Quantcast

Qns. Library Now Has Job Training

Free Courses Open To Card Holders

The Queens Borough Public Library is offering free job skills training, along with free access to certification exams in many sought-after software packages.

Training is available to all Queens Library card holders aged 16 and older, regardless of education or income level. Queens Library is the only free, open portal for the training and certifications in New York City.

As announced, the training for certification is being offered in Six Sigma (business processes and quality control); Microsoft Office Specialist (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, SharePoint etc.); Microsoft Technology Associate (IT Infrastructure, software development, database administration); Quickbooks (bookkeeping, basic business account ting); Adobe (graphics, web design, other software); IC3 Global Standard (digital, computer and internet fluency); CompTIA Strata (computer hardware, components, security, software installation) and Autodesk (design software for engineering and manufacturing). The certifications are internationally recognized.

Certifications add a lot of value to job seekers, it was noted, as potential employers know that the job candidate has passed proficiency exams and has solid basic skills. It is considered to be a plus on a resume and valuable to anyone who wants to begin or advance their careers. Other skills training is available without certifications.

“This is an enhanced role for Queens Library. We are providing real world, hands-on tools to help library users upgrade their job skills. It syncs perfectly with New York City’s expanded tech-sector initiatives, as well as with Queens Library’s mission to assist residents with acquiring practical life skills. I am proud that we are NYC’s first free and open entry point,” said Thomas W. Galante, president and CEO of the Queens Library.

To register for training, library customers must attend a registration session. Each customer will be given an orientation to the learning experience. They will be asked to set their own career goals, and to take an assessment survey to determine which training modules will help meet those goals.

All training is done online. Users learn at their own pace. Customers may use their own computers or use the library’s learning lab during designated hours, when they will have an extended and uninterrupted opportunity to learn and practice skills. In Queens Library’s learning lab, staff are available to guide and assist. There are a limited number of training opportunities available.

Registration will be held at the Central Library at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica, every Monday and Friday at 1 p.m., on Saturday, June 30, at 9:30 a.m. and on Sundays, May 6 and June 3 at 12:30 p.m. Additional registration dates will be announced as needed. For additional information, phone 1-718-990-0700 or visit www.queenslibrary.org.

This opportunity is made possible through NYC Connected Communities, a program coordinated by the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.