by Assemblyman Michael Durso
As someone who has grown up in what I think is safe to say a union household, the importance of Organized Labor and its benefits have never been lost on me. I have grown up the son of a prominent labor leader here on Long Island. My brothers, my sister and I have learned a great deal about hard work and what it means to represent the working men and women all throughout New York State.
As a former member and Shop Steward of CSEA Local 881 and former member of Teamsters Local 553, unions have been a part of almost my entire working career. Now, as a state legislator, I have the opportunity to interact with not only the Union Leadership, but the contractors, municipalities, business owners and companies that employ the great working men and women of organized labor.
And yet, I have concerns, as many do, as to where the next generation of skilled labor will come from. This is one of the many reasons I continue to try to bring awareness to a resource available to all High School students that may not get the recognition I believe it deserves: the BOCES program that takes place in high schools across the state. This amazing program—which I was a part of in High School—offers so many programs that can benefit young people throughout the state and gives them valuable skills that they may never have had access to learning at a young age.
This program has expanded to so many other industries and not just your typical trades such as Plumbing, Electrical or Carpentry as I had taken part of in my younger years. In fact, they now offer programs such as computer animation, aviation, EMT, HVAC, welding cosmetology and so much more. Skilled labor trades are needed now more than ever–and all these potential certifications can lead to good paying union jobs, private industry work or business ownership.
If we are not going to start investing in our students and young people earlier in life to expose them to what is available in the future, we cannot be surprised when we fall short trying to fill positions with skilled labor in the future. Now as a father myself who is raising two young girls, it is more important than ever for me to take the lessons I have learned and move them forward to help the future leaders and workforce in this state.
I tell my daughters they can be anything they want to be, just like any parent would. But it is incumbent upon us not only as legislators but as parents, adults and leaders to show them what is available and make it more available for everyone. The key word is everyone.
New York State should be investing in the BOCES Program, apprenticeship programs and work force development programs now more than ever. This investment will be an investment in our future not only as a state, but as a society.