The investment, which the representatives helped secure for Niagara, will fund the renovation of an outdated building located at 822 Cleveland Ave. in the Bridge District of Niagara Falls, into a state-of-the-art workforce training center that will provide education in the areas of data analytics, cybersecurity, supply chain management and other high-demand fields.
The grant award was announced by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congressman Brian Higgins.
"Building on the momentum happening in Niagara Falls, our vision is to leverage the university's resources of faculty, staff, and students to engage with residents to create opportunities for growth in their own community," said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University. "Through this funding from the EDA, along with critical federal and state funding, the Academic Innovation Hub will take a major step forward as we align our existing academic programs and initiatives to bring economic, workforce, and social development to the Bridge District of Niagara Falls."
"This builds on the $1.4 million I secured last year to jumpstart this project ... to meet the needs of rapidly growing industries across Western NY. Investing in tomorrow's workforce today is critical to a successful future, and with these federal dollars flowing to our state, Western New York's future has never looked brighter," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
"Investing in a more promising future for all Western New Yorkers begins with improving access to career and technical training that supports in-demand jobs," added Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26). "Thanks to federal funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Niagara University will provide community education opportunities in high-demand fields like Information Technology, Early Childhood Education, and Supply Chain Management at their new Academic Innovation Hub in the City of Niagara Falls. This investment will benefit local employers and jobs seekers by expanding our skilled workforce, while creating jobs that support the needs of our economy."
Through workforce development training, Niagara University will offer micro-courses, as well as other short-term, noncredit-bearing courses in IT and other career upscaling skill areas, providing community members the opportunity to obtain critical work skills. These courses will support underserved residents in the community, providing critical opportunities to gain industry-recognized credentials to help secure jobs and advance their careers.
©2023 the Niagara Gazette (Niagara Falls, N.Y.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
