GlobalFoundries, CEG Launch Tech Valley Initiative For Education And Employment

On Nov. 13, the TEC-SMART campus of Hudson
Valley Community College (HVCC) at Luther Forest
hosted the launch of a public-private coalition
to promote innovative practices in education and
workforce development across a 13-county region
in New York state.

Called the Tech Valley Connection for Education
and Workforce Development, the initiative was
created by GlobalFoundries and the Center for
Economic Growth (CEG). At its launch, it consists
of 20 regional chambers of commerce, 111 school
districts, and 345 schools, with dozens of business,
teacher, and student “ambassadors” helping to
drive the program.

“This region is undergoing a remarkable economic transformation,” said Tucker. “Tech Valley is now home to a critical mass of high-tech manufacturing companies, suppliers, R&D, higher education and other key elements of developing high-technology industry clusters in the semiconductor, nano-technology, information technology, and biotechnology areas. GlobalFoundries is here; International Sematech – the consortium of semiconductor manufacturers throughout the world – is here; the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering is an incredible success; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute houses the world’s most advanced computer; and GE now has an advanced battery plant, healthcare imaging manufacturing facility, and a wind turbine center right here in our region. And the Capital Region has now been identified as having the most clean tech jobs in America by the Brookings Institute.”

Tucker said education is the critical component necessary to sustain the growth. “To leverage the public-private investment of the last 15 years, we must be sure we have the workforce to sustain those companies that are here and to attract new companies,” he said. That is why the initiative is important businesses, residents of the region and the students who will become the workforce of tomorrow. The opportunity to engage in STEM education is a critical component of this new initiative of CEG and GlobalFoundries. Dr. Drew Matonak, president of HVCC, addressed the students at the event, describing the early college high school program where 12 school districts have collaborated with Hudson Valley, NYSERDA, and a number of area businesses to provide high school students with hands-on experience dealing with emerging technologies. Students can take up to 20 college credits with them as they move from high school to college.

Mike Russo, GlobalFoundries’ director of government relations, cited trips to Washington, D.C., beginning in 2009, when they were told by federal officials that the key to the economic security and national security of the U.S. was improving the education system.
The trick to achieving that “was how to connect the dots between the most innovative programs,” said Russo. Already in 2009, there were people who wanted to work with GlobalFoundries to find the best way to make education and workforce development more cohesive.

“STEM education – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – are important,” said Russo, “but understand that we’re not all going to be engineers. And we can’t leave brains on the table if we’re going to compete in the global marketplace.” Soft skills like communications and interpersonal skills are important, too.

“We reached out to CEG in 2009 to ask if they would help facilitate a large-scale initiative to improve our education system, and their board said yes. We also reached out to the BOCES coordinators in 13 counties and they got on board. Today we have a broad-based coalition of inner-city schools, schools with multicultural populations, suburban and rural schools – a nice mix for a laboratory. And the excitement of the development of Tech Valley helped to move the ball forward.”

“This initiative involves all stakeholders,” said Russo, “with students at the top, parents next, teachers and everyone else. This is probably the only place in the country where the teachers’ union said if it makes sense for this laboratory, we will grant the flexibility to trial innovative practices. So we’ve been able to change the model that we’ve had for 100 years or more.” Making sure the work is scalable is important, as well. “Whatever we do here has to be able to be spread throughout the state and throughout the nation,” said Russo.

The laboratory includes the entire age spectrum, from what preschoolers are watching on television to how to retrain adults for careers in these new technologies. “Our corporation wants to take advantage of our time on this stage to be a leader and a good corporate citizen to help create a better system,” he said.

Russo added, “Since 2009, we have partnered with BOCES, with community colleges, with SUNY, and with the business community, as well as teachers, parents, and students. Working with SUNY, we’ve created a STEM certification program for teachers who don’t currently have strong STEM skills. And we’re developing an advanced manufacturing credential, as well.”

Sally Slingerland, a junior from Guilderland High School, spoke on the importance of science and math courses for people of her generation. She noted that almost all of her math and science teachers have been passionate about what they do. “Passionate teachers lead to passionate students,” she said. “I love science because it always challenges me to think on a deeper level. As hard and frustrating as my AP Physics class can be, it makes me think – really think – more than any other class I take. And when I come up with the right answer, it’s such a rewarding feeling. “By the time I graduate, I can’t imagine not still being interested in science. I would love to go into neuroscience or genetic research, but I’d also be really happy to become a science teacher.” The Greenville School District was recognized for its innovative partnership with an incubator company, C2 Biotechnologies, that employs Greenville High School students in internship positions, participating in the development of new technologies that could potentially bring technology licensing revenues to the school district.

Peter Wise, a parent in the Germantown School District, described the GCS-2015 program, which strives to develop well-researched educational opportunities and choices that prepare students for the future, while contributing to the sustainability of the school district.
Tech Valley High School in Albany was recognized for encouraging students to learn about the alternative energy sources that the world will need to sustain itself and to build projects to tap those energy sources. Brent Weil, senior vice president for education and workforce at the Manufacturing Institute in Washington, D.C., spoke of the importance of training a workforce in advanced manufacturing techniques that are necessary to keep the U.S. economy robust and competitive. He commended the representatives of Global- Foundries, CEG, educational and governmental institutions, and the entire Tech Valley community that have managed to create such a strong coalition dedicated to preparing for the jobs of today and tomorrow. He also pointed out that his organization has granted the SUNY system of community colleges funds to develop programs that offer advanced manufacturing skills. Johanna Duncan-Poitier, SUNY senior vice chancellor for community college and the educational pipeline, said the top 30 Fortune 500 companies have 130,000 jobs today that they cannot fill. By 2018, virtually all of the good-paying jobs will require no less than a two-year college degree. She highlighted the opportunities offered by community colleges to prepare people young and old for those good-paying jobs. “STEM is everywhere,” she said, “and you have to be ready for it.” The launch of the Regional Education Initiative concluded with a reception and tours of the GlobalFoundries Manufacturing Technology Development Center and HVCC’s TEC-SMART campus. For more information, visit www.ceg.org.