Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association workforce development partner MACNY celebrated recent graduates of its Advance 2 Apprenticeship® and Real Life Rosies® direct-entry pre-apprenticeship programs with a recent ceremony for the Onondaga Community College cohort, along with milestone events in Rochester and Binghamton, highlighting the programs’ expanding impact across New York State. The celebrations honored program graduates and recognized employer partners who

Batavia – The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program (FLYAP) held its 6 th  annual “Signing Day” Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at Genesee Community College’s BEST Center in Batavia. More than 45 students from the school’s electromechanical programs are earning on-the-job experience through paid co-ops at 11 local advanced manufacturing companies.   “Team FLYAP is excited to again partner with the students, instructors and administration at the Genesee Valley BOCES in Batavia

Spencerport – The Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA) and Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Center for Workforce Development (CWD) today celebrated its first-ever graduation for the Real Life Rosies © Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Fourteen participants completed the six-week, 72-hour training program which included the Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA) credential through Tooling U-SME. Real Life Rosies Rochester Class of 2025   “BOCES 2 CWD is thrilled to hav

The Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA), Monroe Community College (MCC) today celebrated its first-ever graduation for the Advance 2 Apprenticeship Pre-Apprenticeship Program at the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center (FWD Center) in Rochester. Fourteen participants completed the four-week, 72-hour training program which included the Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA) credential through Tooling U-SME.   “The RTMA is proud to graduate the fir

Rochester – The Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association is preparing for a leadership transition with the upcoming retirement of longtime Executive Director Bob Coyne, who will step down on April 1, 2026. Succeeding him will be the RTMA’s current Director of Workforce Development, Rich Turner.   The RTMA Board of Directors named Coyne its second Executive Director in January 2021 after serving the Association as its Workforce Development Director from 2018 to 2020. P

The event saw an impressive turnout, with more than 120 students and chaperones attending our Women in Manufacturing Summit. Throughout the day, students participated in an engaging Q&A session with our moderator and panelists, gaining meaningful insight into career opportunities within the manufacturing industry. Students with our panelist. The Women in Manufacturing Summit is presented by the Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program. One of the missions for the Finger Lake

Rochester – Students and educators from nearly 50 schools across the city of Rochester, Monroe County and Finger Lakes region attended the 4 th  annual ROC With Your Hands  career exploration event today at the Rochester Community Sports Complex. The event is the region’s largest single-day event of its kind in the region. ROC With Your Hands is organized by the Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association (RTMA) in partnership with the city of Rochester, Monroe County,

The RTMA kicked off its first ever Real Life Rosies training program this week at the Monroe 2 BOCES Center for Workforce Development in Spencerport. Participants will receive free training to prepare them for careers and apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing.   Inaugural class of the Real Life Rosies The program also provides participants with supportive services, tools and materials and incentives. Real Life Rosies and its sister program, Advance 2 Apprenticeship, is pr

Batavia – The Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association, the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, Genesee Community College and Genesee County Economic Development Center today celebrated graduates from the 5 th  annual Genesee Valley Mechatronics Pre-Apprenticeship Boot Camp.   Participants received six weeks of free classroom instruction at the Genesee Valley BOCES in Batavia, paired with paid on-the-job experience at a local advanced manufacturing company. Oxbo

Rochester – Seven participants graduated Thursday from the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association’s (RTMA) inaugural Monroe County Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The six-week program matched participants with employers in the city of Rochester and Monroe County while participating in classroom training at the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center (FWD Center) at Monroe Community College.   The pre-apprenticeship program provides participant

Batavia – The Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association and workforce development partners from the GLOW Region (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans & Wyoming counties) Thursday celebrated graduates from the first-ever Genesee Valley Welding Pre-Apprenticeship Boot Camp.   Participants received six weeks of free classroom instruction at the Genesee Valley BOCES in Batavia, paired with paid on-the-job experience at a local advanced manufacturing company. Oxbo, Graham and Gor

More than five years after the COVID-19 pandemic first shut down New York, the state is officially ending its requirement for employers to provide paid sick leave related to the virus. As of Thursday, July 31, 2025, employers will no longer be required to provide COVID-specific sick time to employees. Since March 2020, New York employers have been required to provide sick time above and beyond what is required under the state’s paid sick leave law for employees who are under

The Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association (RTMA) today announced the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved the RTMA’s group sponsorship of the New York State Registered Apprenticeship Program as a New York State Approving Agency. This distinction allows the RTMA to provide VA benefits to apprentices who served in the United States Armed Forces as well as dependents of service-disabled Veterans.    Registered Apprentices, who are Veterans, are now el

Great turnout Wednesday at our Workforce Development and Supply Chain Summit. More than 120 businesses, educators and community partners learned about innovative programs, best practices and how to become a government supplier. Thanks to NextCorps for their partnership and for hosting, the Maritime Industrial Base, BuildSubmarines.com and Blue Forge Alliance for sponsoring, and Monroe County and APEX Accelerator for their insight.

ACT for Education recently honored the RTMA as a ‘Community Champion for Public Education’ for the Association’s career exploration efforts through the Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program and ROC With Your Hands. The Rush-Henrietta Central School District nominated the RTMA for its guidance on the district’s career and technology education program. Through FLYAP, the RTMA has connected more than 825 students to more than 100 businesses for job shadows and paid co-ops. T

Rochester – The Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA) announces it has secured more than $75,000 in funding for local manufacturing companies that offer New York State Registered Apprenticeships through the RTMA’s regional sponsorship. The RTMA is the greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region sponsor for advanced manufacturing trades for Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Orleans and Wyoming counties.   “Now more than ever, it pays

Rochester – The Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association (RTMA) Friday celebrates the completion of its first-ever Precision Measurement Certificate Training Program. Participants received free, hands-on training with precision measurement instruments from Starrett, Snap-on and NC3 and received certifications for Tape and Rule Measurement and Slide Calipers. Participants also received basic safety training t prepare them for careers in advanced manufacturing, engineer

Rochester – In honor of Black History Month, the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA) partnered with Edison Career & Technology High School in Rochester Wednesday to host a panel discussion promoting careers, apprenticeships and training in advanced manufacturing. The event is an extension of the RTMA’s involvement in Rochester Works’ School 2 Work Youth Navigator Program, which aims to introduce students to sustainable careers after high school.    The p

Rochester – The Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association (RTMA) today announced the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved the RTMA’s group sponsorship of the New York State Registered Apprenticeship Program as a New York State Approving Agency. This distinction allows the RTMA to provide VA benefits to apprentices who served in the United States Armed Forces. Registered Apprentices, who are Veterans, are now eligible for GI Bill and other educational b

Rochester – The New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP) and New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) today honored Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA) Executive Director Bob Coyne with the 2024 Economic and Workforce Development Partnership Award. Coyne was among one of six honored this year at the conference’s awards luncheon. Coyne was nominated for his knowledge of the local workforce and economic development