Have you heard about culinary (Culinary Arts and Food Service Upgrade) and health (Community Health Worker) training programs through the Northeast Resiliency Consortium at Kingsborough Community College? No? Out programs provide high-quality workforce skills that will help you start your career and educational incentives that put you on your way to higher education. Pretty awesome, right?
If you’ve read about our programs and you’re interested, good news! We have just finalized application sessions for Fall 2015 starting in July and going through August. Click here for more details. If you’re interested but would like to have more information, please contact us at 718.368.4637.
My “life was a mess” said Niko R. speaking with Project Rise’s Associate Director Dina LiMandri. He was living in a shelter with his mom, had dropped out of high school, was not interacting with friends and was unemployed
When he realized he needed to get back on his feet, he enrolled in a Harlem-based GED program. “It wasn’t for me. It was one guy in a room in the back of the building…He gave me a packet, but wasn’t really teaching. I needed something more.” His mom found Project Rise on the internet. “The day I was supposed to come for the Information Session I got lost…I was almost not allowed to apply.” Norma D’Arancio, then the college assistant for the program, spoke with Niko’s mother about his high school experiences–he was bullied in school, survived a stabbing, and because of these experiences, was shy and mistrusting of people. Program administrators decided he needed a second chance.
The CEWD Ambassador Program at KCC’s Project Rise is part of the program’sInternship Tier System designed to provide the students the opportunity to gain specialized skills that are useful in the workplace and in their personal lives. Ambassadors learn skills such as professionalism, public speaking, networking, marketing, self-awareness, and responsibility.
Unlike many internship programs, this one allows ambassadors to work within a supportive and engaging professional environment where they learn about CEWD’s other workforce programs, teamwork and leadership, setting work schedules, developing marketing materials, networking with other professionals and neighborhood businesses, and serving as representatives of CEWD at citywide events, fairs and conferences.
This program not only aids students in self-improvement and self-confidence but also helps them overcome hurdles and barriers. Through activities such as role-playing, ice breakers, team competitions, memory quizzes, and the implementation of the “Selfie Race” (taking a selfie photo during the outreach and recruitment events with the Hashtag #CEWDwashere), each individual will utilize various learning techniques that will ultimately widen their horizons to new opportunities and success.
Note: If you are a current Project Rise participant and want to become an Ambassador, please note that slots are limited. Each participant is given the same opportunity to apply and interview for the program. Speak with Project Rise’s Associate Director, Dina LiMandri for more information.
Do you watch the widely popular cooking competiting, Master Chef? If you’re watching this season, take special note of Shelly Flash. In 2013 she enrolled in our very own Northeast Resiliency Consortium under the Culinary Arts training program. Shelly completed the program and, with 9 banked college credits, immediately enrolled in KCC’s Culinary Arts program.
From a recent KCC press release, Chef Thomas Smyth, Director of KCC’s Culinary Arts program, noted that Shelly was “extremely eager to get started learning. She has a wonderfully effervescent spirit and a unique, undeveloped talent for cooking, which serves her well as a MasterChef contestant. We’re proud of her, and are rooting for her all the way.”
If you’re interested in building or refining your culinary experience, check out KCC’s NRC training program. Participants receive:
Full suite of employment readiness services
Job placement assistance and job retention services
College enrollment assistance
The opportunity to bank college credits
Personal supportive services
We have a few Application Sessions remaining for this summer’s cohort. Sign up to find out more about our exciting program!
Cookshop at KCC is a collaboration between KCC’s Single Stop and KCC Urban Farm. Intended for students and at least one family member, participants will:
Learn how to cook a nutritional meal with cheap and accessible fresh produce
Learn about budgeting for eating healthy
Leave with all the groceries needed to prepare that day’s recipe
Classes are Monday evenings from 5:00-6:30 and run from June 22nd-July 27th. If you are interested in signing up, contact Hattie Elmore from KCC’s Single Stop either at hattie.elmore@kbcc.cuny.edu or 718.368.5411.
“Genesis is reliable and passionate employee. She is invested in the outcomes of the program, the success of young people we serve, and overall day-to-day management of Project Rise. ”
“I couldn’t ask for a better person to work along side with, especially when there’s a heavy load of work that is in need for assistance. Genesis is the go to person when major questions are being asked.”
“On a personal note Genesis is very loving and caring and shows lots of charisma.”
Ms. Genesis Reyes began her career with the CEWD in 2011. Ms. Reyes is currently a Kingsborough Community College student and works for CEWD full time. Over the course of her employment Ms. Reyes was promoted three times, and most recently began her position as Program Coordinator for SIF Project Rise. In this role, Ms. Reyes will provide support the program with day-to-day support to ensure if functions optimally. Ms. Reyes has successfully provided support to the Project Rise team by effective multi-tasking and administrative coordination. Some of Genesis’s contributions include creation of the Project Rise newsletter, co-coordination of the Job Club, efficient management of payment requests, to name a few. Ms. Reyes is studying Early Childhood Education and is expected to graduate fall 2015. She plans on pursuing a degree in Education Studies at CUNY Brooklyn College.
Great news for CUNY students: free access to Microsoft Office Software! The collaboration between Microsoft and CUNY is a huge deal for the 450,000+ students who attend CUNY colleges. In addition to helping students excel in the classroom, this partnership is also geared toward preparing students for jobs that rely heavily on Microsft Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
April 8, 2015 11:00a-3:00p—National Career Fairs @ Holiday Inn Midtown 57 Street, 440 West 57th Street New York , NY 10019
April 8, 2015 12:00p-5:00p—Professional Diversity Network @ Hilton New York Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10019
April 8, 2015 12:30p-2:30p—Career Thinker Inc. @ Grand Central Library,135 E 46th St
2nd floor community room New York, NY 10017
(between Lexington & Third Ave.),
April 23, 2015 9:00a-1:00p—Talent Career Fairs @ New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway New York, NY 10036
April 24, 2015 9:30a-1:00p—NYC Green Job Fair @ , Historic St. George’s Church, 135-32 38th Avenue, Flushing, NY
CEWD is in the business of providing training opportunities to both unemployed New Yorkers and individuals who wish to enter a new industry. The Northeast Resiliency Consortium has application sessions currently running (April-June, 2015) for our Culinary Arts and Food Service Upgrade training programs. If you’re interested in either program, sign up for an application session via our website (link above) and a representative will be in contact with everything you need to know.
*Check with sponsors/locations to verify event details.
**This is not the most comprehensive list. If you are sponsoring an event and would like it mentioned on our site, please leave a comment and we’ll make sure it is listed in upcoming posts.
2014 student research assistant Adriana Valerio measuring brix in kale leaves
We are looking for students who are interested in gaining lab experience by helping KCC Urban Farm measure nutrients in our soil and plant tissue. Duties will include using testing kits to track select nutrients for some of our crops and amending KCC Urban Farm soil based on soil test results. No experience is necessary, but students should be responsible, dependable, and enjoy working outside. Applicants should also ideally be able to commit to both spring and summer semesters.
Research assistants will be hired as student aides and must be full time. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter, and class schedule to mara.gittleman@kbcc.cuny.edu by April 13, 2015.
Designed by Farm student aide, Tirrell Alford, the logo features KCC’s iconic MAC building (Marine Aquatic Center…did you know KCC has an aquarium on campus?) and what some might say is the Farm’s most famous produce: carrots. We couldn’t be more pleased!
rooting for her all the way.”
