LIFT NY

3000 by 30

Rebuilding Long Island’s Aerospace & Defense Workforce

The Opportunity

Long Island is home to over 250 aerospace and defense companies, employing more than 25,000 people. These companies need a steady pipeline of skilled workers to grow.

Without a focused workforce strategy, these jobs will move to states that are actively training their workforce.

The Plan

• Leverage Suffolk Community College, Nassau Community College, and SUNY Farmingdale
• Align BOCES and high school programs to start training earlier
• Build a pipeline from High School → College → Industry
• Train in critical skills:
  • CNC Machining
  • Aircraft Assembly
  • Avionics
  • Quality & Compliance (AS9100, FAA)
  • Logistics & Supply Chain

Implementation

Year 1 Request: $1,000,000

• Establish LIFT (Long Island Future Tech)
• Engage educators, BOCES, and industry leaders
• Develop curriculum aligned with workforce needs
• Plan training infrastructure and equipment

Years 2–10: $30M/year (~$150M total initial program)

• Build training labs and facilities
• Hire instructors (10:1 student ratio)
• Fund student training and internships
• Expand outreach across 60+ high schools annually

Why It Matters

These are high-paying, high-skill careers that can exceed six figures — without requiring four-year degrees or long-term student debt.

We are building the workforce to keep Long Island industry on Long Island.