NEW YORK, July 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In connection with the Verizon Skill Forward initiative, Generation USA has partnered with three City University of New York (CUNY) schools: Kingsborough Community College (KCC), LaGuardia Community College (LaG), and the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) to offer Generation USA’s career training bootcamp programs and support at no cost to the New York City community. Generation USA has served nearly 400 students so far throughout all programming.
Students in the free, fully online programs learn both technical and soft skills and receive valuable support to help them succeed. Generation USA talks to employers in the area to find out what roles are open. Then, Generation USA and its partners create a learning experience that uses practical, hands-on learning in an accelerated, online-first format. The staff provides instructional support and career and life coaching during a student’s program, based on their individual needs.
After a student successfully completes the program, Generation USA assists with the next phase of a student’s career journey by helping them to find full-time employment, internships, apprenticeships, or continuing their education. Students also become part of a growing alumni network of graduates.
Verizon Skill Forward training programs at CUNY include: Digital Marketing Analyst, IT Support Specialist, and Junior Web Developer. These programs typically run from 10 to 12 weeks and are full-time, Monday through Friday.
“Increasing accessibility to tech education is crucial at a time when there is a growing demand for tech talent,” said Christine Zagari LoPorto, Assistant Dean of KCC’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development program. “It is important for us to work towards closing the opportunity gap in New York’s tech economy and prepare workers for careers that can be ladders to the middle class.”
“This program is perfect for people seeking to increase skills in their current positions or looking to transition to a new career altogether,” added Dr. Simone Rodriguez, KCC Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development.
“As our communities rebuild following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative programs like this to help New Yorkers eager to get back to work and provide for themselves and their families are essential,” said LaGuardia Community College Vice President of Adult and Continuing Education Sunil B. Gupta. “We are grateful to Generation USA and Verizon for their support, enabling these training programs to be provided tuition-free and to include wrap-around services and job-placement support. We are pleased to be the site for Digital Marketing Analyst training—a field that builds on our leadership in professional workforce training in technology and business development. We encourage anyone interested to apply today. To qualify, only a high school diploma or GED is required.”
“I am very excited about this partnership, which will bring much-needed technology training to our community,” said Anthony Watson, Acting Dean of the BMCC Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development. “The Verizon Skill Forward programs at CUNY are cutting edge and they offer a lot of advantages for the people we serve. I’m looking forward to the work ahead and truly appreciate the ongoing support and resources provided by Generation USA in this innovative space. Many students will benefit from this training and it will build their technical skills, which will prepare them to advance their careers.”
“Our goal is to help advance the lives of underrepresented communities within New York City, and we know we can’t do that alone,” said Richard Clemmons, COO of Generation USA. “That’s why we are excited to be partnering with these three campuses within the CUNY system through the Verizon Skill Forward initiative.”
For more information on the program or to apply, prospective participants and interested employers can visit the information site here.
About The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at BMCC
With more than 300 courses offered in traditional classroom style, online or through on-site corporate training, the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Borough of Manhattan Community College is committed to supporting students in their pursuit of professional and academic goals. For many students, the journey begins by taking an English-speaking skills course, earning a high school equivalency diploma, and strengthening their reading, writing, and mathematics skills to prepare for success in college. They also gain national certifications to enter the thriving IT or Allied Health fields. In close consultation with New York City employers, the Center’s staff and faculty work to ensure there is an enhanced pool of qualified workforce candidates. Whether students are looking to earn an associate degree or gain professional development that improves career opportunities, the staff and instructors at BMCC’s Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development are here to welcome, support, and inspire. Visit https://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ce/.
About LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, educates thousands of New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all U.S. college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education.
About Kingsborough Community College
Founded in 1963, Kingsborough Community College is Brooklyn’s only community college and is part of the City University of New York (CUNY). Located on a 70-acre campus in Manhattan Beach, Kingsborough remains firmly committed to its mission of providing both liberal arts and career education, promoting student learning and development, as well as strengthening and serving its diverse community. Kingsborough provides a high-quality education through associate degree programs that prepare students for transfer to senior colleges or entry into the workforce. Serving approximately 10,000 full- and part-time students annually and an additional 10,000 students in its expanding continuing education program, Kingsborough has earned recognition as a Leader College of Distinction for excellence in student success by Achieving the Dream, and has been identified as a Top Community College in the nation by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program seven consecutive times.
About the KCC Division of Workforce Development, Strategic Partnerships & Office of Continuing Education
Kingsborough Community College’s Division of Workforce Development, Strategic Partnerships & Office of Continuing Education has a long history of successfully executing workforce-training programs. Its broad range of programs promotes learning, enrichment and career and professional development. It has provided thousands with job training, college entrance preparation, and personal development, with a focus on careers in health, technology, business and trade.
About Generation
Generation is a nonprofit that transforms education to employment systems to prepare, place and support people into life-changing careers that would otherwise be inaccessible. The global pandemic has led to an unprecedented surge in unemployment. Even before the pandemic, more than 75 million young adults were out of work globally and three times as many were underemployed — and 375 million workers of all ages needed to learn new skills by 2030. At the same time, certain jobs remain in high demand and 40% of employers say a skills shortage leaves them with entry-level vacancies. To date, more than 38,000 people have graduated from Generation programs, which prepare them for meaningful careers in 14 countries. Generation works with more than 3,900 employer partners and many implementation partners and funders. For more, visit usa.generation.org.
About Citizen Verizon
Citizen Verizon is the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement. Citizen Verizon empowers Verizon to deliver on its mission to move the world forward through action by expanding digital access and resources, protecting the climate, and ensuring people have the skills needed for jobs of the future. Through Citizen Verizon, and the key pillars of Digital Inclusion, Climate Protection and Human Prosperity, the company’s responsible business goals include providing 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030, supporting 1 million small businesses with resources to help them thrive in the digital economy by 2030, achieving net zero emissions in its operations by 2035, and preparing 500,000 individuals for jobs of the future by 2030. Learn more at CitizenVerizon.com.
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