Target Industry Sectors

The Office of Strategic Workforce Development (OSWD) prioritizes employer-driven workforce development in statewide high-growth industries with high-quality jobs, as well as each region’s key clusters of targeted industry sectors.  Priority for OSWD's new grant programs will be given to applicants demonstrating their program prepares trainees for jobs in at least one regional or statewide target industry sector as outlined below or included in the REDC Workforce Inventory.

The Office of Strategic Workforce Development has identified the following as statewide high-growth target industry sectors:

  • Advanced Manufacturing and Materials
  • Biotech and Life Sciences
  • Cleantech and Renewable Energy
  • Construction
  • Electronics and Optics, Photonics, and Imaging (OPI)
  • Film and Television Production and Post-Production
  • Software and Digital Media

Regional industries:

  • Capital Region: Biotech and Life Sciences, Cleantech and Renewable Energy, Tech and Electronics, Software and Digital Game Development, Materials Processing,
  • Central New York: Advanced Manufacturing, Smart Systems, Homeland and Cybersecurity, Agribusiness, Biotech and Life Sciences, Unmanned Systems, Tourism, Software and Digital Media, and Logistics
  • Finger Lakes: Advanced Manufacturing, Optics, Photonics and Imaging, Agribusiness, Cleantech and Renewable Energy, Biotech and Life Sciences, Software and Digital Media
  • Long Island: Advanced Manufacturing, Biotech and Life Sciences, Cleantech and Renewable Energy, Craft Beverage, Tourism, Agribusiness
  • Mid-Hudson: Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics, Biotech and Life Sciences, Financial and Business Services, Agribusiness, Craft Beverage, Tourism, Film and Television Production, Information Technology,
  • Mohawk Valley: Agribusiness, Financial Services and Insurance, Advanced Manufacturing, Tech and Electronics, Materials Processing, Logistics, Homeland and Cybersecurity
  • New York City: Software and Digital Media, Biotech and Life Sciences, Offshore Wind, Financial Services and Insurance, Tourism
  • North Country: Advanced Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Cleantech and Renewable Energy, Transportation Equipment, Tourism
  • Southern Tier: Advanced Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Homeland and Cybersecurity, Logistics, Healthcare
  • Western New York: Advanced Manufacturing, Software and Digital Media, Biotech and Life Sciences, Agribusiness, Tourism, Cleantech and Renewable Energy