WCC Analyzing Job Skills Gap With New Grant from JPMorgan Chase
A new grant from JPMorgan Chase will fund an analysis of a critical job skills gaps in the area. Westchester Community College was awarded the $150,000 grant to develop a report on the gap in middle skills jobs in the Lower Hudson Valley region. Middle skills jobs are those requiring education beyond high school but less than a four-year degree. The National Skills Coalition reports that key industries in the US are unable to find enough sufficiently trained workers to fill these positions. In New York, 46 percent of anticipated job openings through 2022 will be in this category, including many Westchester positions in healthcare, information technology, and advanced manufacturing.
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The goal of this grant-funded project is to identify the middle skills jobs that regional employers will need to fill in order to remain competitive, and to determine the education, training, and credentials required for these positions. The resulting report will enable stakeholders to understand the skills and competencies required for various job titles. Community colleges and four-year institutions of higher learning, as well as high schools offering career and technical education programs, and other training providers can align curricula and credentials with actual industry needs. The ultimate goal is to insure a pipeline of appropriately trained individuals for regional employers.
“New York employers are looking to hire individuals with advanced skills, but area job seekers often struggle to figure out which skills they need and where they can learn them,” said Chauncy Lennon, Head of Workforce Initiatives at JPMorgan Chase. “Through research projects like this one, we’ll identify the data to help drive the right solutions to address the gaps between New York employers and job seekers.”
Kings Capital Construction Group Announces Major Projects in Westchester
Kings Capital Construction Group, a full-service general contractor and site developer, has been awarded several major projects in the Westchester market. In Yorktown Heights, the company is undertaking multi–million dollar renovation of Staples Plaza, a 110,000-square-foot retail center on Route 202. The center is owned and managed by Urstadt Biddle Properties. The work includes renovation of the Staples store and conversion of the former Emigrant Bank property into an urgent care center. This is the third major assignment for Kings Capital from Urstadt Biddle Properties. Kings Capital recently completed a $6 million renovation of the 38,000 square-foot Chilmark Shopping Center in Briarcliff Manor and a $3.5 million project at the 75,000-square-foot Orangetown Shopping Center in Orangeburg. Also in Yorktown Heights, Kings Capital is handling a $6 million capital improvement project at the Taconic Corporate Park, a 26-acre, two-building office complex off Route 202. The renovations include a new fitness center and lobby. In other Westchester projects, Kings Capital was awarded a $1.5 million contract for site work on a new artificial turf field at Pleasantville High School.
Nonprofit Westchester Welcomes Six New Members
More local nonprofits are joining Nonprofit Westchester (NPW), an advocacy group that provides networking and resources for nonprofits in the county. NPW recently welcomed six new members: NAMI Westchester, Inc., an Elmsford-based grassroots organization that has been working for many years to combat the stigma associated with mental illness; Jewish Community Center on the Hudson (JCC), Ferncliff Manor, Inc., a nonprofit organization that supports the residential school for children with developmental disabilities at Ferncliff Manor in Yonkers; April’s Child, a nonprofit working to prevent and reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect in Westchester County; Tommie Cares Foundation, a Mount Kisco organization that builds community, possibility, compassion, and understanding through inclusive, real-life adventures for those with special needs; and Alliance for Safe Kids, which provides youngsters the proper information and skills needed to make the right decisions while emphasizing the need for parents to protect and nurture their children properly by getting informed and involved.
 “I am so pleased to welcome these organizations to Nonprofit Westchester,” said Joanna Straub, NPW Executive Director. “The diverse mix of our membership organizations provides a great illustration of the nonprofit industry in the county. I am confident that our services and resources will strengthen these important organizations that are necessary in our community.”
Yonkers FedEx Distribution Center Gets Boost from Yonkers Development Agency
A new regional FedEx distribution center in Yonkers recently moved a step closer to fruition, as the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency (YIDA) approved incentives for FedEx to move forward with its planned $121.2 million distribution center along Tuckahoe Road. The 123,000-square-foot facility will be built on the former site of the Tuckahoe Motor Inn. The YIDA gave initial approval to a $2.33 million sales tax exemption on materials used in construction, as well as a temporary property tax abatement. The new facility is expected to create 43 new jobs, and will also relocate 38 full- and part-time jobs from the current FedEx distribution center in the Bronx.
Mayor Mike Spano, who chairs the YIDA, said FedEx’s interest in Yonkers shows that the city’s effort to promote its proximity to transportation, to New York City, and the Hudson Valley is paying off. “We are the link between New York City and the entire Hudson Valley,” said Spano. “Companies are realizing we have available property, the right location, and a highly qualified workforce.”
Friedland Realty Advisors Completes Four Transactions Totaling $2.2 Million
Friedland Realty Advisors recently announced four transactions in Westchester County, which include more than 27,000 square feet of space and total $2.2 million.
Friedland’s Andy Grossman brokered the sale of 7,300 square feet of space located at 135 S Pearl St in Port Chester. The property was sold to Ravikoff Associates from Marshall Equities Inc. for $1,350,000. Grossman represented both the buyer and seller in the transaction. A team consisting of brokers Steve Kornspun, Robin Herko, and David Scotto represented both the buyer and seller during the transaction of 301 S Fulton Ave in Mount Vernon. The 10,000-square-foot property, formerly owned by 301 S Fulton Corp., was sold to Sammy Properties, Inc.
In Yonkers, Friedland’s Elias Everett closed two industrial leases. Everett brokered the lease of the property located at 42 School St. The landlord, AUSIL LLC, leased 5,000 square feet of space to Latin American Distributors. In addition, 4550 White Plains Rd, Inc., leased 5,000 square feet located at 60 St. Casimir Avenue to Yeats Contracting. Everett represented the tenants in both deals. “These four transactions are a testament to Westchester’s booming real estate market,” said Bob Friedland, CEO and founder of Friedland Realty Advisors.
New Women’s Leadership Certificate Program From Manhattanville College
Women in Metro New York who are seeking to cultivate a strategic mindset and thrive in today’s competitive business environment can do so this fall and winter through a six-session Women’s Leadership Certificate Program sponsored by the Women’s Leadership Institute at Manhattanville College’s School of Business.
“The goal of this energetic certificate program, through a series of inter-connected workshops, is to inspire women leaders to think strategically, hone business and financial acumen, productively lead organizations, communicate across differences, improve skills in negotiation and situational influence and establish an executive presence,” said Kathryn Meany, Director of the Women’s Leadership Institute. “The certificate program can be especially beneficial to mid-level female professionals with leadership aspirations.” The academic and action-learning sessions, facilitated by Manhattanville School of Business faculty members, will conclude with a unique benefit: Each participant will receive post-program coaching by an executive coach (a Manhattanville faculty member) to ensure the successful transfer of skills when participants return to their business roles. The six “Lead With Distinction” 1.5-day sessions will begin with orientation on September 24, 2015 and run through January, 2016. The workshops will be held at the Manhattanville College campus in Purchase, NY. Program details and registration is online at community.mville.edu/pages/wli-lead-with-disctinction.
