UB TCIE secures $300,000 to support offshore wind industry in New York State

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo Center for Industrial Effectiveness (UB TCIE) has received a $300,000 grant from the New York State Offshore Wind Training Institute (OWTI), Governor Kathy Hochul announced Feb. 9.

The grant is part of $8 million awarded by OWTI to State University of New York (SUNY) campuses across the state.

The UB TCIE project, “Preparing NYS’s Renewable Energy and Offshore Wind Supply Chain,” aims to raise awareness and interest in careers in New York State’s supply chain workforce for offshore wind and other sectors focused on renewable energy, including solar, sustainability, green building and nanotechnology. Organizers say the project will foster equitable and informative learning opportunities for historically underrepresented individuals to prepare them for good-paying supply chain occupations.

Timothy Leyh, executive director of UB TCIE, thanked SUNY and OWTI for their support of growing New York State's supply chain industry.

“We look forward to collaborating with SUNY’s leadership, the OWTI, and our fellow awardees to connect Western New Yorkers with rewarding career opportunities in the offshore wind supply chain workforce,” he said.

He continued: “This project has the potential to create significant economic opportunities and support the rapidly growing supply chain industry in New York State, addressing our pressing need to increase the capacity and breadth of the local supply chain to meet the state’s ambitious clean energy goals.”

In collaboration with Farmingdale State College, the project will begin with a supply chain industry survey to identify regional workforce needs and opportunities. Results will be featured in a public report and will inform development of an online course that introduces learners to manufacturing, construction and other renewable energy supply chain occupations. The course will offer information on current and future supply chain job opportunities, SUNY education and training programs available throughout the state, and wraparound services that equip students for success.

Project leaders will promote the new online course and supply chain career opportunities to students in regional high schools, nontraditional learners and transitioning workers through outreach at community colleges and technical schools, as well as job fairs held in the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany regions. Interested parties are encouraged to visit UB TCIE’s office wind project webpage for regular updates.

About OWTI The Offshore Wind Training Institute is administered by Farmingdale State College and Stony Brook University in partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The institute has awarded approximately $8 million in funding to SUNY and SUNY-affiliated institutions to create, expand or improve SUNY-based programs that can demonstrably prepare students to pursue careers in the offshore wind industry, as well as create programs that assist working professionals seeking to transition into the offshore wind sector.

About UB TCIE As an industry outreach arm for the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, UB TCIE is a professional and continuing education powerhouse focused on workforce development and operational excellence. An active contributor in clean tech workforce development, UB TCIE works with industry partners to assess workforce needs, develop and deliver seated, remote, and blended courses, and measure program impact to facilitate continuous improvement.