Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Local officials celebrated the official launch of a new automotive technician program on Wednesday at the Northland Workforce Training Center in East Buffalo.
This program is designed to narrow the skill gap for local labor trained in the auto industry in Western New York.
"As the automotive industry evolves, the demand for a highly skilled technician is going to continue to grow. We were talking about this before and how there's an ever growing need for these technicians. This program is exactly what we need to equip our workforce with the training, the tools and the hands-on experience to meet that demand," said Buffalo's Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon. "This program will open doors and opportunities to good paying, high-demand jobs that will strengthen Buffalo's economy and provide long-term career opportunities to our residents."
The curriculum was developed by SUNY Erie Community College, while Northtown Automotive and the West Herr Auto Group advised on the development of the auto lab.
The program is supported by $1,174,600 in funding by the New York Power Authority.
"It is important that we continue to grow our region, and the only way to grow our region is to educate individuals for the jobs that exist today," said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. "Our unemployment rate is very low, but there are thousands of jobs that are being unfulfilled across the spectrum of our local economy, often because people do not have the education necessary to fill those jobs, or transportation to become educated or get to those jobs. We've eliminated, in some ways, the problems that existed prior with the transportation to get the education. Now we are going to educate the individuals, they are going to work in a lifelong career where they can make a lot of money, and that's important."