UB TCIE to train unemployed workers through state Department of Labor grant

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Thanks to a grant awarded by the New York State Department of Labor, the University at Buffalo’s TCIE will prepare dislocated workers from Erie County for entry-level to mid-level manufacturing jobs.   

Funding comes via the Dislocated Worker Training National Emergency Grant, a federal program that provides training services to improve employment prospects of dislocated workers, with special priority given to those who are long-term unemployed.

UB TCIE will launch the Advanced Manufacturing Quality Specialist (AMQS) certification program on March 24. The program trains participants in the skills needed to become a production technician and quality inspector. Individuals who are eligible to apply must possess, at minimum, an associate’s degree, have lost their job and fit at least one of the following descriptions:

• Was terminated or laid off and is unlikely to return to his/her usual occupation or industry because of a permanent plant closure, substantial layoff, foreign competition or lack of demand for their skills.
• Is self-employed, but the economy or a natural disaster has put him/her out of work.
• Is a displaced homemaker who is unemployed or working a job that does not support his/her household.

“In our conversations with the Buffalo and Erie County DOL office, we’ve come to understand that there are few concentrated workforce training programs to help people with degrees to return to the workforce,” said Timothy Leyh, UB TCIE executive director. “All of the development happening in the Buffalo Niagara region – specifically the growth of the manufacturing base as the knowledge economy takes off – presents a good opportunity to not only support these individuals, but industry needs as well.”

Leyh referenced the 2013 Buffalo Billion Investment Development Plan, which states that interviews conducted with regional firms “indicate that the Buffalo Niagara region’s under-supply of skilled manufacturing talent is impeding productivity and growth potential.”

The 120-hour AMQS program will focus on three areas of study:

• Mechanical Attributes: Participants will receive extensive training in manufacturing processes and production, including geometric dimensioning and tolerance (GD&T), precision measuring and machining, complex test and calibration techniques, and quality practices. Course material will be reinforced with manufacturing company tours.   
• Lean: Participants will receive substantive training in Lean, a customer-focused, problem-solving methodology that identifies unnecessary processes to reduce waste and increase throughput.
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization): Participants will become familiar with the workings of an ISO business management system, learning the requirements and understanding the framework.

Buffalo-based EGW Personnel Staffing will assist participants with preparing a resume, conducting a job search and readying for an interview. A number of UB TCIE clients have agreed to interview program graduates for position openings that are relevant to the training.

Upon successful completion, participants will be issued a noncredit bearing UB certification.  

Training runs March 24 to June 29. Enrollment begins March 16. To apply, contact Annette Falasa at 716-851-2651 or annette.falasa@labor.ny.gov.   

For more information about AMQS certification program details, contact Gary Simon, UB TCIE director of business development, at 716-645-8837 or ggsimon@buffalo.edu.

TCIE stands for The Center for Industrial Effectiveness. Part of the University at Buffalo, it is Western New York's bridge to excellence; it provides a dynamic link between UB’s expert resources and the region’s business community. Its core focus on engineering solutions and operational excellence drives continual improvements, and ignites innovation and technological advantages. For more information on how UB TCIE can assist Western New York businesses, visit www.tcie.buffalo.edu or call 716-645-8800.