NORWICH – Chenango County is taking steps to join a new New York State Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program built to expand workforce training for public employees, with an eye toward eventually addressing critical staffing needs like emergency medical services.

On Tuesday, the County Personnel Committee agreed to advance a proposal from County Personnel Officer Matthew Caldwell to the Board of Supervisors, which will vote at its September meeting on whether to submit an application to the state labor department.

The state-sponsored program offers municipalities financial support and a framework to train apprentices in fields of need. If its application is approved, Chenango County would serve as the official employer, selecting specific trade tracks through the state’s roster of already approved trades.

Caldwell, who has been in discussions with state representatives for about a year, said the county must complete a mandatory two-year probationary period before expanding the initiative to larger departments.

"It’s a good way to train some of our employees in different specific fields," Caldwell said of the program. "The state has been pushing these apprenticeships."

To establish the program effectively, Caldwell plans to launch it strictly within the Human Resources department, where he already has two employees in mind for the initial rollout.

"There has been some discussion about if we were to do this, how we can start it. I’ve done a lot of research talking to SUNY and representatives at New York State for funding sources and determining the best way to go," Caldwell said. "I would like to start with just our department to get through the probationary period and understand how this program works, then roll it out to other departments throughout the county.”

While the state currently offers apprenticeship tracks for police and fire personnel, it does not yet have an established trade program for EMS. However, Caldwell remains hopeful that state officials will finalize an EMS track by the time the county completes its two-year probationary period.

"One big one that would benefit us is EMS, so they could help to train our basic life support techs and make them more of an advanced level," Caldwell said.

State funding to offset salaries of program participants is unlikely, but Caldwell noted potential financial support through free online training platforms and educational grants through the State University of New York (SUNY) system for participating staff who want to take college-level courses at a SUNY school.

The application, which could take the state several months to process, drew questions from some Personnel Committee members over public versus private sector priorities.

Michael Khoury, a Personnel Committee member and Town of Smyrna supervisor, voiced concerns about the state's approach in providing opportunities for public employees without giving local governments more say in the trade tracks available.

"There are some county jobs that are more critical than others. EMS has to be top of the list. Most other jobs are administrative," Khoury said. "So why don’t we have an option to say that’s what we’re applying for because it’s what we need? Why isn’t this program weighted toward priorities?"

Khoury additionally railed against the state’s placement of public sector training over private sector needs, arguing that many local private employers are struggling to hire.

"This county is starved for employees in manufacturing," Khoury said. "Instead of New York subsidizing the workforce in the private sector, who pays our bills, now we’re subsidizing government workers. I find it funny that the private sector will be competing with a government taking people and steering them toward the public sector."

Despite his reservations regarding state policy, Khoury acknowledged that if public sector funding is the only option available, starting the pilot program within the Human Resources department represents the best path forward for the county.

If the Board of Supervisors approves the measure in September, the application will be submitted directly to the Department of Labor for review.