Bronx Community College (BCC) received a $250,000 grant from the New York State Department of Labor for an information technology job training program.
The grant is part of the state Department of Labor’s Unemployed/Underemployed Worker Training Program, which is part of the state’s Workforce Development Initiative.
The initiative was created in 2019 to support regional efforts to meet businesses’ short-term workforce needs and address long-term expanding industry needs while improving talent pipelines and expanding apprenticeships, according to the grant’s request for applications. While a total of $23 million of federal workforce funding is available through the program, $250,000 is the maximum award each applicant can receive.
The BCC grant will go toward the school’s IT Work-Ready and Accelerated IT Credentials training programs, through which the college trains underemployed and unemployed workers, according to Ruby Chua, the director of business and industry solutions for the college’s workforce and economic development program.
According to the college, the program will be available to 75 underemployed and unemployed BCC students who were referred by the NYC Workforce 1 Center, U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the NYC Department of Labor.
The college is in the process of interviewing referred students for the program, Chua told the Bronx Times.
The program will prepare students to get globally recognized industry certifications for various information technology careers like computer support technicians, network administrators and computer analysts, according to Chua.
Through the program, participants will get training, mentoring, career services and exam preparation, Chua said. Once students complete the program, they will be referred for internships or jobs.
“These two training programs will help BCC students improve their IT skills and quickly find jobs in the high-demand IT industry,” Chua added.
The Bronx has the highest unemployment rate of all five boroughs at 7.5%, according to state Department of Labor data. The unemployment rate citywide is 5.6%, and the statewide rate is 4.5%, according to data from February.
“The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring New Yorkers have the skills and training necessary to succeed in high-growth IT occupations,” said Roberta Reardon, the state Department of Labor commissioner. “This grant will help equip students with the tools they need to excel in the 21st-century workplace and drive economic growth in our communities.”
Bronx Community College is part of the City University of New York public college system and is located in University Heights. The college has about 7,000 students, according to BCC.
Reach Aliya Schneider at aschneider@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4597. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
