July 14, 2014

Free job retraining for high-skilled new Americans in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Free job retraining for high-skilled new Americans in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
Source: The New York State Office for New Americans (ONA)

On July 14, 2014, the New York State Office for New Americans (ONA), The Cooper Union and  B’nai Zion Foundation opened registration for free professional courses and job placement assistance for high-skilled New Americans for the Fall 2014 semester.

This innovative public-private partnership with the Retraining Program for Immigrant Engineers is part of ONA’s focus on developing and leveraging the professional skills of New Americans and was launched in March of 2013 by Governor Cuomo. ONA is the first statewide office dedicated to assisting New York State's immigrants in their efforts to contribute to the economy and become a part of the family of New York.

Eligible immigrants are able to enroll in introductory and high-technology courses designed to update participants’ engineering, computer programming, and business skills. Classes are taught by The Cooper Union faculty and experts in the field and program offerings are flexible based on demand in the marketplace and needs of students.

All participants must have completed courses of study in their home country and be seeking retraining in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  Participants must also be permanent residents of the U.S. and have work authorization. 

“These courses are an important vehicle in expanding work opportunities for New Americans who already possess the skills our State’s employer’s need,” said Jorge I. Montalvo, Director of the New York State Office for New Americans. “We encourage eligible New Americans to enroll for these courses in order to maintain self-reliance and economic independence through productive employment in their chosen field relating to any of the STEM disciplines.”

Additional information, including courses being offered, is posted on the Internet http://www.bnaizion.org/retraining.php.

To schedule an appointment or to determine eligibility, call 212.725.1211, ext. 6245 or 646.485.7982, Monday through Thursday (9:00am to 5:00pm) and Friday (9:00am to 2:00pm). 
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