Press Release

SUNY Sullivan, in partnership with the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC) is launching a new two-year Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) in Construction Technology degree program this fall. The new pathway program is specifically designed to help meet the growing state-wide need for a skilled labor force in construction.

Construction Technology AOS students will complete instruction and on-the-job training through the NASRCC’s apprenticeship program in Rock Tavern followed by additional courses in green building, accounting, communications, computer literacy and other studies at SUNY Sullivan. Upon completion of the program, Construction Technology AOS graduates will have a mastery of the skills and knowledge required to find immediate employment or advancement in the residential construction industry. Graduates can also use 61 of their credit hours from SUNY Sullivan toward a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Construction Supervision at Alfred State College.

“The Carpenters union leads the industry in teaching the trade skills and professionalism needed to sustain a good-paying career in construction,” said Tom Fischer, Director of the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund (NASCTF). “This new partnership with SUNY Sullivan will expand opportunities we make available starting with pre-apprentice exploration and training programs, formal apprenticeship, and lifetime skills upgrade training. Choosing a career in construction offers several opportunities from job site, hands-on opportunities to management positions with established contractors. Through our training and our partnerships, like this one with SUNY, all kinds of options stay on the table.”

“We are so excited to bring this program to students in this region. Partnerships between industry and higher education are proven to produce successful students,” said SUNY Sullivan President Jay Quaintance. “This innovative pathway that leads to high-wage employment combines the best of apprenticeships and traditional college programs. On-the-job-training combined with the academic knowledge to support it ensure that these students will be ready for the ever-evolving 21st century building trades environment.”

Local representatives and economic development leaders voiced strong support for the new degree program and the impact the partnership will have on the regional economy and workforce.

“The resilience and growth of our economy depends upon the strength of our trade unions and the cultivation of the next generation of leaders in the workforce,” said Senator Mike Martucci. “As the graduate of an associate degree program and a strong believer in apprenticeship and workforce development programs, I have seen the life-changing and lasting impact they have on the individual and our communities. I am thrilled by this partnership because I know, together, SUNY Sullivan and the Carpenters union will continue to propel generations of men and women to long, prosperous careers.”

SUNY Sullivan offers seated in-person, online, and hybrid classes. For more information on SUNY Sullivan’s Construction Technology AOS Program, please visit sunysullivan.edu/construction-technology-aos or call 845-567-1810. Applicants must have an official transcript showing completion of the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund (NASCTF) Pathways Curriculum.

To apply to the NASCTF apprenticeship program, applicants must first attend one of their information sessions, which are held on the first Monday of every month at the NASRCC Local 279 training center at 52 Stone Castle Rd., Rock Tavern, NY 12575. The next information session takes place Monday, August 1 at 6 pm. For more information about Local 279’s training center in Rock Tavern, or to apply, visit carpenterslocalunion279.org or call 845-567-1810.