SUNY Adirondack Launches New Tech Valley Track

QUEENSBURY & WILTON -- SUNY Adirondack announced the launch of a new education track designed specifically for local residents whose goal is to work for the growing number of companies affiliated with the Tech Valley initiative. The new SUNY Adirondack Tech Valley Track is a set of emphasis areas tied to degrees that focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills.

Starting today, SUNY Adirondack will begin accepting applications for students interested in the new Tech Valley Track emphasis program. The first group of enrolled students will begin classes in January, with additional students expected to start in the summer and fall semesters. As more and more tech-based companies enter the region, SUNY Adirondack faculty and staff expect to see an even greater interest in the Tech Valley Track program. “We know that our region is investing heavily in tech industries,” said Nick Paigo, Assistant Professor and Chair of SUNY Adirondack’s technology division. “The Tech Valley Track combines the best of our resources and packages it in a quality and affordable program that can lead to jobs with competitive salaries and solid career paths.”

While conducting research for the new track, SUNY Adirondack representatives identified common entry-level job requirements for companies located throughout the 19-county Tech Valley corridor. Because they prefer to utilize their own in-house technical training programs, many Tech Valley companies don’t expect graduates to show up at their door with expertise in their specialized equipment. However, where they often won’t compromise is the need for solid skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as highly valued behavior-based competencies, such as excellent problem solving skills, business ethics, accountability, and an appreciation for the global business environment.

“Tech Valley companies generally embrace the attitude that it’s easier to train new employees the technical skills for their proprietary and custom-built equipment than it is to teach employees overall proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as people skills and other behavior-based competencies,” said Ronald Heacock, President of SUNY Adirondack. “Those key areas are the backbone of our curriculum at SUNY Adirondack, and our new Tech Valley Track is specifically designed to emphasize these ‘must-have’ skills that employers seek out during the hiring process.”

The Tech Valley Track serves as a broad-based career training program for individuals interested in employment at tech-focused companies. It is designed to complement SUNY Adirondack’s existing portfolio of specialized degree programs, including computer science, computer networking, mechanical technology, and others. The Tech Valley Track also is designed to easily transfer into a bachelor’s degree program at other colleges and universities, including transfer opportunities that exist via the unique partnership between SUNY Adirondack and SUNY’s Empire State College.

Courses for the Tech Valley Track will be offered during the day at SUNY Adirondack’s Queensbury campus and during the evening at the college’s Wilton campus. The program will be offered on both full- and part-time schedules, allowing students to choose an option that best fits their lifestyles. Because the Tech Valley Track is part of an accredited degree program, federal and state financial aid is available for those who qualify.

“We’re excited to offer the new Tech Valley Track to the options available at our Wilton campus,” said Mike Prutsman, Director of SUNY Adirondack’s Wilton Center. “Saratoga County is quickly becoming the heart of the Tech Valley initiative and our new program is another example of how we are aligning our educational curriculum with the local workforce needs.”

The Tech Valley Track will be the anchor of SUNY Adirondack’s recruitment campaign for spring semester. A comprehensive marketing campaign, including ads on radio, cable television, and social networking, all will be used to help spread the word about the new program. Additional information is available at www.sunyacc.edu.


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Media Contact:
Mark Parfitt
518-743-2245
parfittm@sunyacc.edu