Thank you. Thank you for every job you’ve added, every investment made, and every commitment you have made to growing this region’s economy. 

Progress, big and small, is what we have always celebrated through our Economic Champion’s event, and this year we proudly recognized a record 421 businesses and organizations for creating more than 5,000 new jobs, investing more than $1 billion in capital expenditures, adding more than 5.8 million square feet of new space, opening 121 new businesses and locations. These organizations have also marked 76 milestones and anniversaries and been recognized with 102 awards and achievements. And new to these annual celebrations, we were honored to recognize more than 52 companies for their efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

These investments, and the hundreds of others made over the past decade, are a down payment on our community’s progress. The opportunity to welcome Micron didn’t happen overnight. It happened because our members and stakeholders led Central New York’s revitalization. [The Nov. 9 Economic Champions] celebration was a recognition of these efforts and an acknowledgement that together we achieved what everyone said was impossible — we secured the largest economic development project in our state’s history and one of the largest ever in the nation’s history. 

As Dr. Robert Simmons III, head of social impact and STEM programs at Micron Technology, highlighted in his keynote remarks, the work to ensure this investment impacts everyone in our community is just beginning — and it belongs to us all. While this will require hard work and a shared vision, I know there is no challenge too big. Micron’s unprecedented and nation-leading community investment framework, in partnership with New York state, reflects Micron’s values and vision to transform how the world uses information to enrich life for all. I proudly welcome them as our newest partner. 

During our event, we also recognized Le Moyne College with the CenterState CEO Community Visionary Award, sponsored by Wegmans Food Markets. Le Moyne College embodies a vision of economic opportunity, and its leadership is creating greater access to opportunities for those across our community.

No longer is Central New York’s economy marked by modest, steady growth. This is a community that is back on the map. Congratulations to all our Economic Champions and thank you for the teamwork you have displayed, and for believing that a day like today was, in fact, possible.             

Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development and chamber of commerce organization for Central New York. This article is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter that the organization sent to members on Nov. 10.

Bringing the semiconductor industry back to the United States has been no easy feat. After the federal CHIPS Act was signed into law earlier this year, states across the country began taking strides to further cement the U.S. as the future home of semiconductor R&D and manufacturing. Most recently in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul launched the Office of Strategic Workforce Development Grant Programs, which will divide $150 million between workforce development and education initiatives in high-demand industries, such as semiconductor manufacturing. 

New York has continued to take the spotlight as an emerging global hub in the technology and semiconductor sector. Last month, Micron and Edwards Vacuum pledged to invest in billion-dollar manufacturing facilities in Central and Western New York, respectively. Existing companies in the state, like IBM, Wolfspeed, and GlobalFoundries, also announced expansions to their fabrication facilities, altogether promising hundreds of new jobs.

These innovators are setting the stage for the future — as New York state persists as a semiconductor powerhouse. Building new facilities in this state is a significant and promising step for economic development, but New York needs to provide more than just real estate to the semiconductor industry. We need to be at the forefront of the innovation process and invest in intellectual capital.

Over the past few decades, we’ve seen automation take over the manufacturing industry, absorbing tens of thousands of jobs. While this continues, companies have begun to disrupt this trend by creating new technologies where humans are essential to workflow. Chip designers and engineers are needed now, more than ever, as these technologies require high-skilled workers. However, a massive shortage of designers exists due to the lack of education and training.

Chip design is an often-overlooked human-based component of the industry. If we can develop new processes to help people use their creative abilities to build designs and fabricate them onto a chip, we have a winning combination to mitigate this shortage and advance economic development. 

As new technology demands grow in New York, so does the need for technical workers. There is space for innovation in workforce development that requires participation from academia and the commercial sector. Continued workforce development and employment-readiness programs must be implemented within schools and companies to sustain New York’s projected growth. 

Previously, training programs in the U.S. focused solely on higher education rather than retraining employees with the necessary skills. Today, with new tools being introduced to the market at fast rates, universities do not have the in-house resources to prepare students for the challenge of working in emerging tech fields. This needs to change — we need more agile programs. 

Apprentice and certification programs designed to complement current academic models and pair education with hands-on training centers is how New York can create a better-prepared workforce. Initiatives like these are already happening in the state at a minor level — Efabless, an open-source design platform, and NYDesign, a local not-for-profit organization, launched a pilot program this fall offering courses and eventually certifications in chip design to students. Participating academic institutions include Mohawk Valley Community College and Hudson Valley Community College. Developing outreach programs that focus on inclusivity for all populations will increase retention in the field and provide opportunities for underserved communities. High-demand and high-skilled careers are not just for the elite — they’re for everyone.

Beginning at the K-12 level, there are many avenues to increase younger generations’ exposure to STEM initiatives and programs. For instance, Redemption Christian Academy, a local school in the Capital Region, recently launched a fall semester STEM pilot program. Students from diverse backgrounds gained valuable experience and training in tech-based careers. NYDesign was one organization that taught students about integrated circuit design and designers’ roles in the semiconductor industry. 

If we can push these initiatives further to reach individuals within higher education and established companies, New York’s workforce will see massive growth in intellectual power. Economic development is about more than just creating jobs and building physical infrastructure. It’s a continuous investment in enhancing public knowledge and education within emerging fields. By developing comprehensive programs that are innovative and disruptive, New York will stay ahead of the curve for economic success.                          

Robert Pasinella is president of the Rensselaer County Industrial Development Agency (RCIDA).