BMCC Receives Grant to Increase Minority Participation in Science, Technology Programs
10/10/00
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) has been chosen to receive an award from the Continuing Education Association of New York. In a difficult and very competitive selection process, the BMCC Cisco Networking Training Program has been named the 2000 winner of the James C. Hall Jr. Exemplary Program Award.
The James Hall Award recognizes an outstanding non-credit continuing education program in New York State. Continuing education programs in all public colleges and universities in New York State are eligible for the award, making competition for the award “fierce” according to BMCC Dean of Adult and Continuing Education Actƒ Maldonado. She will accept the award on behalf of the college at the Continuing Education Association of New York conference in Corning, New York, on November 2.
Program serves residents of the Northern Manhattan Empowerment Zone
The BMCC Cisco Training Program offers Upper Manhattan residents an opportunity to develop technology skills and to prepare for jobs as Cisco networking specialists.
Located in New York City»s Northern Manhattan Empowerment Zone, it is the first Cisco Networking Training Program in an empowerment zone anywhere in the U.S. Participants must live in the Empowerment Zone.
Catapulting people into the middle class with average starting salaries of $50,000
The BMCC Cisco Training Program opened in spring 2000. Participants selected for the program were mostly unemployed or underemployed Spanish-speaking residents of Upper Manhattan. Today, the first graduates of the program have jobs as network specialists with average starting salaries of $50,000.
“We are catapulting people into the middle class while at the same time creating an infrastructure of skilled employees to serve the technological needs of New York»s employers,” noted BMCC President Antonio Pƒrez.
For more information about the Cisco Networking Academy, contact David Kohn at Borough of Manhattan Community College, at (212) 220-8355.
