(WENY) -- On Thursday, Congressman Nick Langworthy toured through SUNY Corning Community College's Police Academy, Computer numerical control programming class, and welding program. CCC President Bill Mullaney says the programs respond to local workforce needs and are dedicated to creating the future trained workforce to serve the Southern Tier.  

“Employers say (they) need programs in this field,” Mullaney said, adding, “We pull the curriculum together, get the instructors, and get the training off the ground in relatively short order.”  

During the tour Langworthy said in recent years other states like Florida have made keeping police officers in New York harder by offering them signing bonuses and other incentives. He feels CCC's Police Academy is one incentive for future officers to stay in the Southern Tier.  

“It's really difficult at this time to retain people in the force,” Langworthy said, adding, “To see a big vibrant class of cadets entering into law enforcement going right to work right here in the Southern Tier (is) good for our economy.”  

The final stop on Langworthy's tour was to the welding program at CCC’s Elmira Center. Langworthy touted the progra and the local workforce it creates.  

“They're creating skilled welders, giving local businesses what they need,” Langworthy said, adding, “With a tight labor market, we need people that have the skills to go into the jobs right away to help employers get their products to market.”  

Langworthy hopes to see more local workforce development programs have their students go on to serve communities in New York. To that end, CCC plans to continue using more of these types of programs to fulfill a handful of employment needs here in the Southern Tier.