Albany, NY – Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson today announced the inclusion of state funding to support apprenticeship programs in the enacted 2019-20 state budget to provide economic opportunities and pathways to middle class careers for New Yorkers.

“Apprenticeships are one of the surest ways to obtain good paying jobs and to develop a highly skilled workforce, and I am proud to have fought for funding to support these programs in this year’s state budget,” said Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson. “Apprenticeships help grow our economy and create pathways to middle-class jobs, especially for entry level positions that require more education than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree.”

The 2019-20 state budget allocated $10 million to fund the Empire State Apprenticeship Tax Credit, a program based on legislation authored by Assemblymember Bronson that offsets the cost of recruiting and training new workers through New York State registered apprenticeship programs. This program also encourages mentoring and soft-skill development for youth who prior to entering the apprenticeship were neither employed nor enrolled in an education program.

The budget also includes $750,000 for manufacturing apprenticeship programs – such as The Manufacturers Association of Central New York and Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Associations, and $200,000 for the Multi-Craft Apprenticeship Preparation Program which proactively works to increase the number of minority building and construction trades apprentices in the Rochester region.

“New York’s workforce is rapidly aging, and manufacturers are struggling to find the next generations of workers to replace and learn from veteran employees who are preparing to retire. This demographic shift represents a golden opportunity for young workers to find a good-paying career without needing to take on the rapidly increasing burdens college debt, and apprenticeship programs open the door to these economic opportunities,” Bronson added.