Finger Lakes manufacturers should have a chance to supply New York’s expanding semiconductor industry, but the region must train more workers so existing employers can grow alongside new factories, state Sen. Pam Helming says.
In her column, “Bringing the High-Tech Economy Home,” Helming outlined supplier opportunities and concerns about competition for skilled employees after attending an Opportunity Exchange hosted by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and its president and CEO, Bob Duffy. The event focused on the NY SMART I-Corridor, which connects Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse through manufacturing, research and workforce development.
Local manufacturers seek a place in the supply chain
Helming pointed to the Finger Lakes’ existing manufacturing businesses as potential suppliers of specialized equipment, components and services needed by chipmakers and related companies. She said winning that work requires understanding customers’ requirements and making connections with buyers.
She cited Optimax and OptiPro in the Town of Ontario, Advanced Atomization Technologies in Clyde and LSI SOLUTIONS in Victor as examples of the region’s capabilities. McQuillen Manufacturing in Honeoye Falls and D.P. Tool & Machine in Avon also illustrate strengths extending from precision optics and medical devices to aerospace components and advanced machining, she wrote.
Helming said the greater Rochester-Finger Lakes region has more than 150 optics, photonics and imaging companies employing approximately 19,000 people.
The corridor’s Supply Chain Activation Network, known as SCAN, offers a route for businesses seeking to enter or expand in the semiconductor supply chain. Its services include assessing a company’s capabilities and readiness and identifying requirements it may need to meet to become a supplier.
The network also connects manufacturers with technical assistance for certifications, lean manufacturing, digital changes and facility upgrades. Manufacturing Extension Partnerships provide hands-on support, while economic development organizations help with expansion resources and access to investment.
The scale of planned investment is substantial. Micron announced the groundbreaking for its planned $100 billion memory-manufacturing complex in Clay in January. Its plans call for up to four fabrication plants in Onondaga County.
The corridor estimates that, based on planned investments, one-quarter of American-made chips could be produced within 350 miles of the corridor by 2034.
Helming linked the effort to stronger domestic supply chains. Computer chips are used in vehicles, farm equipment, phones, appliances, medical devices and defense systems, she noted. Her column pointed to pandemic-era shortages that disrupted vehicle inventories, appliance orders and replacement parts for farmers.
Expanding the workforce beyond existing employers
Helming said local employers have raised concerns about finding and retaining skilled workers as major new companies recruit in the region.
“We need to train more people, not simply shift workers from one business to another, so established businesses and new industries can grow together,” she wrote.
She said the industry needs machinists, electricians and technicians as well as engineers and scientists, creating opportunities through community colleges, BOCES programs and apprenticeships alongside four-year degrees.
Affordability is another part of that effort, Helming argued. Families need to be able to afford to live in New York, while existing companies need room to expand their businesses.
College programs connect training with local jobs
Finger Lakes Community College’s Smart Systems Technologies program offers a 63-credit associate degree combining electronics, automation, control systems, math and physics with work experience. Its core classes take place at the Victor Campus Center.
The program includes 270 hours of paid cooperative work experience. Faculty match students with one of more than 50 regional high-tech business partners based on their interests and skills. FLCC lists G.W. Lisk, Optimax Systems and OptiPro Systems among businesses where graduates have started careers.
Helming also cited G.W. Lisk’s manufacturing-training work with FLCC in Clifton Springs and Pathways to Prosperity, which she said she has worked on with Wayne County Community Schools.
At Monroe Community College, a $3 million investment from Sydor Optics led to the naming of the Sydor Optics Advanced Technology Center in October 2025. MCC’s two-year optics program trains technicians in optics and photonics, while the center supports hands-on education in several technical fields.
For businesses looking to assess supplier opportunities, SCAN provides an online intake form and a regional supplier dashboard, along with connections to technical and economic development assistance.
File image of a semiconductor on a circuit board.
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