Senator seeks federal funding for NYMC training center

Senator seeks federal funding for NYMC training center

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
VALHALLA - U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced his effort to secure federal funding to help create a BioHud Valley Training Center at the New York Medical College (NYMC). Eighty-three biotechnology companies from across the Hudson Valley have formed a consortium to create the training center that will help local biotechnology firms train their workers in state instead of sending them out of state at higher cost to the company, and costing New York valuable revenue. The center will also help retrain unemployed workers in biotechnology, so that these individuals can find jobs in the blossoming biotech industry.

In order to renovate, furnish, and equip the roughly 2,300 square foot training center at the NYMC, the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation is attempting to secure $750,000 from the Economic Development Administration. Senator Schumer today announced his support for the HVEDC application that will bolster the Hudson Valley's standing as one of the country's growing biotechnology hubs. BioTech companies from throughout the Hudson Valley can use this space to train new employees for a specific field, provide management level courses and technical training as well as help unemployed residents of the Hudson Valley learn new skills to transition into a new career or work place. HVEDC and NYMC will partner to create industry specific classes and programs to offer companies the exact training they need, which will be a valuable tool in retaining current companies and attracting new companies to the Hudson Valley.

"This EDA investment would be a terrific boost for the plan to establish a BioHud Valley Training Center at the New York Medical College, which has enormous potential to redefine the Hudson Valley and establish it as a hub for biotechnology," said Schumer.

The Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation has applied for a $750,000 Economic Development Administration grant to create a new Hudson Valley high tech training center. The application has now been designated as "highly competitive", and Schumer is driving a full court press to ensure that Hudson Valley receives this critical EDA grant. With the EDA investment, the HVEDC will lease 2,333 square feet of space in the NY Medical College facility to create a training center that will focus on training and certification for small biotechnology firms, and will complement the NY Medical College's large scale plan to renovate this facility and develop a biotech incubator.