Hochul announces opening of FWD Center at MCC Downtown

ROCHESTER N.Y. (WHEC) — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the grand opening of the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center during a Monday conference in Rochester.

The FWD (pronounced "forward") center, located in Monroe Community College’s downtown campus, will offer training to more than 2,500 local students in high-demand careers like advanced manufacturing and information technology. The project has been two years in the making.

County Executive Adam Bello and SUNY Interim Chancellor Dr. Deborah Stanley joined other community and business leaders there for the grand opening. Hochul said the FWD center is a game-changer.

"You realize with a vision like this with our ribbon cutting today that we found the future," she said. "We found the building for places like this because it can launch you in so many different directions. It’s just not one industry or career. It puts people with stackable credentials the skills they need quickly to step into the jobs our employers are just begging for."

FWD is located at 321 State Street is in a brand new $11.4 million-dollar, 50,000-square-foot facility.