BINGHAMTON — U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) is co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill that would direct federal funding to high-tech training and education programs in high schools and institutions of higher learning.

The Democrat contends it would give more students the opportunity to learn the skills “necessary” to obtain good-paying jobs in the high-tech manufacturing sector. 

The bill is known as the “21st century strengthening hands on programs that cultivate learning approaches for successful students act,” also known as the Shop Class Act. 

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R–Ind.) is a cosponsor of this bill, according to Gillibrand’s office. 

U.S. Representatives Tim Ryan (D–Ohio), Steve Stivers (R–Ohio), Mark Takano (D–Calif.), and Susan Brooks (R–Ind.) introduced a version of the bill in the House of Representatives as well.

Gillibrand discussed the legislation during a Nov. 20 visit to the Broome–Tioga BOCES in Binghamton.

Technologies like three-dimensional (3D) printers, laser cutters, and computerized machine tools are “increasing the need” for specialized training for manufacturing jobs. 

To prepare students with the skills needed for high-tech jobs, the legislation would amend the Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act to give “greater priority” to funding maker education, the development of maker spaces, and training for teachers in the application of maker education, according to Gillibrand.

“Many manufacturing companies in our state have job openings with good salaries, but they can’t fill them because too many workers haven’t had the opportunity to learn the skills they need to take on those jobs. We need to fix this,” Gillibrand said in a news release. “I’m proud to introduce new bipartisan legislation to make sure tech-ed classes are teaching students how to use the latest high-tech tools, like 3D printers, that manufacturing companies expect them to know how to use. Our students should be able to take many different paths in order to get a good job and earn a good salary, and this bill would help equip more students with the skills they need to get on a path toward good-paying high-tech jobs when they graduate high school.”

Providing students with access to equipment such as 3D printers and laser cutters is “critical,” according to James Mullins, assistant superintendent of Broome-Tioga BOCES.

“It is vitally important that students continue to learn on the latest state-of-the-art technologies, in order to be successful in the ever changing global business world. This will offer our students the skills necessary to prepare them for the high-demand career opportunities available,” he said in the Gillibrand release. 

CTE programs

Career and technical-education (CTE) programs at the high school and community-college level provide training and education for “in-demand, good-paying” jobs in industries ranging from manufacturing to health care to computer programming. 

Gillibrand’s release listed statistics indicating what the lawmaker contends is the “importance” of CTE programs.

CTE high school and post-secondary programs in New York had an estimated 377,000 students enrolled from 2015 to 2016. During this same period, more than 1,500 high-school students in Broome and Tioga counties participated in career and technical education. 

Technical-skill jobs that require a high-school diploma but not a four-year degree make up the “largest part” of the labor market and “close to almost half” of job openings in New York state through 2024, according to Gillibrand’s office.

The overall number of technical-skill jobs is expected to increase by an estimated 2,750 positions in the Southern Tier by 2022, the office added.

The investment in vocational education would give more students the technical skills needed for good-paying jobs, offering “hands-on learning experiences for students to use high-tech industrial tools to create and innovate,” per Gillibrand. The approach to technical education “will offer more opportunities to inspire the next generation” of manufacturing workers and entrepreneurs. 

CFO announces retirement    

UTICA — ConMed Corp. (NASDAQ: CNMD), a Utica–based surgical-device manufacturer, said its international sales increased 7.3 percent in the third quarter compared to the year-ago period.

The firm’s international sales represent 48.3 percent of the company’s total revenue.

“Foreign currency exchange rates … had a positive impact of [$900,000] on third-quarter sales. In constant currency, international sales increased 6.2 percent versus the prior-year period,” Luke Pomilio, CFO of ConMed, said during the company’s earning conference call on Nov. 2

Pomilio also used the call to announce his retirement from the company, adding that he plans to stay with the firm until it finds his replacement.

Overall, ConMed generated total sales of $190.1 million in the third quarter, up 2.9 percent from the third quarter in 2016. The company’s top executive indicated that the increase could have been bigger if not for the effect of natural disasters.

“While it is impossible to fully determine the impact from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma on our top line, we estimate that our domestic results experienced an impact of approximately $2 million of either deferred or lost sales in the Texas, Florida, and South Carolina geographies. Approximately $800,000 of that was in domestic general surgery, while the remaining $1.2 million was in domestic orthopedics,” Curt Hartman, ConMed’s president and CEO, said during his remarks on the conference call.

ConMed reported net income of $7.2 million in this year’s third quarter, down slightly from $7.3 million a year prior. Reported net earnings per share totaled 26 cents in the quarter, unchanged from a year prior, ConMed said in its earnings report.

International results

Overall, ConMed’s international business is delivering “strong results,” Hartman said on the conference call.

He noted that the international-sales rise in the third quarter included “gains in both general surgery and orthopedics for the sixth consecutive quarter.”

“International general surgery remains strong, having now recorded its seventh consecutive quarter of growth at 11.9 percent as reported and 11.6 percent on a constant-currency basis,” said Hartman.

He also noted that ConMed generated gains in international orthopedics with increases recorded “across nearly every product category during the quarter,” which resulted in 5 percent reported growth and 3.6 percent constant-currency growth.

Domestic business/sales guidance

ConMed’s U.S. sales, which represented 51.7 percent of total revenue, decreased 0.9 percent in the third quarter compared to a year earlier. The growth in general surgery of 4.8 percent was offset by a decline of 8.8 percent in orthopedics. 

After improved trends in the first two quarters of the fiscal year, domestic orthopedics reversed in the third quarter, Hartman said. 

“Our focus in 2017 has been on new products, purchasing contracts, and sales-force development and we expect these efforts to deliver an improvement in domestic orthopedics as we exit 2017,” he added. 

ConMed’s focus on innovation remains a “key priority” and the firm has introduced 17 new products through the first three quarters of 2017. The company is “on track” to launch no fewer than 20 new products by the end of the year, which is “In keeping with our prior commitment.”

Overall, Hartman said, ConMed’s results keep it “on track” to reach its financial and operating goals for 2017, noting that the firm will continue to focus on new product introductions, while leveraging investments “across the income statement to enhance profitability.” 

“We believe we are set up for a strong finish to 2017 and expect to carry momentum into the New Year,” said Hartman. 

The company now expects to produce 2017 constant-currency sales growth of 2.5 percent to 3.25 percent, an increase from its prior guidance of 2 percent to 3 percent.