Establishes the retrain and employ unemployed persons program

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the retrain and employ unemployed persons program

Purpose

The purpose of this bill is to establish the retrain and employ unemployed persons program.

Summary of provisions

Section 1. Subdivision one of this bill sets forth definitions.

Subdivision 2. Establishes the retrain and employ unemployed persons program which establishes a grant program for community colleges to develop or improve existing workforce development programs;

Subdivision 3. Grants shall be awarded in the amount of $500,000 to community colleges that can demonstrate such programs will provide the requisite training required for job placement in businesses and industries within the region that lack the necessary workforce or that are seeking employees with new skills in an area where job openings currently exist or where job growth is anticipated in the near future;

Subdivision 4. To be eligible to receive grants, such community colleges shall partner with regional businesses or industries to determine area of need and shall consult with the Department of Labor to target unemployed individuals who shall be given priority placement into such training programs;

Subdivision 5. Upon successful placement of participants, local businesses or industries shall provide 1/3 of the funding required to train employees;

Subdivision 6. Community colleges may seek to provide on-site training or may seek to have participants trained on job site;

Subdivision 7. Successful completion of the program shall be signified by the receipt of a certificate of completion, however, training programs do not have to lead to degrees or official certifications provided by the Department of State or the State Education Department; training programs maybe as long or as short as necessary to provide competency for a particular need;

Subdivision 8. Community colleges shall be eligible to receive an additional $50,000 in any year that more than 50% of all program participants trained become employed;

Subdivision 9. SUNY and CUNY Boards of Trustees shall also consult with regional BOCES to develop or improve career training programs that may start as young as 7th or 8th grade, result in high school graduation and community college enrollment earning degrees or entering training programs in an industry where job growth is anticipated. A portion of funding for the BOCES, community college, industry partnerships may be funded by the participating businesses.

Section 2. Sets forth the effective date.

Justification

This bill would direct SUNY and CUNY community colleges to work with local business and industry to develop work force training programs

that target the unemployed and provide the skills necessary for individuals to obtain jobs in their communities.

Furthermore, this bill would provide funding for the initial creation of this program and would provide incentive funding in future years for those community colleges that successfully place trained individuals in jobs.

With New York's unemployment rate at 6.7%, programs such as this that can help put people back to work by providing new skills for individuals in areas where there is industry need and job availability are necessary for this State.

Legislative history

2014 S.7794

Fiscal implications

To be determined and pursuant to appropriation.

Effective date

Immediately.