As we come to the end of this year and decade, we would like to express how grateful we are to represent and work with such a diverse community of service providers and partners, and look forward to continuing to raise our collective voice for a stronger workforce system in New York City. This year has been particularly strong for the Coalition and the workforce community, with our members’ increased engagement and support leading to tangible progress in building more support among our city’s leaders for greater investments in the workforce system and the people we serve.
In order to keep our community connected and up-to-date, we are issuing a special end-of-year issue of NYC Workforce Weekly that provides you with highlights of our work over the last year. This issue features successes we have had together as a Coalition within our communications, advocacy and community efforts. We look forward to building upon this momentum in 2020 with you.
Interested in getting more involved?
Already a member and want to know more about our work and how you can get engaged? Contact Annie Garneva at agarneva@nycetc.org.
Happy holidays from the Coalition team
Jose, Annie and Jesse
Providing Testimony Before the United States Congress & NYC Council
NYCETC Executive Director Jose Ortiz, Jr. testified before the US Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC) at the "Connecting More People to Work" on November 20. Within his testimony, Jose discussed the ways in which the workforce development system supports people in gaining the competencies and credentials required for in-demand careers, how skills training can help alleviate negative impacts of automation and transform our workforce and economy, and highlight stories of program participants from Per Scholas, Seedco and STRIVE who have empowered themselves through employment and training programs to enter and thrive in the workforce. For more, watch Jose’s remarks here and read the full testimony.
Throughout the year, NYCETC provided testimony before the NYC Council and organized over 20 of our members to testify alongside us on a variety of issues that are critical to providing strong programs and services for their community.
Invest in Skills NYC & #BridgesToBetterJobs Campaign
We partnered with the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals(NYATEP) and JobsFirstNYC to launch Invest in Skills NYC, a NYC extension of a statewide multi-year campaign to make workforce development an economic priority and achieve policy change that streamlines the workforce development system through significant and sustained state and local investment. During this year's budget season, ISNYC tackled NYCETC’s core advocacy priority of creating more entry points to occupational job training and better jobs for marginalized communities by advocating for $60 million in annual investments in bridge programs. Building upon years of NYCETC’s advocacy, this effort led to:
Though the final budget did not contain additional funding for bridge programs, we know that this budget cycle represents the first step towards building a standing framework for long term change, and some of the first major, citywide progress on new bridge program and workforce development funding in several years.
Impacting Agency RFPs & Program Design
In order to ensure government programming that best supports New Yorkers, NYCETC works with our members, intermediary partners and government agencies to gather feedback from service providers and stakeholders, and submit comments on behalf of members and the field. In 2019, the Coalition provided feedback on the concept papers and requests for proposals of the following new programming: the Department of Youth and Community Development's Advance & Earn Program and Unity Works Program, and the Department of Small Business Services' First Course NYC Apprenticeship Training Program.
The Coalition and various members also participated as stakeholders in the Community Advisory Committee created to provide input to the Amazon HQ2 process. Our participation and advocacy centered on the need for all major economic development projects, to include substantial workforce training investments to create equitable talent pipelines and job opportunities for all New Yorkers. This advocacy led toan increased interest from the City in strengthening our human capital development systems - best exemplified by the mayor’s release of a Request for Expressions of Interest for organizations to “support research and planning into innovative approaches the city could take to promote training and hiring of underrepresented New Yorkers in tech and other in-demand sectors.”
NYCETC Featured in the Media
Our collective voice has been ringing louder and farther than ever on insisting that job creation efforts center the skill development needs of local New Yorkers:
"Building an Inclusive Economy in New York City: Contributions from Higher Education and Research" conference and subsequent report by NYC Labor Market Information Service and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, featuring NYCETC, members and partners. The conference brought together stakeholders from higher education and research settings across sectors, including government, business, philanthropy, nonprofit, and academia to to discuss the growing inequality in New York City and the decreasing access to opportunities for upward mobility; highlight the role of higher education and research in addressing these challenges; and explore multi-sector approaches to mitigating these developments and promoting a truly inclusive economy.
“Addressing the Skills Gap: The Development of Talent” panel discussion hosted by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Speaking toward local businesses, workforce service providers and higher education institutions, the panel was moderated by NYCETC’s Jose Ortiz and featured Christina King (BSE Global / Barlcays Center), Liliana Polo-McKenna (Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow), David Fischer (NYC Center for Youth Employment) and Steev Usungu (Berkeley College).
"Expanding Tech Apprenticeships in New York City" report and symposium by the Center for an Urban Future to highlight the growing opportunities for New York to develop and scale up apprenticeship models in the city’s booming tech sector to ensure that New Yorkers are accessing quality training and career tracks.
On September 23, more than 500 guests from more than 200 organizations came out to the NYCETC 2019 Conference - Designing a System for the Future of Workers for a day of learning and partnership building. Conference attendees were able to observe and participate in incredible discussions that included 91 speakers and workshop presenters that contributed to 31 panels, fireside chats, 10-minute solutions, and workshops throughout the day. Speakers included New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Wes Moore (Robin Hood Foundation), Maria Torres-Springer (Ford Foundation), Eric Adams (Brooklyn Borough President), Vicki Been (Deputy Mayor of Housing and Economic Development), Gale Brewer (Manhattan Borough President), Ruben Diaz, Jr. (Bronx Borough President), James Patchet (NYC Economic Development Corporation), and J. Phillip Thompson (Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives). Conference resources: website, Program Book, Photo Album and #NYCETCconference2019 on social media.
ABNY, NYCETC and Local Partners Launch Citywide Census Worker Recruitment Effort
In addition to raising awareness of the Census Bureau’s efforts to hire New Yorkers, the Association for a Better New York and NYCETC co-hosted “New Yorkers Count: Jobs for New Yorkers in the 2020 Census” last week. The event highlighted how city and business leaders can raise awareness about the Census job application process, requirements and training to encourage New Yorkers to apply for jobs which support getting out the count for the 2020 Census. The campaign is also visible atop yellow taxi cabs and on LinkNYC kiosks throughout the city. Thank you to our NYC Council partners Speaker Corey Johnson, Councilmember Carlina Rivera and Councilmember Carlos Menchaca, and our outreach partners Chinese-American Planning Council, Hispanic Federation, Human Services Council, National Urban League, and United Neighborhood Houses. Read about this effort in the press release.
NYCEDC and WKDEV Project to Connect Underrepresented New Yorkers to Careers in Tech and Growing Sectors
NYCETC is currently partnering with Coalition members Per Scholas, The Door and General Assembly on a project supported by the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development to research and plan innovative approaches and provide policy and investment recommendations that the City can take to amplify the training and hiring of underrepresented New Yorkers in tech and other in-demand sectors. Our collaborative’s focus is squarely on the power of bridge programs, and we are working to deliver a playbook and inform system-wide investment for helping community-based organizations scale up their ability to provide bridge training to students in need in both tech and non-tech roles across the five boroughs. This project is one of seven, which will be completed in January and shared with the public.
NYS Workforce Development Initiative & Consolidated Funding Application Info Session
In August, NYCETC, the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals, the Workforce Development Institute and the Empire State Development co-hosted a NYS Workforce Development Initiative info session to a packed room of over 150 training providers, higher education institutions, labor unions, employers, and other workforce and economic development stakeholders. The session covered the application process for the newly established $175 million WDI, which underpins funding streams from CUNY/SUNY, Empire State Development, NYS Department of Labor (NYSDOL) and NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
Roundtable Discussions with Members, Employers, Elected Officials, Candidates & Workforce Stakeholders
Member Strategy Roundtables
In 2019 we hosted 10 rountabes that brought together Coalition members to share their concerns, needs, and ideas with us and each other, and to develop shared plans around collective advocacy. These roundtables each focused on a different skills sector or populations served by our members. Based off this experience, they will continue in 2020 more targeted on four communities of clients our members work with: youth, clients with disabilities and/or health or mental health needs, clients re-entering society post-incarceration, and clients with unstable housing or living in public housing.
Executive Roundtable Series with Elected Officials and Candidates
We launched our Executive Roundtable series focused on New York City's leadership in the 2020s, enabling executive leaders from Coalition members to learn their visions for the city and to elevate our priorities with the City's leaders that are strategically relevant to our field. In June, we hosted a discussion with Public Advocate Jumaane Williams about the challenges facing our sector. Last week, we hosted a roundtable with three candidates for the office of the NYC Comptroller in 2021 - NYS Senator Brian Benjamin, and NYC Councilmembers Helen Rosenthal and Brad Lander - who discussed why they are running for the office and their goals and strategies for advancing the agenda of the workforce community.
Business Roundtables
NYCETC began a series of business roundtables, each bringing together employer partners focused on key sectors and cross-cutting issues to discuss strategies and challenges of talent acquisition, retention and advancement, and ways to engage and improve the city's education and job training system with the Coalition and peer business leaders.
Events
USDOL Webinar - Continuing the Conversation: Competency Models Around the Country
Wednesday, December 18 / 2 - 3 pm / Info and RSVP
CSW National Benchmarking Survey Informational Webinar
Wednesday, January 15 / 2 - 3 pm / Info and RSVP
STRIVE
All of programs help lay the foundation to not just get a job, but build a career: STRIVE Career Path, STRIVE Fatherhood, and STRIVE Focus. See all program info here.
Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) Youth Boot Camp
Next bootcamp December 16 to 20. Requirements include: must be 18-24 years old; eligible to work in the US; HS Diploma or GED; interested in hands-on training to join a career path in the construction field. See flyer for more information and to register, contact Allie at (646)-291-2375 or aeraifej@new-nyc.org.
ICD: Employment and Training for People with Disabilities
(ICD) provides training and job placement services to individuals who may have physical disabilities, mental health or substance use challenges, autism, and learning disabilities to help reach their employment goals. ICD’s vocational training programs include: CISCO IT Academy, Building Repair Technician, Pet Care and Veterinarian Assistant, Child Care, Human Services Assistant, Office Technology and Custodial. Applicants should be registered with ACCES-VR at the time of enrollment. Contact 212-585-6072 or visit the website to learn more.
Year Up
Year Up's innovation team is testing new programs, including a coaching service to support job search/retention and career success, for young adults (18-26) without 4-year degrees. If you're a young adult or training provider/employer interested in learning more, register here or email lmoore@yearup.org.
Brooklyn Workforce Innovations
Brooklyn Networks is a free data cable training program seeking motivated, reliable individuals who are interested in technology and working with their hands. Graduates are BICSI and OSHA 30 certified, and receive top-quality Job Readiness Training so they can get hired quickly into fulfilling, well-paid careers. Learn more here and apply at an Info Session every Tuesday 10:00am - 1:00pm at 621 Degraw St in Brooklyn. The next training begins in February 2020.
SUNY Bronx Educational Opportunity Center Home Health Aide Training Classes start January 6. Info and registration here
Riverside Language Program - Free Intensive English Classes.
Next lottery = Wednesday, January 15 for upcoming class (January 27 to March 17). Info here
Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC)
The MEOC offers free classes to help individuals learn English, earn their High School Equivalency diploma, prepare for college or improve their professional skills by earning a certification or license in one of our career training programs. We offer convenient classes in the day or evening. To begin the enrollment process, all prospective students must be prepared to present the MEOC required documents. For more information about MEOC programs, visit website or email at admissions@man.eoc.cuny.edu.
BMCC TechWorks: IT Computer Network Training A+/CCNA
Recruiting for Feb 3 - July 31, 2020 & April 13 - Oct 9, 2020. Info here
Hostos Community College Cisco CCNA
CCNA Security provides an introduction to the core security concepts and skills needed for the installation, troubleshooting, and monitoring of network devices. The program also prepares you to take the Cisco CCNA Security Certification exam. Info and RSVP for Info Session
Families Forward
Families Forward, a workforce development program jointly managed by the CUNY School of Professional Studies and the New York City Human Resource Administration’s Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) is actively recruiting participants who owe child support for its job training programs. Families Forward is part of a study that includes occupational skills training in several industries: cable installation, construction, cybersecurity, hospitality, IT Support, transportation, and woodworking. Info and apply
Project Renewal’s Culinary Arts Training Program
Offers 6 months of classroom and internship training in the food service industry. Students will get to experience working in a fully functioning kitchen and learn the basic techniques of Culinary Arts from experienced chefs. Students will also be able to obtain their food handlers certificate and work with an employment coordinator until successful job placement. Non-TANF SNAP recipients are strongly encouraged to apply. Info session RSVP
Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow
Techstart Program: Cloud Support Engineering - Gain fundamental skills in Networking, Linux, and Python, before deep-diving into Cloud Computing. No advanced computer or programming skills necessary, but you should be driven to work hard and ready to transition into full-time employment in the tech sector. Graduates will have the opportunity to interview with one of Generation or OBT’s hiring partners for a full-time role. Info and apply
Bridges from School to Work
Bridges helps 17-24 year-olds with disabilities find competitive, integrated employment in entry-level positions. Info
The Door - Work Readiness Customer Service Program
Paid Customer & Food Service Training, Internship and Job Placement for youth ages 16-24. Info
Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW)
Currently recruiting for pre-apprenticeship training program for women, women-identified and non binary people pursuing careers in construction and building trades, utilities and related occupations. Applicants must be 18 and have a high school diploma/HSE. Info sessions weekly Tuesdays 10 am and Wednesday 6pm, interested people can register on-line, email info@new-nyc.org or call (212) 627-6252 to register.
MMCC - Train & Earn Culinary Program
3-week training course utilizing a state of the art facility leading to New York State Food Handlers Certification. Job placement assistance upon program completion. Advanced training options in healthcare and technology. Orientation Fridays at 10 am. Info
NPower - Tech Fundamentals - next cohort begins January 21
NPower's Tech Fundamentals is a free 23-week workforce development program, which prepares young adults to begin careers in the field of information technology, and includes 16 weeks of in-class instruction and 7 weeks at a full time internship. Students will have the opportunity to earn a industry recognized certification CompTIA A+ and receive professional development training and job-readiness skills. Info
Grace Institute of New York - applications due January 6, 2020 Administrative Professional Program will begin January 21- April 9, 2020; Monday - Friday 9 am - 4 pm Patient Service Representative Program will begin January 21- March 12, 2020; Monday- Thursday 9 am - 1 pm
CUNY TechWorks & BMCC Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development
Computer Network Support training program: info + registration
Youth Action YouthBuild East Harlem
Youth Action's YouthBuild program is now recruiting its 2020 cohort. 9 month training and education program for young adults between 17-24 years. Training includes HSE instruction, Construction Skills, Building Operators and Food Careers training and related professional certifications. Earn an AmeriCorps Education scholarship become a community leader. Info
NMIC - YouthBuild: Business Bootcamp
5-month program for young adults (17-24) that provides high school equivalency (HSE) instruction, as well as training in the areas of small business ownership, digital literacy, customer service, Microsoft Office and employment readiness. More info and apply here
Building Skills NY
Currently recruiting candidates for full-time entry level construction jobs at over 40 construction job sites throughout NYC. Candidates that meet BSNY minimum requirements are invited to complete an application online and attend an upcoming orientation event. Info
Upwardly Global
Upwardly Global supports Immigrant and Refugee New Yorkers with the U.S. professional job search process through a free online Job Search Training Program, customized job coaching, invitations to network and practice interviewing with our employer partners, and more. Info
