how to access and utilize them effectively. We look forward to continuing our partnership with CITEC for many years to come.

— Michelle Derrigo, CEO

MEP’s Role

Plattco has strategically invested in its people, processes, and materials to prepare for moving to a new facility while maintaining its commitment to serving a global customer base with high-quality, custom-engineered valves.

Understanding the importance of bringing the entire team together around a shared vision, Plattco partnered with CITEC to help develop mission and vision statements that embody the organization’s core values. This collaborative effort made sure every employee understood their role in the company’s future, encouraging a unified culture ready to face the challenges of modernization.

To support effective leadership during this critical period, Plattco teamed up with CITEC to deliver management development training for its leadership team members. These programs provided managers with vital skills in communication, coaching, conflict resolution, and team motivation, leading to increased productivity and lower turnover.

Plattco’s dedication to continuous improvement includes leveraging research and innovation. Through a CITEC connection, Plattco has secured R&D tax credits, leading to significant cost savings that can be reinvested into product development. Additionally, with support from the NY MEP’s Advanced Materials Grant, Plattco tested a reusable sand material for valve mold production, reducing waste and operational costs while supporting their environmental sustainability goals. They also completed a cybersecurity assessment, providing a roadmap to help protect their information systems and adhere to industry standards.

By leveraging its partnership with CITEC and the New York MEP network, Plattco continues to build a solid foundation for its future, aligning operational excellence with innovation as it prepares to move to a modern facility that will support its growth for decades to come.

Originally published on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) website with the help of New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP)

NYS Manufacturing and Tech News 11.1.24

Zachary Sauro — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 21:45:35 +0000

Innovation summit attracts hundreds of companies to Syracuse

“As the advanced manufacturing industry continues to grow in New York state, the importance of a strong workforce is vital. Spectrum News 1 spoke to company representatives and leaders at the Syracuse event about the challenges.”

US plans $825 mln investment for New York semiconductor R&D facility

“The New York facility will be expected to drive innovation in EUV technology, a complex process necessary to make semiconductors…”

Five New York teams move forward in NSF ‘Innovation Engines’ competition, vying for $160M in funding

“These teams, representing a variety of high-tech research efforts across the state, will compete for up to $160 million in federal investment to fund projects that could drive regional economic growth and create high-paying jobs.”

New Clean Energy Manufacturing Facility in Binghamton

“Firomar Inc., a firm specializing in high-efficiency building panels, is establishing a state-of-the-art clean energy manufacturing operation at the site, creating up to 40 jobs in the first phase.”

Eco Waste Solutions opens manufacturing facility in New York

“Eco Waste Solutions, a Batavia, New York-based thermal waste conversion solutions provider, has opened its newly renovated solid waste disposal systems manufacturing facility in Batavia.”

Podcast: The Stories We Told: NYSMN’s 2023 Recap

Paul Hook — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 18:14:03 +0000

Handbags to Human Hair; Concrete to Craft Brews. New York State Manufacturing NOW covered the gamut of ideas put to application from across the state, bringing you stories of innovation, ingenuity, and success. We continue to use this podcast as a vehicle for information but also inspiration we realize that the hurdles we all incur are surmountable with the right support system in place.

In this 2023 NYSMN highlight reel, we visit with Miriam Dushane from Alaant Workforce Solutions on the state of our state’s workforce initiatives; with Kema Maxwell from Kema’s Kreations on the steps she took to enhance her original idea; from Chris Berry from Marquardt Partners on turning schematics into boards; from Michael Tucker of the Long Island Food Council on getting people together to better understand (and support) all facets of food and beverage manufacturing; from Brendan Laing of IV Wedge on their non-invasive medical device technology; from Paul Leone and Meghan Connery from the New York State Brewers Association on the growth of craft brewing across the Empire State; and from our Executive Director, Elena Garuc, on FuzeHub’s 10th anniversary and how we’ve thrived and continued to help the manufacturing community as a statewide resource for innovation.

Listen to the podcast here.

Thank you for listening in ’23. We look forward to bringing you more informative and entertaining content throughout this new year!

Podcast: ReWire Energizes Sustainability

Paul Hook — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 01:08:48 +0000

New York State Innovation Summit – Day 1: The ReWire Group

Get ready to be enlightened by Al Evans from the Rewire Group, who takes us on an engaging journey through the world of energy and technology. Listen in as Al unveils the ins and outs of ReWire Group, a dual-division company that helps customers make optimal energy decisions and digital technology applications. Al reveals how Rewire Group assists property owners, developers, large companies, and others with significant energy footprints. He further elaborates on the company’s commitment to workforce development, economic development, and training the energy workforce of tomorrow.

In the second half of our episode, we pivot to the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Performance Center and the role of ReWire Group in this venture. We discuss the CAP, the Career Alignment Platform and technology alignment platform as well as an exploration of the unique design of the ZEN building, a sprawling 356,000 square foot building with a four megawatt data center, that incorporates state-of-the-art energy-efficient technologies. With over 8,000 data tags, the data from the building is used for continuous commissioning and the development of a digital twin. Listen in as we discuss these captivating advancements with Michael Fancher, the director of the University of Albany’s Center for Advanced Technology in Nanoelectronics and Nanomaterials.

Listen to the podcast here.

Editorial: Basics’ Training Can Help Bring Stability to North Country’s Workforce

Paul Hook — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 15:46:15 +0000

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a guest editorial by Steve Lockwood. Lockwood is the executive director of CITEC, the regional New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) center serving the North Country.

Originally published in the Press Republican | April 26, 2023

The North Country has a fundamental workforce problem, but there are solutions within our grasp.

Amid statistics that show a double-digit decline in the region’s labor force and 82% of upstate CEOs lamenting an inadequate supply of appropriately trained workers, there lies a larger issue: local companies are struggling to fill their open positions, which is affecting the growth potential of our regional economy.

It’s something we are working to address at CITEC, the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership center serving the North Country… continue reading

Ask The Expert – Amy Desjardins (Workforce Development Institute)

Paul Hook — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 19:33:34 +0000

For this edition of Ask the Expert, we spoke with Amy Desjardins, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Institute (WDI), a statewide nonprofit organization that strives to increase job opportunities for all New Yorkers through skills training, pre-apprenticeship programs, grants and technology projects. Its work often fills gaps not covered by other institutions or agencies, helping to facilitate projects that help labor unions, employers, educational institutions, and other workforce partners think and act differently regarding hiring, training, educating, and retaining an inclusive and productive workforce.

Tell us about Workforce Development Institute.

WDI was born out of the labor movement about 20 years ago. In 2003, WDI became a 501c3. We have 10 regional offices with central offices in Albany. Our focus is on the worker and what we can contribute to the business from the worker’s perspective. We are collaborative by design, working in partnership with labor, employers, educational institutions and community-based organizations (CBOs) who believe that family-sustaining jobs with good pay and benefits are critical to bringing people out of poverty and back into the workforce. Our goal is to set a path for workers to attain and adapt the skills necessary to compete and advance in the future of work.

Do needs and issues vary by region?

I do think there are unique challenges in each region. You can’t just paint the state with one brush. In New York City, certainly, it is the high cost of real estate. In the rural areas, there are industries that are supporting whole communities and we need to keep them alive and well. We want people to come back to New York and our upstate communities because that is where the jobs are. We need people to fill an enormous amount of jobs that are coming in construction, manufacturing, and all the supply chain ripple effects. WDI’s value is our depth of expertise and our statewide presence that empowers us to identify successful programs and pursue opportunities to scale them to other industries or regions of the state.

How are you addressing the worker shortage?

A lot of it is career awareness and exploration, the schools play a large part in that, letting kids know there is a path to these good jobs, building road and energy infrastructure and manufacturing plants for semiconductors and clean energy components or working in those facilities. We also work with employers directly to help improve job quality so that workers and applicants are motivated to apply, accept work offers, and grow their careers with them.

We work very closely with the building trades. They have on-the-job apprenticeship programs. We partnered with the New York State Building & Construction Trade Council on a statewide pre-apprenticeship program. The program focuses on traditionally enabling career exploration and providing foundational skills, including communication and problem solving.

It is also important to make sure those who may be struggling with transportation to work, or maybe childcare, receive the wraparound support they need to succeed. It takes a village. There is a tremendous amount of great work being done by CBOs all across the state and WDI has relationships with those CBOs.

Can you share some best practices for attracting and retaining workers?

First and foremost is inclusion and having an accessible workforce for people of all backgrounds. It is also important to make sure workers have a sense of advancement and aren’t just a cog on an assembly line. You want them to feel valued and that they are not just stuck in a dead-end job.

The other piece is job quality. There are so many openings; people can be a little picky. This starts with wages and compensation, but extends to benefits, workplace culture, scheduling, and being flexible in helping out with things like childcare. Addressing some of those concerns can go a long way. Take a wholistic approach because if you invest in the worker, they are more likely to stay with you.

How do you work with FuzeHub?

Most of our regional directors work closely with their local MEP centers and with FuzeHub, the statewide NY MEP center. If there are partner forums where they bring in manufacturers, WDI is often there networking to provide opportunities to collaborate on a skills gap that a manufacturer might be having, or an upgrade in technology they may need. So, it really is a collaboration we have built with FuzeHub over the years, building on the MEP network and opening doors to manufacturers across the state.

Manufacturing Careers By the Numbers

Paul Hook — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 20:15:40 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there will be 4.6 million job openings in manufacturing within the next decade. For American manufacturers, the challenges are two-fold. First, companies must find skilled workers for newly-created positions, including jobs with titles that may not even exist yet. Second, manufacturers need to replace retiring Baby Boomers, people born between the years of 1946 and 1964, without losing their institutional knowledge.

For today’s students, the challenges that U.S. manufacturers face provide unprecedented opportunities. Whether it’s filling a newly-created position or filling the shoes of an older worker who is retiring, students who are entering the workforce with the right skills are in high demand. In New York State, workers also command the highest average manufacturing salary ($30,306) in all 50 states, according to Zip Recruiter. In New York City, Glassdoor reports, the average manufacturing salary is $59,174.

Across New York State’s 62 counties, the average manufacturing salary varies not just by location, but by the type of manufacturing job and the specific skill level that is required. Nationally, the Occupational Outlook Handbook from BLS reports metrics such as manufacturing jobs and median pay that show what different positions are like by the numbers. Mathematically, median is not the same as average. Rather, median means that there is an equal probability of falling above or below it.

Occupation	2020 Median Pay
Assemblers and Fabricators	$34,970
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers	$38,270
Quality Control Inspectors	$40,460
Welders, Cutters, Solderers and Brazers	$44,190
Machinists	$45,840
Industrial Machinery Mechanics	$54,920
Electricians	$56,900
Industrial Designers	$71,640
Engineers	$103,380
Industrial Production Managers	$108,790

For students who are interested in exploring a future in manufacturing, Manufacturing Day is an annual event that showcases career pathways. In New York State, FuzeHub and its partners are hosting 2021 Virtual Manufacturing Day, an online event that is expected to draw nearly 100 manufacturers, educational and training resources, and other organizations with valuable information to share. If you’re a student or an educator, register now for our October 15^th event.

NYS Manufacturing Now: The College That Connects

Kim Lloyd — Wed, 26 May 2021 18:14:06 +0000

Herkimer College is ranked among the nation’s top two-year colleges in terms of transfer and graduation rates. With its 40+ associate degree and certificate programs, the college is educating the next generation of workers as they prepare for the jobs of the future. Not far from Herkimer College in Marcy, New York, Cree is building a semiconductor wafer fabrication facility that will supercharge the region’s economy.

William H. “Bill” McDonald, the associate dean of academic affairs for the Business, Health, Science and Technology Division, recently spoke with NYS Manufacturing Now about Herkimer College’s mission, Cree’s new construction, previous events with FuzeHub, and the winning combination of food, technology, and manufacturing in the Mohawk Valley.

Bill also underscored the importance of attending How the Mohawk Valley Feeds Innovation, a June 2nd event that’s sponsored by FuzeHub in partnership with Herkimer College and leading organizations.

Mohawk Valley Manufacturers Need the Community’s Help with This Workforce Solution

Elena Garuc — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 14:48:23 +0000

Manufacturers in the Mohawk Valley need more skilled workers. They need people to fill jobs that are available today and those that will be open in the years to come.

That’s what we heard in March when we held our Workforce Solutions Forum in Utica. It gathered dozens of industry professionals who are looking for solutions to the workforce challenges their businesses face.

It’s an issue that is affecting manufacturing companies across the country. About 80 percent of manufacturers are dealing with a shortage of qualified applicants for skilled production positions, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Additionally, over the next decade, about 2 million jobs nationwide are expected to go unfilled due to a lack of certain skills among the workforce.

This growing challenge requires multi-faceted, regional solutions and even greater involvement from the community. On factory floors, inside classrooms, in the halls of government and at kitchen tables in our own homes, solving this challenge will require sustained collective action.

Fortunately, several partners at the local, state and national levels are already actively working together to strengthen the region’s workforce.

For example, Mohawk Valley Community College is playing a key role in convening the right people, organizations and companies to develop and promote solutions, such as the MVCC FABLab, the SUNY Apprenticeship Program, technical training programs for employers and technology-based certificate programs. MVCC also has a dedicated workforce development team that consists of more than 20 employees. Additionally, our organizations, FuzeHub and the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing, are working directly with manufacturers to solve workforce issues through the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP).

However, at our Utica forum, manufacturers told us the big solution they need now is to shift perceptions.

The modern factory floor is much different than the factories of the old days. It’s not a grimy, dirty place that only offers monotonous work, rather it’s a tech-driven setting where workers are challenged to uncover and execute solutions quickly and confidently.

Manufacturing jobs today require a blend of technology and critical thinking skills. What many don’t require is a four-year college degree.

With career and technical education, or CTE, students can fast-track their careers and enter in-demand fields. This pathway to good-paying jobs comes without the heavy student debt burden that typically accompanies bachelor’s degrees.

There’s often talk about manufacturing jobs as “middle skills” positions—but in saying that, it implies that there’s always something better that people in the manufacturing industry should do with their lives. The reality is manufacturers make and create and innovate. They build things that people depend on and products that improve quality of life for everyone.

Now, to actually shift perceptions around manufacturing, we need conversations to happen outside of manufacturing forums and government offices and even beyond the pages of this newspaper. We need parents, educators and manufacturing professionals to connect with young people about the importance of studying STEM fields and the purpose—and paycheck—people can find in production jobs.

Let’s keep this end goal in mind: If we successfully build a workforce that is prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow, we will create a competitive advantage for the Mohawk Valley that will help existing manufacturers grow and encourage new companies to locate or expand here. It will help ignite growth and prosperity that benefits the entire community.

Everton H. Henriques is the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) Solutions Director for FuzeHub. Cory Albrecht is the Director of the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing at MVCC.

Artificial Intelligence is Finding a New Workforce in New York

Kim Lloyd — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 14:44:08 +0000

Do you need employees? Yes, you do. Finding a diverse and skilled workforce is a leading challenge for New York State manufacturers. The organization Our Ability will host “Building a Manufacturing Distribution Workforce” on March 26, 2019 at Syracuse University. Tech giant Microsoft and other cutting edge resources working in the artificial intelligence (AI) space will help manufacturers realize their business outcomes more efficiently than ever. The event will include an array of activities that will demonstrate how AI applications are advancing the modern workforce, and illustrate how AI can be harnessed to identify workforce skills that will fit your unique business environment needs.

John Robinson of Our Ability

John Robinson, executive director of Our Ability, looks forward to bringing this event to New York State manufacturers seeking to meet their workforce priorities with customized solutions. “We are excited about our partnership with Syracuse and Microsoft and interested in collaborating with all parties on using artificial intelligence to identify work forces and skill sets. We believe AI can identify people with disabilities and their marketable skills.”