91��Ƭ Financial Opportunity Center – 91��Ƭ

Financial Opportunity Center Helps NCCTI Student Reach Financial Goals

Michelle Lang — Thu, 02 May 2019 20:48:18 +0000

When students sign up for classes at 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI), they not only receive a high quality, hands-on education in their field of study, but they also have access to a variety of services. One of those very useful services is the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC). The FOC helps individuals achieve their financial goals while also providing them with knowledge about credit, budgets and savings plans.

Current Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) student Ciara Cooper-Jones is taking full advantage of the FOC. She met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown and discussed her goals of financial stability and fixing her credit, which has been lowered by student loans she has from attending a college previously.

“You can’t do anything without credit,” Cooper-Jones said. “My biggest goal is to be financially set and stable enough to get a house of my own. Because I don’t want to always rent.”

At age 21, Cooper-Jones wants to start the process of increasing her credit score and saving for the future. She has enrolled in Twin Accounts, which is a dual benefit program. It helps clients build credit and save. The program lasts for 12 months and requires the participant to put $25 per month into a certificate of deposit (CD). Every time the payment is made on time, the participant receives a match of $25. This is reported as an installment payment and therefore helps build the participant’s credit.

So far, Cooper-Jones has made all her payments on time.

“At the end of the program my credit score can increase and along the way I’m learning more about financial savings and stability,” she said.

NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton said Cooper-Jones is taking advantage of the services available both from the FOC and the career and technical school.

“Ciara is a very forward thinking young lady who is not only committed to getting her professional career started, but she also knows the importance of establishing a long-term financial plan.”

Cooper-Jones and many others are able to take advantage of services offered by NCCTI and the FOC thanks, in part, to grant money. In March, 91��Ƭ received a three-year grant totaling $190,000 from Citi Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to provide services that help job seekers increase their incomes, improve their credit and raise their standards of living.

“91��Ƭ Financial Opportunity Center owes its appreciation and gratitude to the national and local LISC offices,” Brutton said. “Their technical assistance, program guidance and in-depth knowledge of operating an FOC has led to our success.”

In 2018, 72 FOC clients, most of whom were NCCTI students, saw an increase in their credit scores. Financial Coach Brown, Job Developer Joseph Jean and Income Support Specialist and 91��Ƭ Family Resource Success Center Director Joann Williams-Swiney work as a team to run the daily operations of the FOC. Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder has guided and assisted with the FOC to help ensure its success.

Cooper-Jones, who lives in Newark with her boyfriend and their son, has found the FOC to be very beneficial.

“This program has really given me a better understanding of the effects of credit,” she said. “I would recommend it to everybody, but mostly I would say an age group of 18 to 30 only because I know once you’re legal enough to sign your own papers and you don’t need a parent, most people do go open up credit cards because they want to shop. They’re not thinking of a long-term goal for themselves and then they’re going to be stuck when they get older because they messed up their credit at a young age.”

Cooper-Jones had been in college studying nursing but left the school because of the high expense. After completing the CMA program at NCCTI, she plans to work in a facility and climb the ranks and then return to school for an additional degree or certificate.

She is working on her financial future as well as her career by participating in the FOC. Brown said Cooper-Jones’ participation in the Twin Accounts program helps her to practice saving by having mandatory monthly payments, provides the opportunity to earn with the matching funds and will help raise her credit score.

“A low credit score can be a barrier to getting an apartment or a house,” Brown said. “Ciara doesn’t want to have to worry about a barrier.”

Cooper-Jones is glad she enrolled at NCCTI for the affordably priced CMA program and the assistance with her finances that she has received.

“I feel like everyone here at NCC has been a great help. They always come with welcome arms and they’re always willing to help,” Cooper-Jones said. “This program overall has been a great experience so far and I just can’t wait to see where it takes me.”

91��Ƭ Financial Opportunity Center is funded by Greater Newark LISC, with generous support from Citi Foundation and Capital One Bank. For more information about the FOC, contact Financial Coach Tamara Brown at 973-585-9648 or tamarabrown@newcommunity.org. The FOC is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute is an accredited post-secondary school that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. Those interested in enrolling should call 973-824-6484 or visit www.newcommunity.org. The school is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark, with the Training Center that houses Automotive, Diesel and Building Trades programs located at 210 West Bigelow St., Newark.

91��Ƭ Career And Technical Institute Connects Graduates To Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

Michelle Lang — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:57:49 +0000

Sharita Moody, a graduate of the 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute Patient Care Technician program, now works full-time at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Photo courtesy of Sharita Moody.

Students who enroll at 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute can expect not only an education that helps them gain nationally recognized certifications, but also connections to employers in their field of choice that can lead to jobs with family supporting wages.
One strong employer partner is Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, which hires Patient Care Technician graduates. Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey Zachary Lipner said both the hospital and 91��Ƭ are committed to helping Newark.
“We’re more than just a business that operates in Newark. We take care of Newark residents who are our patients and we have a very strong commitment to the community,” Lipner said. “And part of that commitment is trying to hire and develop the talent within the city of Newark.”
Lipner is part of the 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute Employer Advisory Committee and helped construct the current Patient Care Technician program.
“As we were developing curriculum and the program for patient care technicians and nursing assistants, Newark Beth Israel and Zach in particular reviewed our curriculum, met our instructors and provided great feedback on skills and competencies needed in the field,” said 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute Director Rodney Brutton.
That feedback has helped shape the program and gives students more experience in areas that Newark Beth Israel, and other employers, view as important.
“The real value of our partnership with Newark Beth Israel is that they create meaningful career opportunities for our PCT graduates,” Brutton said. “It’s life changing.”
One graduate who has benefited from the partnership is Sharita Moody. She finished Patient Care Technician program classes in December 2017. After going on interviews, she landed a job at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in March 2018. She started out part-time and now has a full-time job in the hospital’s oncology and renal department.
“I like my job very much,” Moody said. “My favorite part is taking care of patient needs.”
Her supervisor says she is a good employee, is capable of operating the equipment needed to do her job and works well with patients and coworkers.
“Sharita shows strong interest in her work and works well with her colleagues, building strong relationships,” said Nurse Manager Zoneisha Johnson-Boswell.
The relationship between 91��Ƭ and Newark Beth Israel remains strong because the school continues to produce high quality candidates. Lipner and Brutton have a longstanding professional relationship that started when Brutton was head of the Newark Workforce Development Board and Lipner was a member.
“I’ve known Rodney for many years. I know he runs a great program. I know he wouldn’t refer anybody who wasn’t going to make a great employee here at the hospital,” Lipner said. “The relationship has prospered with the kind of training he’s doing at 91��Ƭ in the health care space.”
Brutton attributes graduates’ preparedness to classroom instruction.
“The instructors, Dr. Maha Koltowski and Ms. Veronica Falae, do an excellent job ensuring our graduates have the competencies to be productive direct care workers,” he said.
Brutton said graduates have provided positive feedback about working at Newark Beth Israel.
“We see firsthand that Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is a high quality health care facility,” Brutton said. “Graduates come back and share how happy they are working there. They talk about the excellent care and support they receive from supervisors.”
Moody is one of the graduates who has provided positive feedback about Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and about her experience with 91��Ƭ.
She isn’t just a graduate of 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute. She has also been an NCC resident for more than 25 years. She received a flyer in the mail about the training programs and decided to sign up. From there, she also took advantage of the 91��Ƭ Financial Opportunity Center. She has met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown on numerous occasions to discuss her credit score, budget and goals.
“We talk about savings and planning for my financial goal, which is to purchase a home in the near future,” Moody said.
Whenever Moody hears of someone interested in training or working in her field, she directs them to 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute.
“They have so many other opportunities besides school. You can get your resume fixed and see a financial coach. It’s more than just go to school and get a job,” Moody said. “It was such a good opportunity.”
91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Business and Computer Technologies, Clinical Medical Assistant, Culinary Arts Specialist, Diesel Technician and Patient Care Technician. The school is currently accepting applications for all programs. or call 973-823-6484 for more information.