workforce training center

Otsego Now Connects with Local School Districts

Workforce development professionals often have discussions among themselves and with economic development colleagues about the “workforce pipeline.” This refers to the training and education infrastructure that produces a satisfactory pool of employees within the community. Some say it is best to begin this regimen of training and education as early as kindergarten or elementary school. At the very least, students should be entering the workforce pipeline by the time they reach middle school. The pipeline infrastructure, then, will involve students from seventh grade through post-high school training or education, whether they seek a non-credit certification, an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree, … Read More

Otsego Now to Receive Multiple Creative Awards

May 9, 2016 (Oneonta, NY) – The New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) recently announced that Otsego Now has been named a recipient of several 2016 Marketing, Literature and Promotion Awards. The awards will be presented at the Awards Banquet on Thursday evening, May 26th, during the 2016 NYSEDC Annual Meeting in Cooperstown. Otsego Now was honored as Best in Class for its fiscal-year 2014 Annual Report, which was distributed at a special meeting of the Otsego County IDA and CRC Board in June 2015. In addition, Otsego Now received a Certificate of Excellence for its Workforce Training Center … Read More

Otsego Now Embarks on Training Center Year Two

In the months since our launch event last year, the Otsego Now Regional Workforce Training Center has been in a state of metamorphosis and evolution. Our second-year plan has called for a significant amount of business outreach, as well as meetings with prospective education partners, to forge the relationships we need to move forward. Training programs at the Workforce Training Center will be demand-driven, so business outreach has been critical. An important aspect of the value we intend to offer to area employers is to first understand their workforce needs, then help them meet them. Thanks to our recent outreach … Read More

Regional Workforce Training Center Up and Running

A lot has been happening here at Otsego Now lately. Most excitingly, we have finally gotten our space here on the fifth floor of 189 Main Street fully furnished and outfitted and it’s all really beautiful! We are winding up our first Employability Training class, too. It will end with distribution of certificates next week. And then we’ll be beginning our first DSP Training class at the end of this month. On top of all that, we held a really exciting and very successful launch event last week that earned us plenty of media coverage. Speakers included Senator James Seward, … Read More

Otsego Now Opens Workforce Training Center

by Denise Richardson, staff writer ONEONTA — State Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, and Otsego Now officials launched the Otsego Now Regional Workforce Training Center at 189 Main St. on Tuesday. Seward announced the award of a $100,000 legislative grant to support the Center, an award that supplements a $47,500 grant from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative. Between 40 and 50 local business representatives, elected leaders, workforce trainees and others attended the opening event, officials said. Seward, Otsego Now staff and project partners spoke about the need for a trained workforce in Oneonta and the region and how … Read More

Workforce Training Center Outfitting Will Soon Be Complete!

It’s been just about a year since we began the lengthy process of preparing to create and operate a workforce training center here at Otsego Now. First, we had to secure the funding to furnish and equip the center. That took quite a long time all by itself. Then we had to go find the furniture and equipment that we wanted. Finalize the funding. Place the orders. Await installation. Then, too, we had to secure the separate funding for the programming. That entailed designing the training programs. Securing the curricula. Drafting the paperwork. Consulting the experts on proper grant administration. … Read More