U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Paul Tonko today announced $3,000,000 in federal funding for the Schenectady County Community College (SCCC). Over the next five years, this funding will help 2,200 students obtain the necessary training to pursue careers in the healthcare sector. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Profession Opportunity Grant to Serve TANF Recipients and Other Low-Income Individuals (HPOG) program. Schumer, Gillibrand and Tonko said this $3 million healthcare job training grant is renewable for five years, which means the total award could be brought to $15 million over the next five years.
“This investment will give SCCC students the resources and training necessary to pursue careers in the healthcare field. SCCC has already helped train thousands of graduates for jobs in this industry over the past year, and this program will enable them to provide another 2,000 plus students with the skills and expertise necessary to succeed,” said Senator Schumer. “Training the next generation of healthcare workers will not only strengthen Schenectady’s medical community but also translate to high-skilled workers contributing to the Capital Region economy for years to come.”
“This critical federal funding through the Department of Health and Human Services will help continue a collaborative education initiative through Schenectady County Community College for students to pursue careers in health care,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I wrote to Secretary Burwell urging this funding for the Capital Region to invest in our medical service industry through local partnerships. By increasing job training programs and employment opportunities we can help create a thriving medical workforce in the community.”
“SCCC has a proud tradition of thinking big and producing big results – and this support will go a long way to continue the phenomenal work done here in Schenectady to create opportunity. This investment will provide those pursing a well-paying job in the local health care sector for positions that are in high demand or experiencing labor shortages with the skills necessary to land a job and build a career,” said Rep. Tonko.
The Senators and Congressman explained that this grant will enable SCCC to form the Upstate Partnership for Healthcare Pathways (UPHP), which will include Fulton-Montgomery Community College and SUNY Adirondack. Combined with the resources of SCCC, these three colleges will be able to train 2,200 students over the next five years and help graduates find careers in the healthcare sector.
This allocation of federal funding comes five years after SCCC received an $11.45 million Healthcare Program Opportunities (HPOG) grant to train future healthcare workers. Of the 1,600 students who started training, more than 1,400 completed training and over 1,000 went on to work in a position in the healthcare field.