The State University of New York has launched a free Online Training Center to give more New Yorkers a gateway to college, no matter where they live across the state.
The center, announced by SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras, features high school equivalency, college prep, and employment certification programs.
As phase one of Malatras’ new SUNY For All campaign to expand access to higher education, the center will prepare eligible students for college and post-COVID careers with training and success coaches to guide them. Eligible students must be a New York state resident from a low- or moderate-income household, without a post-secondary degree, who may be unemployed or recently laid off.
Those interested can contact SUNY about the spring semester, which is scheduled to start on Feb. 1.
The Online Training Center is designed to give more New Yorkers in every region of the state -from rural communities to urban centers – another opportunity to go to college. Students who complete any one of the training certificates with a high school diploma or high school equivalency credential will be automatically accepted to any of SUNY’s 30 community colleges or SUNY Empire State College. The application fee is also waived.
Officials said that even before the pandemic, it was projected that 65 percent of jobs in the U.S. would require post-secondary education through 2020, and recent projections show that increasing to 70 percent by 2027.
Currently, more than 2.2 million New Yorkers between the ages of 25 and 44 have no degree, and 2.6 million between the ages of 45 and 64 are without one as well.
“As New York State rebounds after the coronavirus pandemic, SUNY is providing opportunities to help more New Yorkers prepare for jobs across our state that will continue to require some post-secondary education — and we know far too many need a college degree to succeed,” Malatras said in a press release. “SUNY is designing a path to higher education that is free and accessible through remote learning and virtual support that make the first step to higher education easy, whether you are a recent high school graduate, a working parent, a veteran, or a mid-career professional looking for a new career.
SUNY’s free Online Training Center includes the following programs: high school equivalency, college preparation, English as a second language, professional medical coder & biller, pharmacy technician, emergency medical technician, electronic health records, physical therapy aide, certified nurse assistant (excluding clinical hours), home health aid, emergency telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, office administration professional, customer service, teacher assistant, security guard, OSHA 30 & 40, entreskills, business advisement and webinar business trainings.
SUNY’s free Online Training Center includes programs offered by the University Center for Academic and Workforce Development (UCAWD), Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) labs and Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs). These online programs, coupled with success coaches, are aimed to help more New Yorkers earn a higher education degree.
Additionally, small business owners can start or grow their enterprises with EntreSkills, the free online entrepreneurial education course developed by the New York Small Business Development Center.
SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Centers have traditionally served as a launching pad to community colleges, and SUNY campuses have partnerships with many EOCs to give enrollment and orientation programs, officials said. The statewide network of 10 EOCs and two Outreach and Counseling Centers include 600 faculty and staff. While SUNY’s EOCs are located in large urban areas across New York, SUNY’s Online Training Center is accessible across the state.
Heather C. Briccetti, Esq. President and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc. said, “As the country and state emerge from the pandemic with business and some industries changed forever, we will need workforce training and education that is flexible and accessible for all New Yorkers. SUNY’s new online training center will be an important pathway for many working New Yorkers to pivot their career path for the better.
“This will provide many New Yorkers a great opportunity that they may not have previously seen as possible.”
