The New York State Department of Transportation and the State Department of Labor hosted a Heavy Construction Training Fair on Wednesday for anyone interested in working on the transformational Interstate 81 Viaduct Project in Syracuse. The fair helped interested individuals find the appropriate training and workforce development programs so that they are ‘hire ready’ for the project.
“The Interstate 81 Viaduct Project will be a game-changer for Central New York and we want to ensure that local residents are given every opportunity to benefit from this historic undertaking,” Governor Hochul said.
The Heavy Construction Training Fair matched job seekers with training programs offered by local organizations. More than a dozen organizations, including representatives from organized labor, CITI BCES and the Onondaga Community, were on hand to provide information.
The fair was part of the continuing effort by the Department of Transportation and the Department of Labor to ensure that local residents benefit from the Interstate 81 Viaduct project. Grassroots efforts led by community partner Urban Jobs Task Force, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, the City of Syracuse and NYSDOT, helped secure one of the first local-hire provisions approved under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to incentivize hiring local residents from zip codes in disadvantaged neighborhoods at a prevailing wage.
The Local Hire Program for the I-81 Viaduct Project provides an incentive payment for the recruitment and employment of local residents who may have recently experienced economic hardship and/or barriers to employment. Concerted efforts are being made to achieve a goal of at least 15% of the overall employment hours on the project being performed by qualifying residents of targeted areas in Central New York.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The transformation of Interstate 81 is well on its way and the best way to ensure the success of this project is to have local workers involved from start to finish. I urge everyone interested in working on this historic project to come to the fair and learn about the many training programs that are available to help them obtain the skills necessary to become part of our I-81 team that will make history in Central New York.”
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “The I-81 Viaduct Project is reconnecting communities and creating career opportunities. I encourage job seekers to attend the Heavy Construction Training Fair to learn how to get on the road to a successful new career.”
The innovative I-81 Viaduct Project is part of Governor Hochul’s unprecedented commitment to modernize New York State’s infrastructure and invest in projects that promote equity, connectivity, and multi-modal transportation opportunities for communities across the state in partnership with the federal government. The $32.8 billion State DOT Capital Plan adopted in 2022 helps fulfill the Governor’s vision for a modern transportation system that serves New Yorkers across the state, and the I-81 Viaduct Project will be funded with a mix of federal and state resources.
