Workforce | Offshore Wind NYC

Investing in CUNY to become NYC’s Career Launchpad for Offshore Wind

Kingsborough Community College (KCC)

In the summer of 2023, NYCEDC invested $480,000 to KCC for the creation of new workforce development and certification programs that will train the next generation of maritime talent critical to the offshore wind industry. Once implemented, the programs will include:

Maritime Career Training in partnership with the Seafarer’s International Union (SIU)
Global Wind Organization Certification – Basic Safety Training for offshore wind
Offshore Wind Welding Training to develop talent to address the region’s manufacturing, fabrication, and construction workforce demands.

SUNY and CUNY-wide Investments

By the Numbers

$10M

NYCEDC investment in CUNY OSW workforce development

NYCEDC is investing $10M into CUNY to build the workforce training facilities and infrastructure needed to train the next generation of OSW talent. To date, CUNY has disbursed $3M to support maritime training infrastructure. In addition, New York State is investing $566,000 in the College of Staten Island to help students access high-quality, hands-on laboratory experiences and coursework focused on offshore wind and renewable energy. The State has also awarded $350,000 to LaGuardia Community College/CUNY to expand job training for unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers in renewable energy and construction. This is in addition to $230,000 that the State granted to the State University of New York Maritime College in 2018 to help establish the school’s Center of Excellence for Offshore Energy.

Learn more about NYCEDC’s CUNY-wide funding, and the State’s investment in the College of Staten Island.

OSW & Maritime Career Awareness Fair

NYCEDC connects local high school students with maritime workers to educate them on the sector’s career pathways.

Learn More

The climate crisis is real and we need to find ways to build our workforce to address this pressing problem in our city. This investment in CUNY helps our city prepare for climate change while also equipping our students with the updated technology and training they need to secure experience and jobs in this critical sector.

Matos Rodríguez

CUNY Chancellor

Offshore Wind Program Proposal Design Sprint

NYCEDC's Offshore Wind Program Proposal Design Sprint supported preparation for NYSERDA's third offshore wind renewable energy certificate (OREC) solicitation

NYCEDC’s Offshore Wind Program Proposal Design Sprint supported New York City’s local workforce and supply chain ecosystems to connect with global offshore wind developers in advance of New York State’s third OREC solicitation (closed in 2022).

The design sprint provided a pathway for local workforce and business development entities to develop program proposals to address current gaps in OSW talent pools and supply chains. Submitted program proposals were considered by OSW developers for inclusion in their bids to NYSERDA’s third Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits Solicitation. NYCEDC does not intend to resource any submitted program proposals.