Micron Technology announced their next set of plans for community investments. The partnership between Empire State Development and Micron is intended for areas in Central New York that are in significant need.
Micron announced that $35.5 million will be used to target housing and transportation among other vital investments. One addition will be a Centro bus route to link the Syracuse area with job opportunities that will come from Micron and other related businesses.
“This new route will increase access for job seekers who live in Syracuse and want to work in Clay, as well as it will relieve some traffic congestion,” says Micron Vice President and Chief People Officer April Arnzen. “And I can’t tell you how many times I've heard about the traffic that will likely come due to the scale of the project.”
Investments were announced through a process with Micron, New York State and those in partnership with the Central New York Community Engagement Committee.
The investments toward easing an expected hosuing shortage include $30 million that is going to the Housing Central New York (HCNY) fund which will support expansions all over the region.
Other projects include An Onondaga Community College summer program that introduces high school students to semiconductor jobs; funding for a SUNY Oswego program to educate STEM teachers; and money for Jefferson Community College to help veterans and military families around Fort Drum to pursue tech careers.
Theis was the second announcement of investments by Micron that have supported education and job training. an agreement between Micron and state economic officials calls for an eventual $500 million in community investments.
Empire State Development CEO Kevin Younis said this investment fund will help the community succeed.
“We have to ensure that Micron’s success translates into real opportunities for the people and the communities of Central New York,” says Younis, “Because without a healthy community, without a workforce, without a quality of life, that is going to attract and keep employees, they can’t succeed either.”
The event where the company made the announcements was to formally launch Micron’s Community Week which will run from March 30th until April 3rd.
Detail of Micron
Community Investments announced Friday.
- $30,000,000 for the Housing Central New York (HCNY) fund to support housing expansion in the region.
- $2,200,000 for a pilot program with the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Centro) to create a new public bus route from Syracuse to Clay, increasing access to job opportunities and reducing traffic impacts in the area
- $1,100,000 to Onondaga Community College to fund the Pre-College Semiconductor Summer Program for high school students
- $1,000,000 to SUNY Oswego to support STEM educators, providing professional development, accreditation, and STEM resources that are industry-connected and aligned to evolving STEM pathways
- $750,000 to Jefferson Community College to scale Mechatronics curriculum, providing pathways to Fort Drum veterans and their families to semiconductor careers
- $300,000 to OCM BOCES to scale its trades and pre-apprenticeship programs that will strengthen the talent pipeline into skilled trade apprenticeships
- $200,000 to PEACE, Inc. to expand the Early Child Care Pathways Program, increasing access, quality programming, and childcare workforce readiness