School districts in St. Lawrence County recently celebrated North Country Manufacturing Day (MFG Day), an event designed to showcase the modern manufacturing industry and inspire the next generation of innovators in a field where creativity, technology and problem-solving come together.

With coordinated efforts by St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Career and Tech Education (“CTE”), SLL BOCES Adult Education, and the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency, over 300 students from 11 component school districts in St. Lawrence County toured 16 local manufacturing businesses as part of MFG Day 2025.  Participating school districts include Brasher Falls, Canton, Clifton-Fine, Colton, Edwards-Knox, Gouverneur, Lisbon, Massena, Morristown, Parishville-Hopkinton, and Potsdam Central School.

By participating in MFG Day tours, students meet the workers behind our local products and see how their classroom learning applies in real-world scenarios. Patrick Kelly, CEO of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency states, “Manufacturing Day provides high school students, our future workforce, the opportunity to get a first-hand look at modern manufacturing facilities, see how world-class products are manufactured locally, and learn about the variety of career progression opportunities available in manufacturing”.

Thank you to the businesses that opened their doors to offer students this unique opportunity.  They include Alcoa, AmTech Yarns, Arconic, Bestway Lumber, Cives Steel, Corning Inc., Curran Renewable Energy, Empire State Mines, Five Mile Farm, Heidelberg Quarry, Kinney Drugs (Warehouse and Central Fill), Pepsi Cola Ogdensburg Bottlers, Potsdam Specialty Paper Inc., St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, and Structural Wood. This experience helps to ignite a vital collaboration between academia and local manufacturers!

Please CLICK HERE for a link to the NYS Small Business Administration website for further information regarding the  PPP loans offered to businesses with fewer than 20 employees and sole proprietors.  

The RVRDA is now accepting applications for its 2021 Community Development and Environmental Improvement Program.  Eligible applicants include communities and not-for-profit organizations in St. Lawrence County that are planning to undertake a project that will provide a clear and demonstrable economic, community or environmental benefit.  Applications are due by 3:00 PM on April 16, 2021.

Visit the Small Business Administration for details on Federal Stimulus Packages and Resources

The St. Lawrence County Reopening Task Force is working to provide guidance and answer questions for businesses to open safely and successfully. If you have questions, Forward.NY.gov is the official New York State reopening site. Forward.NY.gov. If you would like help reviewing the guidance for reopening our economy, please send an email to info@slcida.com to request an appointment. Positive and safe reopening steps are important to keep St. Lawrence County moving forward.

NCA Emergency Working Capital Relief Program Guidelines & Application

The Career Ready Education and Success Training (CREST) Center will be holding Class-A Tractor-Trailer driving training beginning January 7, 2020. This is a great local opportunity to learn the skills needed to pass the NYS Class A driving exam and start a career in this lucrative industry. This is a 7-week program, consisting of 20 hours of classroom sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM and 30 hours of behind the wheel training scheduled by the student and instructor. Click Here for more information.