Claremont, N.H. — Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Claremont Mayor Dale Girard joined leadership from Red River and Claremont MakerSpace to tour their operations and discuss workforce development in the region and ongoing efforts to support labor needs. During the visits, Rep. Kuster discussed local initiatives and coordinating federal resources that are helping to bolster the local economy and encourage people to make Claremont home.

“New Hampshire organizations and small businesses are leading the way with innovative solutions to meet workforce needs and move our communities forward,” said Rep. Kuster. “I was so pleased to see this progress in action at Red River and the Claremont MakerSpace alongside Claremont Mayor Girard. Red River has forged a path forward to develop the skilled workforce they need by forming innovative partnerships with community colleges and local school districts, setting an example for other businesses. It was wonderful to meet with their leadership today to discuss these ongoing efforts, as well as ways Congress can support workforce programming through legislation and federal funding.”

Rep. Kuster continued, “I also want to extend a thank you to the leadership at Claremont MakerSpace for welcoming me into their facility and discussing how federal funding has helped them continue to serve our communities. From communal workspace to high-tech tools and training, the Claremont MakerSpace is an incredible resource and artistic outlet for the community and provides a central location for makers to meet, socialize, and collaborate. I will continue working to support their mission in Congress.”

“The City of Claremont is pleased to be finalizing our upcoming project at the corner of Main and North Street,” said Claremont Mayor Dale Girard. “Without the support of Congresswoman Kuster and the federal government this project would not be possible.  While very few good things have come from the pandemic, we have been able to continue work on the City’s infrastructure.”

“We were pleased to host Congresswoman Kuster’s visit to Red River’s headquarters in Claremont today,” said Kim Vacca, Red River Charitable Foundation Director, and Richard Ackerman, VP of Workforce Development. “Red River is a technology transformation company that is a partner of choice for clients in commercial, federal and SLED markets. We shared details about Red River’s Workforce Development and Red River Charitable Foundation programs such as Think SMART for high school students, IT Scholarships for Veterans, New Hire Sales and Technology Academies, Internships and college capstones, and our STEM Lab Program with the Boston Bruins Foundation. One of our goals is to help prepare students for future careers in STEM fields and we believe engaging students at the middle school level and even younger is the best way to spark interest, and we are happy to share insight, time and resources to make this happen. To learn more visit redriver.com.”

“We're thrilled to welcome Congresswoman Kuster back to the Claremont Makerspace today,” said MakerSpace co-founder Jeremy Katz. “Her support was instrumental to making this project possible, and the federal relief and recovery funding authorized by Congress made all the difference in our ability to survive the unique and unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic.”

Through her work in Congress, Rep. Kuster has helped to increase Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) funding to support communities in northern New England. The Claremont MakerSpace received a $250,000 NBRC Grant in 2015 and a New Hampshire Community Finance Authority tax credit of $360,000. The MakerSpace also received an NBRC award in 2019 for $164,800 to construct a solar array with Revision Energy.

Last week, Rep. Kuster reintroduced her legislation, the Workforce Development Investment Act, which would create tax incentives to encourage companies to partner with education providers to develop workforce training programs for skills that are in demand within their community or region. It would also create a separate credit for the cost of direct training conducted as part of an educational partnership or licensed apprenticeship.

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