Hassan Highlights Gateway to Work at Hitchiner Manufacturing

MILFORD, NH — Continuing her efforts to expand middle class opportunity and build an even stronger workforce that allows innovative businesses to grow and thrive, Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, visited Hitchiner Manufacturing in Milford to highlight her Gateway to Work initiative on July 29, 2016, according to a press statement. Announced in Hassan’s State of the State Address, Gateway to Work will use repurposed existing federal funds to help New Hampshire’s citizens succeed in the workforce by strengthening job training, creating new apprenticeship opportunities, helping remove the barriers that cause too many citizens to fail in the workplace and helping young people in the Granite State get a leg up on their futures.

“With our unemployment rate among the lowest in the nation and the number of employed Granite Staters at an all-time high, innovative businesses looking to grow here in New Hampshire need more workers now,” Hassan said. “Through Gateway to Work, we can develop and expand our workforce to help innovative businesses such as Hitchiner Manufacturing grow and thrive, while at the same time closing the opportunity gap for our families. Gateway to Work has support from the business community and legislators from both parties, and I continue to urge the legislative fiscal committee to approve the transfer of existing federal funds so that we can get this important program up and running as soon as possible.”

Even using conservative assumptions of participants long-term employment success, the Department of Health and Human Services estimates Gateway to Work – including the investments in related child care and youth programs – offers the potential for a significant return on investment to state and federal taxpayers over three years. Although there is no general fund cost at all to this program, state of New Hampshire taxpayers will still see an estimated savings of more than $6 million over three years, the governor stated.

According to Timothy Sullivan, Esq., Hitchiner’s Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Services, “Since Governor Hassan’s Gateway to Work initiative was first conceived, I’ve been anxiously following its progress, and I am hopeful for Committee approval. Hitchiner is currently in dire need of additional workers, both unskilled and skilled, to support our growth, and I see far too many new and otherwise good employees fail due to various personal impediments, despite best efforts. This initiative has the very real potential to break the cycle of poverty and increase the state’s available workforce.”

Submitted by Gov. Hassan's Office.