CNY ON-RAMP Launches First Workforce Training Cohort in Syracuse

Advisory Committee Selected To Guide Program Community Engagement

Empire State Development Engaged CenterState CEO To Develop Flagship ON-RAMP location in Syracuse, with Additional Competitively Selected Sites Throughout the State

Governor Kathy Hochul and CNY One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON-RAMP) announced the official launch of the first cohort of workforce training programs in Syracuse. ON-RAMP will work to provide high-quality training and career pathways, with a strong focus on serving under-employed workers. Programming is scheduled to run through June 2026, with a goal of preparing approximately 150 local residents to earn industry recognized credentials and access high demand employment opportunities. The inaugural training will take place at a temporary location while CenterState CEO builds out the new, permanent CNY ON-RAMP facility at 1300 South Salina Street in Syracuse, formerly the Sears Building.

“Today we celebrate the first cohort of my nation-leading ONRAMP initiative, which will bolster New York’s economic competitiveness, helping Upstate communities to catalyze investments in next-generation manufacturing industries,” Governor Hochul said. “By providing New Yorkers with the skills needed to support an innovation economy, we are ensuring a brighter future that will mean good-paying jobs, resulting in revitalized communities along the I-90 corridor.”

The cohort’s launch marks a major milestone in CNY ON-RAMP’s mission to strengthen pathways into advanced manufacturing, building trades, and adjacent high demand industries. The initiative is building a coordinated workforce system that connects job seekers to industry-aligned training, hands on learning opportunities, and direct employment pipelines. Empire State Development engaged CenterState CEO to develop ON-RAMP with its flagship location in Syracuse, with additional competitively selected sites throughout the state.

CenterState CEO Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President for Strategy, Policy and Planning Ben Sio said, “Our community is entering a period of significant growth and opportunity, and these collaborative training programs are a critical step in ensuring that everyone can benefit. By leveraging the state’s strong support and partnering with key community organizations, CNY ON-RAMP is building a skilled talent pipeline that addresses workforce gaps in advanced manufacturing and construction while expanding equitable access to training and good-paying jobs for Central New York residents.”

CNY ON-RAMP CEO Dr. Carlene Lacey said, “We’re proud to launch these thoughtfully designed training programs in close partnership with community organizations committed to preparing local talent for in-demand careers. This work reflects a shared commitment to equipping our neighbors with the skills, support, and pathways needed to succeed. By engaging early and operating with transparency, we’re strengthening trust and ensuring this growth creates real opportunity for the people and communities we serve.”

CNY ON-RAMP’s training ecosystem includes:

• Three technical training partners: Jubilee Homes, Pathways to Apprenticeship, and SUNY Educational Opportunity Center will deliver credential based instruction in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades.
• One workforce readiness partner: On Point for College will provide foundational and career readiness training.
• Two community liaison partners: CNY Works and RISE will support outreach, recruitment, and wraparound engagement.

These partners will collaborate to identify, recruit, and train individuals for in-demand careers, helping ensure that the region’s workforce is prepared for emerging opportunities linked to major employer investments, including Micron.

Streams led by Pathways and Jubilee are anchoring the February launch and will operate two cohorts, one in the morning and one in the evening, to maximize accessibility for working adults and caregivers. SUNY EOC will additionally facilitate a third program that will launch in early March to further expand capacity.

First announced by Governor Hochul in October of 2024, the ON-RAMP program is funded through a $200 million investment aimed at creating a network of four new workforce development centers in strategic, high impact locations in Upstate New York, including the flagship facility in Syracuse. The groundbreaking initiative was first proposed in Governor Hochul's 2024 State of the State and included in the FY25 Enacted Budget. The Centers will bring together industry, academia, social services, and community organizations to provide high quality, in demand skills training and wraparound supports necessary to empower New Yorkers with the skills they need to take on careers in high growth advanced manufacturing industries like semiconductors.

In February of 2025, Governor Hochul additionally announced that the Capital Region, Finger Lakes and the Mohawk Valley had been selected to join Central New York in the initiative, creating a network of high-impact workforce development centers to connect New Yorkers with careers in dynamic, high-growth advanced manufacturing industries up and down the I-90 corridor.