In Plattsburgh, Gillibrand Pushes For Funding To Support North Country Manufacturing Workforce

In Plattsburgh, Gillibrand Pushes For Funding To Support North Country Manufacturing Workforce

Sep 5, 2025

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, stood with Alstom facility leadership to highlight the $350,000 in congressionally directed spending (CDS) she is working to secure to contribute to expanding the North Country Chamber of Commerce's Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Program.

Included in the committee's Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) appropriations bill, this funding would support the expansion of skills training programs and help strengthen the manufacturing workforce in the North Country.

"We are sending a message to the nation that the epicenter for good, manufacturing jobs is Upstate New York," said Senator Gillibrand. "That's why I'm fighting to secure this funding - to help restore New York's manufacturing base and build a state that has opportunity for everyone."

"Senator Gillibrand continues to be a committed economic development partner to the Chamber and our team," said Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. "This includes her leading role in support of rail and our transportation equipment producers, and her delivery of support for crucial workforce training for these companies and all of our region's manufacturers. We thank her for this latest advance and for all of her continued accessibility and collaboration. Onward and upward!"

"Building trains today requires skilled tradespeople who know how to use cutting-edge technologies," Jeffrey Lambert, Site Managing Director, Alstom-Plattsburgh, NY. "We are grateful for the Senator's strong support of workforce development programs to prepare individuals in Plattsburgh and across New York State for good jobs today, and for years to come."

"This funding is critical for our region to continue to thrive as a manufacturing hub and I am thrilled that Senator Gillibrand is working to grow this training program," said NYS Assemblyman Billy Jones, District 115. "Continuing to expand local workforce training opportunities benefits the various manufacturing industries we have here, as well as the many manufacturing-focused businesses throughout the North Country. The Chamber's program is one of many ways we can continue to provide new opportunities for our residents, and I thank Senator Gillibrand for her efforts."

Senator Gillibrand highlighted the critical role New York's manufacturing sector plays in both the local and national economy and celebrated New York's position as a center of rail excellence, as evidenced by the success of Alstom's work across the state, including production of Amtrak's NextGen Acela train and new rail cars for the Long Island Railroad and the Metro-North Railroad.

###