Brookdale to Expand Job Training Programs Under Federal Grant

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LINCROFT – Brookdale Community College is partnering with area employers to offer an expanded suite of career training programs to eligible residents over the next four years.
The initiative, funded by an $820,400 federal grant, will provide career counseling, practical training and job placement services to an estimated 140 eligible residents, including veterans and the unemployed.
The grant also will fund the creation of a new massage therapy program and a new pharmacy technician lab at the college.
Participants will be able to train for certification and potential employment as a medical assistant, pharmacy technician, massage therapist, nurse aide or patient care technician. Employment in all five career fields is expected to grow by 20 percent or more in the next eight years, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The training programs will be designed in partnership with area employers, such as CVS Caremark, which have committed to consider participants for employment after completion, according to Dominic Latorraca, director of workforce training at Brookdale.
“All of these programs will offer practical knowledge and hands-on training specifically tailored to the demands of today’s workforce,” Latorraca said.
College staff will assist participants in their job search, provide resume help and offer to set up interviews with area employers.
Additional information is available by calling Brookdale’s Center for Career Development at 732-224-2315 or emailing bcd@brookdalecc.edu.
The grant is funded through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program, a federal initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education.
TAACCCT announced grant awards to 270 community colleges on Sept. 30 as part of a national initiative to develop and expand innovative job training programs in partnership with local employers.
In New Jersey, a consortium of 12 community colleges led by Bergen Community College is responsible for administering $15 million TAACCCT funds. Over the next four years the consortium will train more than 2,000 residents for high-wage, high-skill jobs in health care-related career fields.