Nassau BOCES gets $5 million in SBA funding to grow defense manufacturing on Long Island

Nassau BOCES has been awarded $5 million in federal grant funding to help train and grow the workforce for defense manufacturers on Long Island.

BOCES, through the Long Island Defense Manufacturing Resilience Initiative, will use the funds to offer "upgraded hands-on training" in welding, advanced electrical work and industrial piping, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

"We saw an opportunity with the Small Business Administration for this particular grant to partner with industry to really meet the needs of manufacturing across Long Island," said Peter Dalton, Workforce Development Administrator for Nassau BOCES. 

Dalton said there is a great need for local, small manufacturers to backfill the ranks of experienced machinists and other manufacturing professionals as the most experienced workers continue to retire. 

"Nassau BOCES plays a vital role in advancing transformational workforce development for manufacturing by providing hands-on career and technical education that prepares students for real opportunities in skilled trades and advanced manufacturing," Matt Coleman, SBA Regional Administrator, said in a statement Wednesday as part of the announcement of the funding.

"We're fortunate to have this grant awarded right here in our backyard on Long Island and in New York State to help strengthen American manufacturing," Coleman said.

As part of the local initiative, BOCES has partnered with local manufacturing trade group Ignite Long Island, who will be working with manufacturers to provide technical assistance to bring them into compliance with federal mandates on cybersecurity for defense manufacturers.

Between the two organizations, BOCES will receive $3.3 million of the grant, while Ignite will receive $1.7 million, said Jamie Moore, president of Ignite Long Island. 

"Ignite is excited to bring technical assistance to smaller businesses in the defense industrial base on Long Island through access to support with cybersecurity measures," Moore said. 

The grant funding is part of a larger $50 million effort by the SBA to fund technical schools and community colleges across the country to beef up the nation's manufacturing industry through enhanced training and recruitment.

Nassau BOCES is among 11 organizations across the country to receive funding from the SBA's Empower to Grow program, or E2G, according to the SBA.

The program provides eligible businesses with free business courses, workshops and one-on-one consulting to help expand operations, employee headcount and to make them more competitive in seeking government contracts.

BOCES, in partnership with Festo Didactic Inc., a subsidiary of automation technology company Festo Group of Germany, will be creating mobile labs equipped with augmented reality and virtual reality training equipment. 

The mobile labs will be deployed to both local manufacturers to help existing employees upskill, as well as to underserved communities and school districts to introduce Long Island youth to potential careers in defense manufacturing work. 

"This investment is really about building a resilient workforce and bringing the training directly to the community and employers," said Daniel Rodriguez, head of global education at Festo Didactic.