Build a homegrown workforce that meets a generational opportunity 

How STEP UP helps businesses

Dedicated support

Direct access to the Director of Industry Partnerships to help find, hire and retain skilled talent.

Tailored solutions

Translation of specific hiring needs into training programs or upskill pathways in partnership with colleges, unions and community-based organizations.

Workforce intelligence

Real-time labor market data, skill maps and demand forecasts that drive smart business decisions.

On-RAMP opportunities

Employers may have the opportunity to be supported through co-design and piloting of new job-aligned training programs, pilot funding, wraparound services for talent retention (like childcare and transportation), and the launch of employer-led work-and-learn initiatives across the NY SMART I-Corridor.

Why New York State?

#1

In the Northeast for total number of STEM graduates

500,000

Semiconductor jobs statewide supported by 10,000 advanced manufacturers 

$140+ million

10-year investment by 75+ regional partners in workforce development 


Semiconductor Talent and Employer Partnership Upstate New York

About 14,000 new semiconductor-related job opportunities are expected to arrive in Upstate New York over the next decade. To meet this massive workforce demand and directly address talent needs and gaps, the NY SMART I-Corridor’s employer-led STEP UP initiative is coordinating investments in training infrastructure, wraparound supports and inclusive access to high-quality manufacturing careers.