Delgado Discusses Workforce Development at Corning Life Science Facility

ONEONTA, NY — As part of his week focused on environmental conservation and workforce development, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) visited the Corning Life Science facility in Oneonta on Tuesday afternoon. Delgado toured the facility, including on site laboratories, and learned more about Corning projects and workforce needs. 

“It was great to visit and see the work being done to advance workforce development and environmental conservation at the Corning Life Science facility in Oneonta,” said Delgado. “I thoroughly appreciated the time of so many employees at the facility and the opportunity to see their work up close. Our tour discussed a wide range of priorities including fixing flawed broadband mapping protocol and future proofing our broadband infrastructure to keep pace with the technology of tomorrow; improving trade for businesses and farmers through the USMCA; and Corning’s work to support workforce development among their employees. I introduced the Green Jobs and Opportunity Act to ensure workers have the skills needed as we transition to a green economy, and Corning’s facilities offer an example of the future of jobs and production. I’ll keep working with small businesses and manufacturers to ensure we are building a workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.”

Delgado introduced H.R. 4148, the Green Jobs and Opportunity Act, environmental legislation to combat climate change and ensure the labor workforce is ready to transition to a clean energy economy. Rep. Delgado’s legislation starts with the assumption of achieving this critical goal and then requires the U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL) and Energy (DOE) to work backward to project current and future workforce needs and shortages in the energy sector specifically. These reports would be completed quarterly and would include recommendations to ensure the U.S. remains on track with the IPCC’s designated timeline. Importantly, the legislation makes a significant investment—$260 million per year for fiscal years 2020 through 2022—for workforce development for displaced workers. This funding would be distributed as grants to educational institutions and labor organizations, among other entities, to establish flexible training programs to reduce any shortages and skill gaps that the DOL-DOE reports identify. Rep. Delgado’s legislation also establishes a National Advisory Committee on the Clean Energy Technology Workforce, made up of representatives from labor organizations, employers from clean energy fields, academia, and environmental advocacy groups, tasked with advising DOL and DOE throughout the transition process. In bringing all stakeholders to the table in this way, Rep. Delgado’s bill aims to ensure the current and future workforce is prepared to capitalize on the millions of new jobs that will be created during the transition to a clean energy economy. 

Earlier this month, Rep. Delgado also introduced the Gateway to Careers Act to create a career pathway grant program that would fund partnerships between community or technical colleges and workforce development partners such as state workforce development boards, industry associations, and community-based organizations. These programs would support services including child care, opioid addiction, transportation, and other supports for community college and career and technical education (CTE) students.