NEW YORK, June 25, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), of the City University of New York (CUNY), got some very good news—the department's Sectorial Workforce Proposal requesting over $860,000 in funding to provide computer repair and networking training was granted by the NYC Small Business Services.
This means the college's continuing education department will provide IT certification training to 120 participants over the next two years, starting in Fall 2013.
These individuals will be prepared for CompTIA A+ computer repair and CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification. The pilot program will also provide internships (with a stipend) and job placement services.
The project's employer partners, CS Technology, PC Experts, Newberger Berman, and Legal Services are planning to host internships to support the program, says Dean Gupta.
During the first eight weeks of the program, participants will complete A+ training in computer repair with Per Scholas, a national nonprofit organization that provides technology education and job placement services for people in low-income communities.
They will also receive career services and "soft skills" training from the Workforce 1 Career Centers, which are administered by the New York City Small Business Services (SBS).
After completing the 8-week A+ training with Per Scholas and passing the A+ certification exam administered by COMP TIA, participants become enrolled in the project's 10-week Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) training course.
The certifications are "stackable," Dean Gupta explains. "They're part of a sequence of credentials and they relate to a correlating sequence of higher-paying jobs. They're also recognized all over the country."
In addition to technical training, participants will join workshops focused on workplace strengths such as team building and conflict resolution, and they will have the opportunity to receive one-on-one financial coaching on budgeting and credit repair.
"It's the combination of all these things—the dual certification training in both A+ and CCNA, the experience they've gained from their internships, and the one-on-one support—that will give our graduates a significant edge over other job seekers with similar skills and educational backgrounds," says Dean Gupta.
"Sometimes it's that one differentiating factor that can make a person who is working incredibly hard to improve his or her life, finally get that break they need."
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) of the City University of New York (CUNY) enrolls over 24,500 degree-seeking and 11,000 Continuing Education students a year, awarding Associate Degrees in 33 fields.
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