Group hopes to develop workers for local jobs
Schools, business leaders teaming upBy RICHARD NILSEN, The Leader-Herald
Article Photos
Area educators and business leaders are teaming up on a plan they've been talking about for years to educate youths for viable employment in businesses that are already here.
Greater Amsterdam School District Superintendent Thomas F. Perillo said his predecessor, Ron Limoncelli, who retired in June, has reactivated the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Business Education Alliance.
"Educators need to work closely with businesses to help provide a changing work force," Perillo said.
Perillo said there is interest in the business community. The group will have "summits" and set goals.
But first the group had to identify the problems.
According to a strategic plan put forth by the alliance, four main problems exist. They are:
Many individuals living in the region are unaware of the employment opportunities.
High school graduation rates are unacceptable.
When students graduate, they do not necessarily have the skills needed to work in a high-tech work force or to attend college in high-tech programs.
Educators require a greater awareness of the needs of business and industry.
To address these problems, the group came up with the following goals:
Citizens in the region will know the local industries and the employment opportunities available.
Every school district will have a 90 percent or greater graduation rate.
Workplace skills will be an integral component of every school curricula.
Business and education leaders will be true partners in the education and economic development of the region.
The first thing the group plans to do is hire a marketing firm to develop a plan regarding the employment opportunities in the region and the need for education to work in the industries.
Fulton County Regional Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Wally Hart, who is a member of the Steering Committee for the group, said interviews with possible marketing firms have been scheduled.
"No specific businesses have signed on yet," Hart said. "First we had to get the plan in place and hire a marketing firm."
Hart said the marketing campaign will address plans for the next five years.
"Our first message is that kids should stay in school, and the graduation rate needs to go up," he said. "Kids need to see opportunities, and [that] education will [open up those opportunities]."
Hart said there are viable jobs in the county, and when students leave to go to college, they need to know there are opportunities for employment here and, therefore, good reason to return.
Next, Hart said parents and teachers need to hear about local opportunities and the importance of education so people are able to take advantage of those opportunities.
Hart said the chamber's Tech Tuesday Tours were one way to try to get the message out that technical jobs exist locally. He said the marketing plan would have to be multi-faceted to reach the public.
"Kids won't read brochures, but their parents will," Hart said.
To demonstrate the problem created by not having an educated work force available, Hart gave the example of a talk he had with advance planners for a business in search of a location.
"They had the potential of bringing 300 to 400 jobs to the area," he said. "But [the man] I talked to asked, 'Do you have an educated work force?' We can't grow the community without an educated work force."
Hart said the schools have "bought in," and now the community needs to be sold on the program. He said the first year's budget of $12,000 is in place. Fulton-Montgomery Community College and Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Board of Cooperative Education Services each put in $1,000 and local school districts have put in the other $10,000 on a pro-rated basis.
Fonda-Fultonville Central School District Superintendent James Hoffman said the idea that people could just "show up for work" and expect a good job isn't acknowledging the changing face of business.
"We have new businesses coming into the area, and special skills are needed to work in those businesses," he said. "Regionally, the high school graduation rate is running from 72 to 80 percent, and that's not acceptable."
Hoffman said the rate at FFCS is 85 percent, but 90 percent is needed.
Hoffman said he thought it was good educators aren't coming "with hat in hand" looking for money but are instead supplying the money needed to begin the program.
Hoffman said after getting the marketing plan off the ground, teachers would need to "change the paradigm" to develop graduates with the skills and knowledge base to get jobs with technical aspects.
"These skills shouldn't just be taught to those going to college," Hoffman said. "Here in Fonda, we have started introduction to engineering so children can know if they have those skills."
FMCC President Dustin Swanger said he is happy to be a part of the project.
"We need to stress we have quality companies and jobs in our area," Swanger said. "And to qualify for those jobs, you need the education and post-secondary education."
Swanger said he didn't think the goals of the alliance would necessarily change the curriculum at FMCC, but he said the college is sensitive to local employment possibilities.
"We've hosted a health care industry breakfast," he said.
Swanger said the college also is keeping up on changing needs, such as the need for medical coders in health care finance.
"This fall, we'll be offering a program in medical coding," he said.
Lisa Queeney of Wachovia Financial has been attending the alliance meetings. She said good communication is needed between school systems and chambers of commerce as to what businesses are looking for.
"We need to confront the community," Queeney said. "I am appalled at the lack of information available about what's out there. We need marketing [of information] that is multi-faceted."
Queeney said information needed to be geared to fifth-graders and junior-high levels to change attitudes early.
"We need to show kids what's in their own backyard," Queeney said.
Richard Nilsen is a general assignment reporter and can be reached at ga@leaderherald.com.
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RageoftheDay
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08-05-08 11:07 AM
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I need to proof read before hitting the button I see. See whirl I don't know squat about spelling or proofreading...
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RageoftheDay
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08-05-08 11:05 AM
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Downstate has a very good point! However, it has been proven that having a taxbase based primarily or soley on residential housing results in a higher cost of services than tax income generated. You need a good balance of industry - lower cost of service,then commercial and then residential. But your point is well taken, although commuting is rather expensive, there are ways to cope with that. Yes whirl all points are necessary for a good debate even points that are dead wrong. I am deemed know itall becuase I know somehting about the things I rage about and I am smart and I know most of it (what I rage about) Stuff I don't know about I don't argue about because I don't know about it so I shut up and listen. Mtnman - good points! see whirl.....
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ItCameFromDownstate
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08-05-08 10:53 AM
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If you want to consider giving kids a reason to stay in Fulton County after they get college degrees, why not point out that Fonda, Gloversville and Johnstown are all centrally located to Utica, Saratoga Springs, and Albany? There are three cities' worth of jobs to pursue here; you're not limited only to Fulton County itself. You can work in a larger city (making the larger-city salary) and live back here, where the cost of living is reasonable and the neighborhoods are safe and quiet. I think it's great that they're trying to build out the community and attract more tech jobs, but they should ALSO point out some of the strengths we already have, and give kids a proven, verifiable reason to stick around in the short term.
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wirlwind
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08-05-08 10:51 AM
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Rage, How are you deemed as the great know it all? We all have good points here. It's a very big picture we're trying to create for our young and talented work force. Morningstar is perpetually positive, and I admire that. I am more cynical, maybe because I see the things that are blocking progress. Most of the points made here are good, thought out ones. It's going to take the whole county at many levels to make this work.
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MountainMan
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08-05-08 10:10 AM
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I was referring to the graduation rate for high school, not college. Everyone should at least be able to get a HS degree, because without it, getting a real job is next to impossible. The community should bond together to work toward bettering our schools, not railing against it. They a the true investment in our future, and without good schools, we will fail to succeed. Business and community keep saying time and time again, that one of our hurdles to positive growth is a quality workforce.
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morningstar
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08-05-08 9:55 AM
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Such a good point, rage and the WILLINGNESS to be trained is so important! It is so much akin to a willingness to learn and is necessary in our world.
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RageoftheDay
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08-05-08 9:09 AM
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NONE of you have a clue....except morningstar and the comment about Positive thinking. Employment at the FAGE yogurt plant is 100 people. That is ONE HUNDRED people and over $80 MILLION in capital investment. I am willing to bet that the majority of the 100 people that work there are very good workers, that WANT TO and are NOT AFRAID TO WORK HARD, but do not have a bachelors degree in physics. I am also willing to bet that most employers are more than willing to train people, if they are trainable.
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zeus77
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08-05-08 8:23 AM
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Agree with much of the article. But where is and has the Chamber of commerce and the unemployment office been. They are the people that should know what employment opportunities are available here and should have been talking these opportunities up to the schools thus giving the students a reason to stay in school and graduate. Then we need our EDC to work much harder on getting more high tech companies to come here. This would help bring more productive people here and would increase our tax base.
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morningstar
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08-04-08 6:08 PM
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For at least a few years now, teachers have attended staff development conferences with speakers who have urged just this. It is nice to see districts that have decided to make the future workforce a priority. Thank you, MountainMan for seeing things clearly. Since these types of programs have not existed in schools until now, it will take some rather bold changes. I believe these are very positive changes and hope that all schools (including my own) can work to develop skills that people need to work with rather than just sticking to the mandates, which couldn't employ a person out of a wet paper bag- but would get them to perform well on those state tests! In addition, I am a firm believer in the power of positive thinking. If we all just chalk the woes among us up to "Fulton County", then we are perpetuating the problem. If we can begin to see hope and a positive future, we may just create it!!!
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wirlwind
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08-04-08 5:19 PM
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EDUCATION - HIGH TAXES = FULTON COUNTY EXODUS
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wirlwind
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08-04-08 5:18 PM
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Just yesterday, the Leader reported in an article, how the supervisors of Fulton County are going to raise the mortgage recording fees (tax) from $5 to $25 for the first page and an increase from $3 to $5 per indexing page. Mr. Eschler reported that it would not affect the residents of Fulton County, just tourists and people getting mortgages in Fulton County. This tax hike will affect everyone who comes here to work or stay in Fulton County and wants to own a home. We already have one of the highest taxed citizenry in the US. Every tax hike diminishes the appeal of this county.
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leaderreader
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08-04-08 3:15 PM
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Well then, why don't you leave Fulton County? If you went back to school for a physics degree, you can do a heck of a lot more than drive a forklift, as long as you move out of Fulton County. One of the reasons the area has such mindless jobs is because half the people there don't bother to get an education and explore the other options themselves.
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RizziBear
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08-04-08 1:54 PM
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Yessiree. Got me a job watching a giant computerized machine filling yogurt cups. Sure glad I had that FMCC degree in communications under my belt. They said if went back and got my batchelors degree in physics I could drive the forklift. Yippee. Sure glad I stayed in Fulton County.
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MountainMan
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08-04-08 11:23 AM
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Gee, isn't it hypocritical for the chamber to complain about graduation rates and an unskilled workforce. I mean, just a few months ago they decried all education spending when going against local school budget votes. Either you invest to have an educated workforce, or you pay little to nothing for NO future economic activity. EDUCATION = JOBS. Get with it Fulton County.
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