Free and 50% off Microcredentials offered at SUNY IRV

SUNY Cobleskill Offers Free and 50%-Off Technical Microcredentials to Power Workforce Growth

From heavy equipment to beekeeping, new courses open doors for learners, workers, and employers across New York’s rural industries.

SUNY Cobleskill is making career advancement more accessible than ever through a growing suite of technical microcredential courses—many of which are now offered free or at 50% tuition thanks to support from Empire State Development’s Mohawk Valley Empowers Program.

The program, managed through the Institute for Rural Vitality (IRV), received a $2.6 million award earlier this year to expand workforce training and value-added product development across the region. That investment has allowed Cobleskill to launch a broad range of industry-aligned, short-format training opportunities designed to upskill workers, strengthen rural businesses, and prepare new entrants for careers in high-demand technical fields.

Free to Start: Foundational Skills for In-Demand Careers

Nearly all basic-level courses are free for all participants, providing an easy on-ramp into technical and agricultural industries. These short, hands-on offerings build fundamental knowledge that can lead directly to employment, advancement, or further study.

Basic courses available include:

Dairy Processing
Maple Syrup
HACCP
Meat Processing & Food Safety
Beekeeping
Value Added Product Development
Fiber Sorting & Grading
EV & Hybrid Training – Heavy Equipment
Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning
Electrical in Heavy Equipment
Hydraulics in Heavy Equipment
Diesel Fuel & Air Systems
Diesel Engines
Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning
Diesel Aftertreatment
Air Brakes
MVAC Training

Each course offers focused, practical instruction that helps learners build skills they can use immediately—whether maintaining agricultural equipment, understanding modern vehicle systems, or expanding their agricultural production knowledge.

Advanced Courses: 50% Off for Career and Workforce Advancement

Beyond the free foundational courses, SUNY Cobleskill also offers advanced microcredentials at a minimum of 50% tuition, helping current professionals and business owners deepen their expertise or upskill their teams. These advanced courses serve as tools for career progression and organization-wide workforce training, offering flexible, stackable options that fit real-world schedules and goals.

Employers can also use the program to train employees efficiently, ensuring staff stay current with evolving technologies across equipment, electrical systems, and sustainable agricultural practices.

Pathways That Grow With You

Each microcredential is designed to stand alone—or to stack toward advanced certificates, degrees, or specialized technical qualifications. Participants can start with a single short course, then continue building credentials as their interests or career needs evolve.

The flexibility of Cobleskill’s model allows people from all backgrounds to enter or advance in technical fields, from high school graduates and veterans to established professionals seeking updated credentials. Courses are offered online, on campus, and in hybrid formats to meet learners where they are.

Investing in the Rural Workforce

“The goal is to make education more accessible, practical, and directly tied to the opportunities that exist in our region,” said Darin Clark from the Institute for Rural Vitality. “By lowering financial barriers and providing flexible training options, we’re helping individuals and employers build skills that strengthen New York’s rural economy.”

Through these programs, SUNY Cobleskill continues its long-standing commitment to preparing the next generation of technicians, producers, and entrepreneurs who keep the state’s agricultural and technical sectors moving forward.