Working in the Mohawk Valley

The Mohawk Valley has numerous advantages for companies looking to start a business or expand. With a diversely skilled workforce, affordable cost of living, and multitude of strong industry sectors, the Mohawk Valley can provide for any company’s needs. From brainpower to electric power, here are some of the key factors making the Mohawk Valley a great place to start, continue and succeed.

 For more information on the regions local businesses

Workforce

Employers in the Mohawk Valley have access to a large, capable workforce, with a workforce of about 240,000 individuals and a population of about 300,000. The community has embraced higher education and workforce development. 86-percent of the Mohawk Valley population has a high school degree or higher, with 20-percent having a bachelors degree. The Mohawk Valley is looking to the future by investing time and resources to train the 21st Century workforce in our target industries like manufacturing and information technology. Companies in the Mohawk Valley can benefit from a low turn-over rate as many people who grew up in the region have stayed and will continue to stay and grow in the region.

The Griffiss Institute is a business accelerator for local companies. They currently provide a variety of services to local businesses, academic institutions and AFRL/RI including the scheduling and coordination of a number of activities and events:

• The GI provides a venue for classes and instruction.
• The GI facility can be rented for classes, conference and symposia or for general meetings.
• The GI sponsors courses, contracting with professional organizations and companies to provide instructors and course materials.

Additionally, Mohawk Valley EDGE and its partners can coordinate a customized training package to assist with the company’s overall training needs:

A. Assistance in recruiting, screening and testing new employees;
B. On-site training assistance;
C. On the Job Training for each employee.

Transportation Infrastructure

Passenger air service to locations throughout the U.S. and abroad is available through Hancock Airport in Syracuse, less than an hour west, and Albany International Airport, about 90 minutes east.

CSX, New York Susquehanna & Western, and Mohawk Adirondack & Northern Railroads provide freight service; daily Amtrak passenger service is available from Utica and Rome.

Interstate 90, which runs from Boston to Seattle, passes through the heart of the Mohawk Valley, connecting the region with Albany to the east and Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo to the west. Interstate 87 passes through Albany providing routes south to New York City and north to Montreal, while Interstate 81 goes through Syracuse giving easy access to Canada to the north, and Binghamton and Pennsylvania to the south. A comprehensive network of state highways crosses the region as well, giving access to local and regional markets.

An average commute time of 21.5 minutes is indicative of our region’s mature transportation infrastructure and overall ease of travel/lack of traffic congestion. Regional commuters average less than one minute per mile traveled, making a 50-60 mile commute in 45 minutes or less.

IT employers in the Utica-Rome area draw from as far west as Syracuse, and from as far north as Watertown, as evidenced by recent regional employer zip code surveys.

 For more information on the regions Transportation

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Regional Broadband/Telecommunications Service Providers:

• Verizon (Residential & Commercial)
• Time Warner (Residential & Commercial)
• Northland Communications (Residential & Commercial)
• AT & T (Commercial Only)
• Level 3 (Commercial Only)

The Mohawk Valley is home to one of New York State’s most advanced fiber optic and telecommunications backbones, capable of providing any project with sufficient service.

Energy Incentives

The Mohawk Valley has a variety of incentives to meet your energy needs: National Grid, through its Empire Zone Rider gas program offers discounts that range from 3 to 5 cents per therm, depending on service classification and consumption.

After local and state certification, customers are eligible for a full ten years of benefits on qualifying usage; the ten-year term begins with the first discounted bill. In order to access the discounted Empire Zone Rider rates, customers must become certified and contact National Grid within six months of locating or expanding in an Empire Zone.

Griffiss Utility Services Corporation (GUSC) provides electric and steam (for those customers who choose to heat/cool their buildings with a steam system) to tenants and businesses located at Griffiss Business & Technology Park.

GUSC electric rates are approximately 30% less than rates charged by National Grid and other utility providers. GUSC is also preparing to construct a Green Energy Co-Gen facility that will further reduce utility costs for customers within Griffiss Park.