ReportWire

Tag: job creation

  • Meet the un-Gavin. Kentucky’s governor sees a different way to the White House

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    FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gavin Newsom was in his element, moving and shaking amid the rich and powerful in Davos.

    He scolded European leaders for supposedly cowering before President Trump.

    He drew disparaging notice during a presidential rant and captured headlines after being blocked from delivering a high-profile speech, allegedly at the behest of the White House.

    All the while, another governor and Democratic presidential prospect was mixing and mingling in the rarefied Swiss air — though you probably wouldn’t know it.

    Flying far below the heat-seeking radar, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear leaned into the role of economic ambassador, focusing on job creation and other nutsy, boltsy stuff that doesn’t grab much notice in today’s performative political environment.

    Like Newsom, Beshear is running-but-not-exactly-running for president. He didn’t set out to offer a stark contrast to California’s governor, the putative 2028 Democratic front-runner. But he’s doing so just the same.

    Want someone who’ll match Trump insult for insult, over-the-top meme for over-the-top meme and howl whenever the president commits some new outrage? Look to Sacramento, not Frankfort.

    “I think by the time we reach 2028, our Democratic voters are gonna be worn out,” Beshear said during a conversation in his state’s snowy capital. “They’re gonna be worn out by Trump, and they’re gonna be worn out by Democrats who respond to Trump like Trump. And they’re gonna want some stability in their lives.”

    Every candidate enters a contest with a backstory and a record, which is condensed to a summary that serves as calling card, strategic foundation and a rationale for their run.

    Here’s Andy Beshear’s: He’s the popular two-term governor of a red state that three times voted overwhelmingly for Trump.

    He is fluent in the language of faith, well-liked by the kind of rural voters who have abandoned Democrats in droves and, at age 48, offers a fresh face and relative youth in a party that many voters have come to see as old and ossified.

    The fact he’s from the South, where Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton emerged the last time Democrats experienced this kind of existential freak-out, also doesn’t hurt.

    Beshear’s not-yet-candidacy, still in the fledgling phase, offers a mix of aspiration and admonition.

    Democrats, he said, need to talk more like regular people. Addiction, not substance use disorder. Hunger, not food assistance.

    And, he suggested, they need to focus more on things regular people care about: jobs, healthcare, public safety, public education. Things that aren’t theoretical or abstract but materially affect their daily lives, like the costs of electricity, car insurance and groceries.

    “I think the most important thing we should have learned from 2024 is [Democratic voters are] gonna be looking for somebody that can help them pay that next bill,” Beshear said.

    He was seated in the Old Governor’s Mansion, now a historic site and Beshear’s temporary office while the nearby Capitol undergoes a years-long renovation.

    The red-brick residence, built in the Federal style and completed in 1798, was Beshear’s home from age 6 to 10 when his father, Steve, lived there while serving as lieutenant governor. (Steve Beshear went on to serve two terms as the state’s chief executive, building a brand and a brand name that helped Andy win his first public office, attorney general, in 2015.)

    It was 9 degrees outside. Icicles hung from the eaves and snowplows navigated Frankfort’s narrow, winding streets after an unusually cold winter blast.

    Inside, Beshear was seated before an unlit fireplace, legs crossed, shirt collar unbuttoned, looking like the pleasantly unassuming Dad in a store-bought picture frame.

    He bragged a bit, touting Kentucky’s economic success under his watch. He spoke of his religiosity — his grandfather and great-grandfather were Baptist preachers — and talked at length about the optimism, a political rarity these days, that undergirds his vision for the country.

    “I think the American people feel like the pendulum swung too far in the Biden administration. Now they feel it’s swung way too far during the Trump administration,” Beshear said. “What they want is for it to stop swinging.”

    He went on. “Most people when they wake up aren’t thinking about politics. They’re thinking about their job, their next doctor’s appointment, the roads and bridges they drive, the school they drop their kids off at, and whether they feel safe in their community.

    “And I think they desperately want someone that can move the country, not right or left ideologically, but actually forward in those areas. And that’s how I think we heal.”

    Beshear doesn’t shy from his Democratic pedigree, or stray from much of the party’s orthodoxy.

    Seeking reelection in 2023, he seized on the abortion issue and the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe vs. Wade to batter and best his Republican opponent.

    He’s walked the picket line with striking auto workers, signed an executive order making Juneteenth a state holiday and routinely vetoed anti-gay legislation, becoming the first Kentucky governor to attend an LGBTQ+ celebration in the Capitol Rotunda.

    “Discrimination against our LGBTQ+ community is unacceptable,” he told an audience. “It holds us back and, in my Kentucky accent, it ain’t right.”

    For all of that, Beshear doesn’t shrink from taking on Trump, which, essentially, has become a job requirement for any Democratic officeholder wishing to remain a Democratic officeholder.

    After the president’s rambling Davos address, Beshear called Trump’s remarks “dangerous, disrespectful and unhinged.”

    “From insulting our allies to telling struggling Americans that he’s fixed inflation and the economy is amazing, the President is hurting both our families’ financial security and our national security,” Beshear posted on social media. “Oh, and Greenland is so important he’s calling it Iceland.”

    But Beshear hasn’t turned Trump-bashing into a 24/7 vocation, or a weight-lifting contest where the winner is the critic wielding the heaviest bludgeon.

    “I stand up to him in the way that I think a Democratic governor of Kentucky should. When he’s doing things that hurt my state, I speak out,” Beshear said. “I filed 20 lawsuits, I think, and we’ve won almost all of them, bringing dollars they were trying to stop from flowing into Kentucky.

    “But,” he added, “when he does something positive for Kentucky, I also say that too, because that’s what our people expect.”

    Asked about the towel-snapping Newsom and his dedicated staff of Trump trollers, Beshear defended California’s governor — or, at least, passed on the chance to get in a dig.

    “Gavin’s in a very different situation than I’m in. I mean, he has the president attacking him and his state just about every day,” Beshear said. “So I don’t want to be critical of an approach from somebody that’s in a very different spot.

    “But the approach also has to be unique to you. For me, I bring people together. We’ve been able to do that in this state. That’s my approach. And in the end, I’ve gotta stay true to who I am.”

    And when — or make that if — both Newsom and Beshear launch a formal bid for president, they’ll present Democratic voters a clear choice.

    Not just between two differing personalities. Also two considerably different approaches to politics and winning back the White House.

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    Mark Z. Barabak

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  • Long Island scores $56M for economic development projects | Long Island Business News

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    THE BLUEPRINT:

    • awarded $56.4M through REDC and ACHIEVE programs.

    • $26.4M supports 29 Nassau and Suffolk County projects.

    • $30M funds Regional Commercialization Corridor for .

    Long Island is receiving a total of $56.4 million in economic and community development funding, state officials said Tuesday. The money was awarded through the 2025 Regional Council (REDC) initiative under New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

    With this year’s funding, $26.4 million will support 29 projects in Nassau and Suffolk counties, leveraging $66.1 million in additional public and private investments, according to (ESD).

    And $30 million of the funding was awarded through the Advancing Collaboration for High-impact Initiatives for the Economic Visions & Expansion (ACHIEVE) competition, which aims to foster REDCs to advance economic development projects that prompt broader growth, create jobs and attract investment. The $30 million awarded to Long Island is for the Regional Commercialization Corridor project, which was developed by the LIREDC. Coordinated with Newlab, which runs business incubators, and Activate, a tech training , the corridor is designed to link Long Island’s research and manufacturing strengths to New York City’s capital and innovation networks to foster economic development in the region.

    Projects on Long Island awarded are designed to support , childcare, new housing and more.

    “‘s REDCs continue to recommend proposals that will create jobs and spur new growth through a locally focused, bottom-up strategy to economic development,” Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said in a news release about the funding.

    “By awarding state funding to projects that align with regional priorities, New York is investing in new ideas, new efforts and new developments to promote community growth throughout the state,” she added.

    “From critical housing and infrastructure projects to Long Island’s selection for the inaugural ACHIEVE competition, these investments demonstrate the region’s capacity to deliver transformational, high-impact growth,” ESD Board Chair Kevin Law said.

    “With Governor Hochul’s support, Long Island is advancing projects that will drive innovation, create jobs, and establish the region as a national leader in emerging hard-tech industries,” he added.

    “We thank Gov. Hochul for her strong commitment to Long Island and for recognizing the region’s potential for long-term growth and innovation,” Long Island Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Linda Armyn and Kimberly Cline said in a joint statement. “We are also grateful to our council members and partners whose leadership and hard work continue to drive progress. These investments will strengthen our communities, support local businesses, and create new opportunities for Long Island residents.”

    Projects awarded funding include $2 million to advance the Town of Brookhaven’s waterfront revitalization program in Mastic. It also includes $2.5 million to construct extensions and upgrade the existing sanitary collection system and related equipment to support a new 30-unit housing development in Patchogue. And $1.28 million went to the Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center, to renovate and expand two underutilized buildings so that the center can help meet demand with new, affordable childcare slots.

    The full list of awards is available here.


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    Adina Genn

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  • Recent Weak Job Figures May Mask an Even Worse Employment Outlook

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    People have long found ways to draw different conclusions from the same set of statistics — diverging interpretations that are even more common in these divided times. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult to read recent employment data without inferring that they reflect an apparently stalling labor market that has sent the the unemployment rate to 4.6 percent — the highest since September 2021.

    Economists say that fear is based on indications that despite signs of expanding economic growth, the weakening employment outlook is getting worse. Those concerns rose this week when the latest government data showed employers added only 64,000 new jobs in November. That was less than a third of the average 186,000 monthly hiring rate in 2024, and followed anemic recruitment activity since May. It also came on the heels of a 105,000 headcount decline in October.

    Those numbers reflected businesses remaining wary of uncertainties stemming from import tariffs, mass deportations, and other disruptive government policies. As those doubts about the economy’s health spread, companies adopted the cautious practice of maintaining, rather than expanding staff levels. Indeed, while those no-hiring strategies slowed job creation rates to almost zero, employers’ refusal to undertake mass firings has also helped keep the employment situation stable in recent months.

    But that now may be changing.

    November’s 4.6 percent unemployment rate was an increase from 4.4 percent in September — the last time official figures were published — and considerably higher than 4.1 percent a year ago. It also marks the highest jobless level in more than four years. And even as that key metric has risen, other factors have also started troubling economists.

    For starters, wage growth advanced by only 3.5 percent in November compared to the same month last year. While the latest official figures showed inflation slowed to 2.7 percent in November, the average monthly rate has hovered around 3 percent in 2025. That has meant households already facing an affordability crisis have seen prices increase almost at pace with their incomes. That situation doesn’t look likely to change soon.

    The reason for that goes back to the weak job numbers. With company hiring virtually stalled, and employee quit rates at a five-year low, business aren’t under pressure to increase pay levels to attract or retain workers. And with wage levels flattening, the number of people who’ve have taken on second or third jobs just to get by has risen to its highest level in nearly 25 years.

    According to Laura Ullrich, director of economic research in North America for job posting site Indeed’s Hiring Lab research unit, those negative employment statistics are now outweighing broader economic growth that some experts think may reach about 2 percent for 2025.

    “(I)t still paints a sobering picture of a job market that may officially be turning frigid after a prolonged cooling period,” wrote Ullrich in an analysis of the October and November employment numbers.

    Moreover, Ullrich noted that as has been the case for the past half year, specific sectors — especially healthcare, leisure and hospitality, and construction businesses — have been responsible for most new jobs created. By contrast, the majority of other industries — notably manufacturing, tech, and transportation — have held headcounts stable, or cut them.

    Should those few actively hiring sectors join the others in halting large-scale recruitment, the overall jobs picture and unemployment rate risk swiftly turning bleaker. Yet even businesses reporting higher recruitment may not be doing that at the paces statistics indicate.

    As Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell noted earlier this month, current methods for gathering government employment data may generate “overstatement in these numbers.” That means companies that now appear to hiring be actively may be doing so at lower levels than official numbers suggest — meaning the labor market may be sputtering even more than some economists fear.

    Federal agencies are planning to swap those data collection practices for more accurate alternatives early next year, which should provide increasingly accurate job readings. But Ullrich warns that switch to more precise tools could result in today’s feeble employment numbers being revised even further downward to reflect the true state of the labor market.

    “Until we observe the new methodology and updated payroll estimates, we should remain guarded in our interpretation of these data,” Ullrich wrote of the recent job numbers. “In a best-case world, the labor market continues its languid growth, with a small set of sectors generating a very large percentage of jobs. However, it is also possible that we have lost jobs in many of the months this year, and future revisions will present an even bleaker view. “

    The extended deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, December 19, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

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    Bruce Crumley

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  • Pharma manufacturer getting IDA help for expansion | Long Island Business News

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    and its affiliate, AiPing Pharmaceuticals, received preliminary approval for economic incentives from the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency for a planned . 

    The $6.7 million project includes the conversion of existing warehouse space to a production and manufacturing area to accommodate additional employees and machinery required for the company to transition to prescription pharmaceutical operations, according to an IDA statement. 

    The project is expected to add 35 jobs to the company’s existing staff of 162. 

    A&Z currently uses its buildings for domestic sales and as a laboratory, research and development, and manufacturing site for the export of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and prescription pharmaceuticals for sale in the domestic market. 

    In addition to its over-the-counter medications and nutraceuticals, A&Z’s facility is also FDA-registered to manufacture such prescription drugs as Amitriptyline HCl, which is used to treat depression; Buspirone, which is used to treat generalized anxiety disorder; Meloxicam, which is used for arthritis pain management; and Metformin HCl, which is used to treat diabetes, according to the IDA. The company added 20 FDA prescription drug licenses this year and could add another 10 licenses in 2026. 

    “We are grateful for the continued partnership of the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency,” CEO Emma Li Xu, A&Z’s founder, said in the statement. “With the IDA’s critical support, we can move more of our manufacturing and development to Suffolk County.” 

    Xu started A&Z with four people 30 years ago after working in China, Hong Kong, and Australia, according to the IDA. 

    “A& Z Pharmaceutical has been a leading manufacturer for 30 years in the global pharmaceutical and growing supplement market,” Kelly Murphy, executive director of the Suffolk IDA, said in the statement. “This project will strengthen A&Z’s manufacturing capabilities and support the continued growth of Suffolk County’s manufacturing and pharmaceutical industry. Projects like this ensure that Suffolk continues to be a hub for innovation, high-quality jobs, and long-term economic vitality.” 


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    David Winzelberg

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  • A New Survey Says Employees Using AI Believe It Will Create New Jobs

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    The spreading use of artificial intelligence (AI) in business has generated much debate about its potential to replace many duties now done by humans — and also fears about the tech eliminating those jobs. But new data indicates that rather than spending time worrying about that risk, a majority of employees have been actively embracing AI, and using it to become increasingly valuable to their companies.

    That proactive approach to AI, and its positive benefits were a main finding in the recently released Global Workforce of the Future annual report by staffing and tech advisory company Adecco Group. Its survey of 35,700 global employees — 5,500 of whom were in the U.S. — showed 77 percent of respondents reporting use of the tech permitted them to perform tasks that had previously been beyond their reach. Another 71 percent of participants said nothing is holding back increased use of AI applications — up from 19 percent the previous year. That lead 37 percent of surveyed employees to describe themselves as already “future-ready” to keep pace as the tech continues changing their work, and ways they can serve employers.

    Significantly, vanishing jobs wasn’t the workplace mutation from AI that respondents cited most. Indeed, only 23 percent said they expected AI to eliminate company positions — a view shared by 20 percent of U.S. workers.

    By contrast, 76 percent of global participants believed the tech will create new jobs — an opinion also held by 90 percent of U.S. employees — with 70 percent of thinking it will redefine the ways they work (an evolution forecast by 73 percent of Americans).

    One consequence of most respondents viewing AI as an opportunity rather than a threat was the increased influence it had on their working lives in 2025. As a result, factors that topped the 2024 survey — including working flexibility and economic uncertainty — were pushed down the list by the spread and adoption of various forms of AI, which rose from the fifth to the first spot this year. Receiving more instruction, training, and guidance to use the tech more effectively for work were also top desires cited by participants.

    “Our research shows that three in four employees view AI as an opportunity, not a threat,” said Adecco Group CEO Denis Machuel in a foreword to the report. “In 2025, the workforce is more confident, ambitious, and ready for AI.”

    Still, the positive survey findings were partially offset by several concerns that employers should be aware of.

    For example, increased use of AI has not only left employees feeling confident and capable of doing more tasks than before, but also enjoying more flexiblility. On average, respondents said the tech saved them two hours of weekly work. While some participants said they used that time to check the quality and accuracy of content the tech produced, others said they invest the extra hours on upskilling, doing more creative work, and collaborating with colleagues.

    But at the same time, many respondents said they wanted more input and direction from employers on how to measure the impact of their use of AI for their company. Others said they’d similarly benefit by being briefed on and included in how the business intends to use AI in its strategic planning, which would allow them to more proactively adapt their jobs.

    “On one hand, there’s real excitement about what AI can do,” Machuel wrote. “On the other, there’s a need to set honest expectations about how it will change jobs in the long run. Getting this balance right means involving employees in the journey not just as technology adopters, but as co-creators of the future of work… AI and technology play an enabling role, but it’s clear they must be aligned with human needs, recognizing how a sense of purpose at work correlates directly to feelings of value and belonging.”

    What do business owners get from making that effort? In addition to employees increasingly embracing AI and improving their performance with it, they saw other benefits.

    For starters, fully 99 percent of respondents who described themselves as “future-ready” said they planned to stay with their current employers for the foreseeable future, compared to 53 percent of less AI-capable people. Meanwhile, the more employees said they’d been informed about how their work with the tech improved their own performance as well as their company’s results, the more inclined they were to go farther and faster with their AI upskilling.

    Progress is already being made in that area. The new survey found 41 percent of “future-ready” respondents reporting they were already involved with their employers’ efforts to redesign tasks and entire jobs to increased AI use, compared to just 24 percent in 2024. But participants in the recent study said they needs to go even farther in supporting their use and confidence in AI as an ally, rather than a rival.

    “Redesigning roles successfully will depend on open collaboration between employers and employees,” Machuel wrote. “Leaders have a responsibility to clearly communicate their vision, showing how people and AI in harmony can contribute meaningfully to the organization’s goals… There is no substitute for human connection. It will be people — not technology — who build resilient, adaptable workforces fit for the future.”

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    Bruce Crumley

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  • With the BLS Shuttered, You Might Get Jobs Data From Private Companies

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    Employers have grappled with high levels of uncertainty for the last six months, as concerns about the effects of tariffs, mass deportations, and stalled job creation stoked confusion and doubt about the economy. Now, with the government shutdown closing the doors at the federal agency that supplies most employment and labor data, private businesses are increasingly seeking to fill that void by releasing statistical insights of their own.

    The Department of Labor’s data gathering Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) had been scheduled to release its monthly job report for September on October 3. It was prevented from doing so by the ongoing government shutdown, which began just two days earlier. That cancellation may have come as something of a relief to President Donald Trump and governing Republicans, since BLS publications have reflected increasingly anemic hiring by businesses since May. Those weak figures suggest companies have largely limited recruitment to only replacing departing employees. That in turn appears to reflect executives’ worries that economic growth may be slowing — and their wider doubts about Trump’s management of the economy.

    But contrasting indicators have only served to increase business leaders’ confusion about where exactly the economy is headed.

    Official data earlier this year that showed the GDP contracted by 0.6 percent in the first quarter of 2025 was followed by more recent statistics reflecting the econmy came booming back with 3.8 percent growth in Q3. Other positive indicators since have led some observers to forecast continuing expansion in the third quarter, despite continued weak job growth and rising inflation suggesting otherwise.

    Now, with federal agencies no longer publishing reports under the government shutdown, most economic analysis is mostly speculation — although BLS has reportedly called in a small group of people to prepare the next consumer price data release. In the meantime, several private business are stepping up to offer any data-driven insights they can glean about the economy.

    For example, this week private equity firm Carlyle published data suggesting the BLS report for September would have again contained more disappointing job numbers if it had been released on October 3 as planned.

    Using proprietary information from 277 of its portfolio companies employing a total of 730,000 people, Carlyle estimated just 17,000 new jobs were likely created by U.S. businesses last month. That figure is even less than the 22,000 new hires BLS counted in August — dragging the monthly average since May down to just 26,750 new positions.

    But the modest numbers Carlyle estimated for September were far better than those from payroll services company ADP, which has long issued a private sector report around the time the BLS releases its own statistics. It said U.S. employers eliminated a net 32,000 jobs last month, basing that estimate on data it collected from the 26 million employees of its customer companies.

    Somewhere in between those two analyses  was last week’s report from executive outplacement and coaching specialist Challenger, Grey, and Christmas. It said businesses laid off a little over 54,000 people in September, without calculating a net gain or loss.

    While its figures on headcount reductions last month were lower than the 85,000 in August, Challenger, Grey, and Christmas noted the total 946,426 job cuts in 2025 so far were the highest since 2020. At the same time, the firm said U.S. employers were hiring at well under half the rate this year than they did in 2024 — generally reinforcing the picture of flattening employment creation.

    Those weren’t the only ways private companies trying to generate data capable of making sense of the economy in the absence of official reports during the government shutdown.

    According to an article this week in the Washington Post, that private sector search for clues about economic activity is leading observers to scrutinize “paychecks, credit card expenditures, restaurant reservations, Broadway show bookings, and even Statue of Liberty visitor numbers.” They then dive into that data to analyze how people are working and spending, and how fast inflation is pushing up the prices they’re paying.

    Carlyle’s findings for September even included the estimate that the economy grew at a 2.7 percent annualized pace in September. And this week, Moody’s Analytics released a report analyzing data from U.S. states showing 22 of them were already in recession, or on the brink of it.

    “We’re suddenly opening up new spreadsheets, looking at data we don’t usually turn to,” Apollo Global Management chief economist Torsten Slok told the Post. “Some of these indicators are really on the fringe, so we’re having to do different translations: What does this data mean? What might it tell us about the economy?”

    Is all that frantic digging really necessary, especially with history showing government shutdowns are typically short — the longest having lasted only 35 days?  Perhaps, given the concerns of some observers about trusting data from BLS once it starts issuing reports again.

    On August 1, Trump fired then-BLS director Erika McEntarfer after the agency issued downward revisions that dramatically reduced jobs creation numbers from previous months. The result was enduring uncertainty of business leaders and economists about how the economy was faring immediately got worse. In response, Trump took to social media to claim the lower numbers were “phony,” and called them intentionally “RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad.”

    He then nominated an activist conservative economist to take over the BLS, despite his pick’s controversial track record that included calling for the agency to stop issuing reports on job creation and other important economic indicators.

    Though that nominee later withdrew from consideration, economists’ concerns generated by McEntarfer’s firing persist. Those are based on fears of the BLS and other federal departments potentially being forced to issue only data that reflects positively on Trump’s economic stewardship.

    That worry about the future reliability of official statistics is likely a big reason why private companies have gotten active in finding and analyzing economic data of their own — and may continue doing so even after the government shutdown ends.

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    Bruce Crumley

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  • Gemini Pharma getting IDA aid for $13.9M Suffolk expansion | Long Island Business News

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    has been granted preliminary approval from the Industrial Development Agency for financial incentives that will assist with $13.9 million in renovations to four properties. 

    The 43-year-old family-owned manufacturer of over-the-counter pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and animal products is planning infrastructure improvements and other upgrades that aim to expand its operations. 

    The projects include repurposing underutilized office space to create about 4,000 square feet of R&D and support space at 65 Mall Drive in Commack; replacing an aging 5,500-gallon wastewater tank with a direct municipal sewer connection at 55 Adams Ave. in Hauppauge; enhancements to the company’s manufacturing facility at 81 Modular Drive in Commack; and renovations of its corporate headquarters at 87 Modular Ave. in Commack, according to Gemini’s IDA application. 

    “This project not only strengthens Gemini Pharmaceuticals’ future but also fuels the continued growth of Suffolk County’s already robust pharmaceutical industry,” Kelly Murphy, executive director of the Suffolk IDA, said in an agency statement. “By supporting strategic investments like this, we’re ensuring that Suffolk remains a hub for innovation, high-quality jobs, and long-term economic vitality.” 

    The project is expected to retain 256 jobs and create an additional 50 jobs over the next two years. It is projected to be completed in 2027. 

    “We are truly grateful for the support of the Suffolk County IDA,” Michael Finamore, CEO of Gemini Pharmaceuticals, said in the statement. “This project would not be possible without their partnership. With this investment, we can upgrade our facilities, expand our capabilities, and continue to provide stable, high-quality jobs here in Suffolk County.” 


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    David Winzelberg

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  • New Castle School of Trades Celebrates 75th Anniversary With Major Expansion

    New Castle School of Trades Celebrates 75th Anniversary With Major Expansion

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    New Castle School of Trades announces multiple industry partnerships and a major facility expansion.

    Press Release
    –

    Aug 10, 2022


    NEW CASTLE, Pa., August 10, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    New Castle School of Trades (NCST), one of the region’s oldest and most established trade and technical schools, announced that it will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with a major facility expansion that will enhance its training programs and create even greater partnerships with leading local and regional employers.

    “During the past 75 years, the New Castle School of Trades is proud to have trained more than 20,000 men and women for exciting, high-demand careers in a variety of skilled trades. Our commitment to our students includes offering the finest training facilities and technology available,” said Rex Spaulding, President.

    “One of the most unique features of NCST is our commitment to local and regional employers,” said Dennis Corrado, New Castle School of Trades School Director. “Our employer partners tell us what they are looking for in future employees, and we respond by developing curriculum and training facilities to meet these needs. Our new automotive training center is a great example of an employer and school partnership that is designed to help our students begin their new careers as quickly and successfully as possible,” he added. 

    As part of the expansion, New Castle School of Trades has doubled the size of its automotive training center. “Our newly expanded training center looks and operates like a dealership. Our students are training in a real-world setting, and preparing themselves for immediate opportunities upon graduation,” added Rex Spaulding.

    “Providing outstanding training, preparing our students for success, and meeting the needs of employers has been our commitment for the past 75 years. To further this, we are excited to announce partnerships with Apostolakis Auto Group, Ainsley Heating & Cooling, Flynn Tire, Gault Heating & Cooling, PI&I Motor Express, Preston Auto Group, Window World, Berner Air Curtains and Boardman Nissan,” said Carrie Kraynak, Director for NCST Career Services. To learn more, visit https://www.ncstrades.edu/corporate-sponsors/

    NCST will officially celebrate its 75th anniversary at 12 noon on Wednesday, Sept. 7. The event will be held at the main campus at 4117 Pulaski Road, New Castle, PA 16101. The event is open to the public, and former graduates and their families are encouraged to attend.

    About New Castle School of Trades

    Since its founding in 1945, New Castle School of Trades (NCST) has become one of the premier trade schools in the Pennsylvania and Ohio area. Over the last 75 years, NCST has evolved from educating students into competent tradesmen to training students to become more sophisticated and innovative craftsmen who will be tomorrow’s highly skilled technicians. Learn more at https://www.ncstrades.edu/

    Source: New Castle School of Trades

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  • Jack Laurie Group Launches Nation’s Only Merit Shop Floor Covering Apprenticeship Program

    Jack Laurie Group Launches Nation’s Only Merit Shop Floor Covering Apprenticeship Program

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    Dept. of Labor-certified program addresses massive construction worker shortage, offers participants chance to ear free associate’s degree

    Press Release
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    updated: Jan 18, 2018


    INDIANAPOLIS & FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, January 18, 2018 (Newswire.com)
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    ​​Jack Laurie Group (JLG), Indiana’s largest commercial flooring and interiors contractor, has partnered with Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) to offer the nation’s only merit shop floor covering apprenticeship program. The program was created to boost the talent base of skilled floor covering installers and address the construction industry’s staggering workforce shortage, which began during the Great Recession.

    With guidance from the Flooring Contractors Association (FCICA), Jack Laurie Group developed a four-year curriculum in floor covering installation that culminates with a graduate’s certification as a trade journeyman. Participants are paid for on-the-job training, and a minimum rate of pay is guaranteed throughout the program. Participants also have opportunity to earn an associate’s degree from Vincennes University completely free of charge, thanks to a grant from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

    “This is a huge opportunity for the entire construction industry and the men and women who strive to make it their profession, and we are optimistic about the impact the program will have on the local economy. I feel responsible for finding, developing and supporting the next generation of construction tradespeople.”

    Tom Postell, JLG vice president of operations and chief architect of the program

    The program has been certified by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) as an official or “bona fide” apprenticeship. This is the first time the nation’s labor department has approved an apprenticeship program in Indiana created by a private employer. Until now, all DOL-certified programs were offered by trade unions. Indiana is a Right-to-Work state, so nearly 80 percent of the construction work is completed by merit shop employees.

    “This is a huge opportunity for the entire construction industry and the men and women who strive to make it their profession, and we are optimistic about the impact the program will have on the local economy,” said Tom Postell, JLG vice president of operations and chief architect of the program. “I feel responsible for finding, developing and supporting the next generation of construction tradespeople here at Jack Laurie Group and in our communities. Ultimately, the success of our company depends upon it.”

    Following the 2008 financial crisis and housing debacle, construction-related occupations declined by nearly 1 million or 16 percent overall, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of those who left never returned, even when the industry rebounded, instead pursuing jobs that were considered less cyclical. This led to a critical shortage in skilled workers, particularly in the 25- to 45-year-old age group, and higher wages in the industry.

    Hardwood flooring installers make an average of $52,477 per year, according to Salary Expert. The average journeyman at Jack Laurie Group also makes north of $50,000 annually, and the minimum starting rate is $18 an hour.

    The apprenticeship program is the latest addition to JLG’s Jack Laurie University, an in-house employee development program that offers ongoing training and certifications in a variety of services and professions.

    The apprenticeship includes classroom, lab and field training by JLG’s own National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER)-certified instructors. More specifically, requirements include 8,000 on-the-job hours and 576 classroom and lab hours. The program is completely tuition free, but participants must have a high school diploma or GED. Participation in the Vincennes University associate’s degree program is optional.

    The Indiana/Kentucky chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors will host a graduation ceremony at Lucas Oil Stadium, including dinner for two and a tour of the stadium, for participants who complete the program.

    Interested candidates are asked to visit http://jacklauriegroup.com/careers/. Click on the ‘register’ tab and fill out the short contact form.

    About Jack Laurie Group

    Jack Laurie Group (JLG) is Indiana’s largest provider of interior contracting services, including commercial and residential flooring, athletic floors, framing, drywall, paint, ceilings and facilities cleaning services.

    Locally owned and operated, JLG has offices and showrooms in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. The company was founded by Jack Laurie in 1950 with nothing more than a tiny rented garage, an old Chesterfield cigarette truck and plenty of gritty determination. We have grown to nearly 300 employees, and our customers include many of the state’s largest employers.

    The JLG motto is “Making Spaces Better Places to Work and Live.” But beyond that, we’re obsessed with providing customer service like you’ve never seen. We’re so determined to impress you and blow away the competition that we offer the World Famous Puppy Guarantee. If a customer feels like we’ve dropped the ball in any way, we will credit their account for the service AND make a matching donation to Make-A-Wish in their name. If they’re still not happy, we’ll given them a puppy because … well … it’s a puppy.

    About Associated Builders and Contractors

    Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national trade association that advances and defends the principles of merit-based shops in the construction industry, representing merit shop contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and related firms in the United States.

    The Indiana/Kentucky Chapter ranks in the top five in the nation for membership size, and in the top three for education and training. The local chapter has received numerous awards for grassroots initiatives, internal operations, member retention and more.

    Contact:

    Ashley Smith
    603-988-6758 (c)
    ashley.smith@jacklauriegroup.com

    Source: Jack Laurie Group

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