SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, MORELLE ANNOUNCE OVER $5 MILLION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO BOLSTER MONROE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS ONE OF THE ONLY COMMUNITY COLLLEGE OPTICS & PHOTONICS TRAINING CENTERS IN THE NATION AND GIVE FINGER LAKES WORKERS THE SKILLS THEY NEED FOR GOOD PAYING TECH CAREERS VITAL TO NATIONAL SECURITY

Press Release

"Rochester has long been known for eye catching industries, and now after years of advocating for the growth of the vital optics and photonics industry, I was proud to secure the funding needed for the Department of Defense to double down on Monroe Community College as a major focus for training the optics workforce vital to our national security. The Rochester optics industry, which boasts well over 100 optics companies that employ 18,000 workers, relies on MCC to train the next generation of skilled optical workers it needs to grow. MCC is a proven leader in optics and photonics training with one of the first and only associate degrees in optics training and today we are building on that success by connecting local Rochester and Upstate New York students to good-paying Rochester jobs in this cutting edge field. I am proud to deliver this major $5+ million federal grant, made possible by the critical increase I was able to secure in the FY23 Omnibus Bill, so that Monroe Community College can continue to train the next generation of optics technicians that are crafting the vision of our technological future."

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