Bridges to Career Opportunities – 91��Ƭ

NCCTI Offers Free High School Equivalency Program for Ages 16-24

Michelle Lang — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:17:36 +0000

In addition to offering post-secondary career and technical programs, 91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) also has a High School Equivalency (HSE) program to help individuals earn their high school diploma. The program is available for free to individuals ages 16 to 24.

Part of the Bridges to Career Opportunities initiative, the HSE program aims to help each student advance at least one academic grade level and, ultimately, obtain a high school diploma and transition into a post-secondary institution.

Classes take place at the NCCTI Main Campus, 274 South Orange Ave., Newark, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those interested in the program should call 973-824-6484. The full flyer is available here.

91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute Helps Students with Financial Literacy and Industry Specific Skills

Michelle Lang — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 21:14:13 +0000

In addition to providing affordable post-secondary education that leads to nationally recognized credentials, 91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), which helps educate students in the area of financial literacy. Students learn about credit, budgeting and saving and are provided with tools to help them improve their financial situation.

So far in 2020, the FOC helped 80 clients achieve credit score increases and assisted with over 40 job placements, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

“NCCTI’s work extends beyond providing quality training services and connecting students to good careers. It also entails sharing valuable tools and educational services to help them make wise financial decisions,” said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton.

Kaitlin Brant is one graduate who benefited from NCCTI’s offerings. She enrolled in the Patient Care Technician program, which she completed in 2019, and took advantage of the financial education the FOC provides.

Financial Coach Tamara Brown gave a presentation in Brant’s class about what credit is and how to boost your score. During the presentation, Brown mentioned the LISC Twin Accounts, which is a credit-building tool for low- to moderate-income individuals. Participants receive a $300 loan which is put in a locked savings account until the loan is paid off. Participants must make 12 on-time monthly payments, which are matched, so at the end of the 12-month period, they have a total of $600 and an increased credit score since they have a year’s worth of on-time payments.

Brant was eligible for the LISC Twin Accounts and successfully participated in the program. She has seen her credit score increase with her participation and also from paying off her student loans.

“I was able to boost my credit from fair to good. And this is starting off with me not even knowing what credit was,” Brant said.

In addition to the LISC Twin Accounts, Brown offers other tools to her FOC clients. She holds educational workshops, which are now virtual because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She shares resources about how to dispute incorrect information on credit reports and talks with clients about their financial goals and how to achieve them. The FOC also helps with job placement so clients can obtain higher-paying positions.

After graduating from NCCTI, Brant was hired at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson as a Patient Care Assistant. She was previously working at Checkers Restaurant and received a significant hourly wage increase when she switched jobs. That along with an increased credit score helped Brant to move to a nicer apartment.

“Kaitlin was steadfast in her commitment to improve her credit. Her hard work paid off when she was able to access better housing,” Brown said. “Kaitlin is a pleasure to work with and the skills she learned will continue to open doors for her in the future.”

NCCTI also provides the Bridges to Career Opportunities program with support from LISC, which includes a period of “contextualized bridge training.” The instruction focuses on industry-relevant material to teach and reinforce academic skills in a way that more readily prepares students for their future careers. Brant and her classmates participated in the program by learning computer skills specifically for health care workers.

Brant is grateful for everything she has learned from NCCTI.

“The knowledge that Ms. Tamara gave us, teaching us about credit and financial literacy, plus the education that the school provided for us, that together is enough to help us thrive and move up another step within the world,” she said.

Brant plans to share the knowledge she has learned with others, including her young daughter.

“I have a lot of friends who really don’t understand credit because they don’t really teach it in school,” she said. “With the knowledge that I have, I just want to move forward with it, learn more about it and spread it to anybody who doesn’t know about it.”

In addition to the FOC, Brant also utilized the services of the Family Resource Success Center while enrolled at NCCTI, including free tax preparation and other benefits that she was eligible for.

“The school helped in every way possible and I really appreciate them for that,” Brant said. “I would really urge and suggest students take advantage of the opportunities.”

Brant recommends NCCTI, saying the programs are short-term, graduates often launch a successful career and students can improve their financial standing.

“Kaitlin is one of many who benefited from our Financial Opportunity Center,” Brutton said. “We thank our funding partners: Greater Newark LISC local office, LISC national office, Citi Foundation and Capital One Bank. NCC’s success is directly related to their confidence in our work.”

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto newcommunitytech.edu or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

NCCTI to Host Open House Jan. 21

Michelle Lang — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 16:04:39 +0000

91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) is hosting an Open House Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. at the main campus, located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.
Prospective students will be able to learn more about each of the programs offered, ask any questions they may have and meet staff members and current students.
NCCTI offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices.
For more information, call 973-824-6484 or visit .

NCCTI Hosts Open House for Prospective Students

Michelle Lang — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 20:47:46 +0000

91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) hosted an Open House for all its programs Dec. 17 at its Main Campus, 274 South Orange Ave., Newark. Prospective students learned about the programs offered and about the financial aid process. They got to hear from instructors and current students, as well as the Director Rodney Brutton and other staff members.
NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

NCC Welcomes New LISC Employees

Michelle Lang — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 14:13:48 +0000

91��Ƭ hosted dozens of new employees of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) June 12. The individuals from throughout the country learned about the services 91��Ƭ provides, its history and its relationship with LISC.
“NCC and LISC have been partners since the 1980s. They have supported us with tax credit investments for housing construction, consulting to strengthen the organization and funding our Financial Opportunity Center, to name a few,” said 91��Ƭ CEO Richard Rohrman. “They have been there for us and the relationship continues to grow. They are true reliable partners with a strong sense of mission.”
The visit was part of a three-day new hire orientation at LISC headquarters. The orientation is done two times per year, in the fall and spring. NCC hosted a group in November 2018 for the first time. The guests were served lunch at St. Joseph Plaza, NCC’s headquarters, and then took a tour of 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI), both the main campus and the Training Center.
“We are so grateful to NCC for sharing their amazing work and time with our new staff during their recent site visit to Newark. In partnership with LISC, NCC continues to provide clear pathways to change for community residents,” said LISC President and CEO Maurice A. Jones. “It was an excellent opportunity for LISC staff from across the country to see first hand the success of NCC’s comprehensive approach and a great time was had by all.”
NCCTI works closely with Greater Newark LISC, the local office of the national nonprofit organization that provides a variety of support to community development corporations. LISC provides funding and technical assistance for the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), a relationship that began in 2015. The FOC helps community members better their financial situations. LISC also offers financial support and technical assistance for the Bridges to Career Opportunities (BCO) program for NCCTI, which helps students learn basic skills as they relate to their field of choice. Both the FOC and BCO are LISC models.
“The success of NCCTI’s FOC, BCO and career and technical programs is directly related to our partnership with Greater Newark LISC,” said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. “In the last several years, we’ve been able to expand course offerings, build greater capacity to our career and technical programs and help hundreds of clients improve their financial standing.”
The positive work being done with students at NCCTI has drawn attention from LISC leadership members, who have toured the FOC and NCCTI Training Center and have been impressed with the services being offered to the unemployed and underemployed.
“As well accustomed to NCC as I am, visiting routinely to work with our partner as a Newark 2020 community hub and a LISC Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Center site, I learn something new and awe-inspiring every time,” said Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder.
91��Ƭ is happy to serve as a model for LISC employees.
“Our work with LISC is a true and practical example of what a solid partnership consists of,” Brutton said.
NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school. For more information, visit or call 973-824-6484.

91��Ƭ Hosts LISC Employees From Throughout U.S.

Michelle Lang — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 16:25:18 +0000

91��Ƭ hosted a group of about 60 new employees of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Nov. 7. The employees, who were from various parts of the country, got an overview of what NCC offers during a luncheon at St. Joseph Plaza, 233 West Market St., Newark. They then toured 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center main campus at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark, to see the facility and hear about its work with the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) and with the Bridges to Career Opportunities (BCO) programs that LISC helps fund. Finally, they got to see the Automotive Training Center, 210 West Bigelow St., Newark, and learn more about the Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician and Building Trades Specialist programs offered.

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center Becomes First Newark 2020 Hub

Michelle Lang — Fri, 25 May 2018 20:27:24 +0000

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center has become the first community hub of the Newark 2020 initiative, which aims to connect 2,020 Newark residents to employment that provides family sustainable wages by the end of 2020.

As a hub, 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is responsible for reaching out to individuals who signed up and submitted information through the Newark 2020 website, assessing their educational and professional backgrounds and connecting them to employment opportunities.

“We are serving as the liaison between Newark 2020 applicants and employers,” said 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center Director Rodney Brutton.

Another part of being a community hub is providing employability skills training, helping candidates with resumes, practicing interviews and offering assistance in preparation for employment opportunities.

“We’re happy to have been selected as a community hub,” Brutton said. “It’s exciting.”

Mayor Ras Baraka announced the Newark 2020 initiative last year. It has support from a number of city employers, including Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, PSE&G, Audible, Prudential, RWJBarnabas Health, NJIT, Rutgers-Newark, Panasonic, United Airlines and 91��Ƭ. The employers have agreed to hire a certain number of Newark residents.

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is in a good position to prepare applicants for jobs because as an accredited post-secondary career and technical school, it offers programs that help students receive certifications in their field of study.

“If a Newark 2020 applicant isn’t qualified for a job but is interested in training, we’ll be able to help them,” Brutton said.

Newark 2020 Project Director Travis Reid said 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center was chosen as the first community hub based on the results of a competitive bidding process and subsequent follow-up interviews with staff. Community hubs will help candidates develop resumes, provide best-in-practice case management to clients and facilitate effective matches between job seekers and employers.

“91��Ƭ’s existing infrastructure and deep experience in workforce development led to their number one ranking in a very competitive pool of respondents to our RFP,” Reid said.

Greater Newark LISC was part of the Newark 2020 selection and onboarding process for 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center as a community hub. Its funding is providing for the start of Newark 2020 operations there. The organization also provides funding and technical support for 91��Ƭ’s Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities program.

“Greater Newark LISC is proud to have served as a partner in the Newark 2020 initiative since its inception, and we are especially pleased to be a part of the launch alongside the LISC Bridges to Careers Opportunity work at 91��Ƭ, all in alignment with the living wage employment landscape efforts here in Newark,” said Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder.

Newark 2020 applicants came to 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center May 14 for an orientation. They got to hear more about the initiative from Reid and Brutton and met with Hub Representative Aziza Johnson and Program Assistant Quameria Edwards.

While Reid explained that employers are not required to grant interviews, those looking for employment at companies that have committed to Newark 2020 are better positioned to yield opportunities.

“Newark 2020 strategically leverages employer commitments to hiring locally to benefit the city’s labor force,” Reid said. “Community hubs are critically important because they help facilitate matches that mutually benefit job seekers and employers.”

Newark 2020 is open to all Newark residents, regardless of employment level. At the orientation, participants had a variety of career interests, including customer service, health care, communications, building maintenance and human resources.

Those interested in participating in Newark 2020 should visit and register. For more information about 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center and its course offerings, or call 973-824-6484.

Workforce Development Center Awarded $225,000 Multi-Year Grant

Michelle Lang — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 15:16:54 +0000

Lead Academic Enrichment Instructor Odette Phillip, standing, helps students with their work.

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center has been awarded a three-year grant totaling $225,000 to provide academic literacy support and vocation training services related to its occupational training programs.

The annual $75,000 grant comes from LISC’s Family Income and Wealth Building program and is meant to help 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center align with LISC’s Bridges to Career Opportunities model. The model includes a period of “contextualized bridge training,” which means the instruction focuses on industry-relevant material. An example would be teaching fractions through the lens of measurements that are needed in the field of construction. The goal is to teach the academic skills in a way that more readily prepares students for their future careers.

“Ultimately, we’re going to blend vocational services, academic support and financial coaching to enhance the social and financial status of area job seekers,” said 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Director Rodney Brutton.

Workforce will use the funding to operate a Bridges to Career program with outreach and recruitment, direct classroom instruction, vocational training, financial services and career services, including job placement assistance.

“This is an outgrowth of our Financial Opportunity Center and Academic Enrichment Program by combining those two initiatives,” Brutton said.

There are no residency requirements for the program, but participants must be at least 18 years old.

“This work is supported by our local Greater Newark LISC office under the direction of Rhonda Lewis, executive director, and Jerrah Crowder, program officer,” Brutton said. “Both Rhonda and Jerrah understand the importance of combining contextualized learning with occupational skills and financial coaching and how that leads to a more well-rounded job seeker.”

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school offering the following programs: Automotive Technician, Patient Care Technician (Certified Home Health Aide, EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician), Clinical Medical Assistant (EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Medical Office Administration, Medical Billing/Coding), Culinary Arts Specialist, and Building Trades Specialist (Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Flooring, Painting). All programs offer industry recognized credentials. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

For more information about the school, call 973-824-6484. To complete an application online, .

The mission of 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is to improve the quality of life of all students through education and occupational training in a community that fosters life-long learning.