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Mayor de Blasio, Council Member Espinal And Small Business Services Open East New York Career Center To Train And Place Residents In Good-paying Jobs

December 12, 2016

Promise in East New York rezoning fulfilled, increasing economic opportunities for families in the area

NEW YORK––Mayor Bill de Blasio, Council Member Rafael Espinal and Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Gregg Bishop today announced the opening of a new Workforce1 Career Center in East New York. The new Center is opening just six months following the East New York rezoning and is one of a series of investments that will increase residents’ access to good-paying jobs. The center is located at 2619 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207 and is open 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Monday – Friday.

The City is working with a coalition of community organizations in East New York to tailor the design of workforce services to meet local needs. East New York has a significant population of out of school, out of work youth and individuals formerly acquainted with the criminal justice system. The Center will offer an array of career services aimed at meeting the unique challenges facing these segments of the community’s job-seeking population.

“We are investing in the people of East New York. We are committed to providing the training, the education and the job-placements families need to work their way into the middle class. Thanks to our collaboration with Council Member Espinal, we are making good on our promises to deliver the affordable housing, education opportunities and good jobs this neighborhood needs,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“While the unemployment rate nationally has been steadily decreasing, Brooklyn’s rate of unemployment has consistently remained above the national level and in East New York unemployment is in the double digits – as high as 14 percent in 2015,” said Council Member Rafael Espinal. “That is unacceptable. The economic disparities in our city that has put a strain on so many New Yorker’s must be addressed. That is why I pushed so hard to secure this Workforce1 Center as part of the East New York Neighborhood Rezoning Plan. After all, a house is not affordable without a job. It was so crucial to include a wide array of services with our housing plan – opportunities for jobs and economic growth, investments in schools and roads, a community center and much more. The comprehensive plan allocates over $267 million, strategically invested to support the local community now and in the long-term. All New Yorker’s should have access to good paying jobs and the tools they need to secure a bright future for their families. I am excited that the Center has opened so quickly, and I look forward to the opportunities it will create for our community.”

"I am pleased to see this neighborhood-based siting of our City's new Workforce1 Career Center in East New York, an investment that will assist this community's emerging popularity translate into prosperity for all of its longtime residents. Job placement and training are vital tools to closing the inequality gap, particularly for a neighborhood that has suffered from the impact of extended double-digit unemployment,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.

“A quality career opportunity can be a ticket out of poverty for all New Yorkers, including those formerly acquainted with the criminal justice system and out of school, out of work youth,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of Department of Small Business Services. “This career center will be an asset for the entire East New York community, and we are working collaboratively with community-based organizations to effectively tailor the Center’s services to meet pressing local needs.”

The East New York Workforce1 Career Center is a partnership with a coalition of community-based organizations that are contributing to the Center’s service design. The Center connects job seekers and employers by using a unique combination of recruitment expertise, industry knowledge and skill-building workshops to strengthen candidates’ employment prospects. The Center will develop relationships with employers and help career seekers hone the skills needed to qualify for career opportunities. The Center also offers resume and interview prep and the development of other soft skills.

To ensure equity of access for all career seekers, the Center will provide specially designed workshops to serve out-of-school, out-of-work youth and individuals formerly acquainted with the criminal justice system. Additional tailored services will be rolled out in early 2017.

In 2015, over 4,000 unique residents of the East New York community visited a Workforce1 Center elsewhere in the city to obtain one or more services. Over 600 unique East New York residents were connected to a job through a Workforce1 Center. Having a center located in the community, tailored to meet local needs, will bolster the impact on East New York.

“The need for a Workforce1 Center came up repeatedly from residents at our numerous outreach events during the formation of the East New York Community Plan. I am thrilled to see this become a reality. An essential part of our planning efforts is to see appropriate public investments and enhanced public services accompany new housing growth,” said Carl Weisbrod, Chairman of the City Planning Commission.

“The East New York Workforce1 Career Center is going to be a long-sought after path to opportunity for many struggling families in the community. Throughout the rezoning process, I heard from many constituents and local community organizations who wanted a plan that was tailored to the residents’ needs. I commend Mayor de Blasio and Council Member Espinal. Together they managed to bring a shared vision to fruition and truly deliver for the people as promised,” said State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan.

About Workforce1 Career Centers
The City’s 19 Workforce1 Career Centers are a service provided by the Department of Small Business Services that prepares and connects job seekers with career opportunities in New York City. The Centers aim to make strong matches for both candidates and employers by using a unique combination of recruitment expertise, industry knowledge and skill-building workshops to strengthen candidates’ employment prospects. For more information, please visit http://www.nyc.gov/sbs.

About the Department of Small Business Services (SBS)
SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses and building a fairer economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information on all of SBS' services, go to nyc.gov/sbs, call 311 and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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