Who We Are
Our Mission
- Connect them to meaningful employment in the North Country;
- Train them in career fields positioning them for employment in the North Country; and
- Embrace them to build roots in the North Country.
The North Country is home to Fort Drum and the Army’s 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). Fort Drum is the largest Army installation in the north-eastern United States and is New York’s largest single-site employer with approximately 15,000 active-duty service members. Fort Drum’s total direct and indirect/induced economic impact on the North Country in 2024 was $2.5 billion supporting approximately 23,100 jobs.
Each year, approximately 3,600 soldiers leave, or transition out of, military service from Fort Drum into civilian life. Some stay in the region; some leave the region; while some are uncertain of their plans and would stay in the region if they had employment upon separation from service.
The goal of Next Move NY is to increase the number of transitioning Soldiers and their spouses calling the North Country HOME by providing them with one-on-one job matching, education, and workforce training opportunities, and community resources to make the transition to civilian life as seamless as possible.
Supporting Transitioning Soldiers, Spouses & Veterans – Your Future Starts Here!
Team
Administrative Staff
Next Move NY staff provides a single point-of-contact for real-time, one-on-one job matching services; access to internships, apprenticeships, continuing education, and licensing; a Veterans Ambassador Program, an internship stipend program, and technical assistance for human resource administrators. The staff is employed by the Development Authority of the North Country.
Mr. Ben Cruz
Program Administrator
[email protected]
315-661-3356
Mr. Eric Lo
Program Manager
[email protected]
315-661-3357
Ms. Sarah Wilder
Regional Business Liaison
[email protected]
315-661-3358
Physical Address
The Nest
124 Franklin Street
Watertown, NY 13601
Office Hours: 7:30 AM–4:00 PM, Monday–Friday (offices are closed on federal holidays).
It is recommended that you call ahead for an appointment.
Partners
In 2024, the North Country Regional Economic Development Council was awarded a $10 million Challenges Competition funded by New York State to address shortages in the region’s workforce. The bold new initiative called Next Move NY was created to grow New York’s workforce and create the most robust transitioning soldier and spouse retention pipeline in the country. Organizations have been identified through a competitive process to implement the multi-pronged strategies within the initiative.
Empire State Development
New York State’s economic development agency. Empire State Development staff oversee the state’s ten Regional Councils, and funding for Next Move NY is from Empire State Development.
Fort Drum Garrison
Fort Drum’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is an integral partner in Next Move NY by providing access to Soldiers and spouses to better educate them about post-military employment opportunities and resources in the community. Next Move NY lays the framework for greater integration into the community with the goal that they will make the area HOME upon separation from the military.
Development Authority of the North Country
A NYS public benefit corporation created to develop, own and operate infrastructure and programs that support Fort Drum and its surrounding communities. The Authority oversees the administration of Next Move NY to include staff, a job portal, a veterans ambassador program, a job, apprenticeship, and internship program, and an internship stipend program.
Advocate Drum
Advocate Drum is an advocacy organization created to protect and enhance Fort Drum’s military value, sustain and leverage its economic and cultural significance to the region and state, and foster effective communication between the installation and its civilian neighbors to promote mutual support and understanding. Through Next Move NY, Advocate Drum provides resources and programming to educate transitioning soldiers and spouses about the quality of life across the region.
Jefferson Community College
JCC is a community college within the State University of New York located in Watertown, NY. Through Next Move NY, JCC will establish a training hub to promote workforce development and educational opportunities in emerging industries targeting transitioning Soldiers, spouses and veterans.