Career Center Offering Build It Back Jobs For Sandy-Impacted Residents Opens In Coney Island

Good news for job hunters in Southern Brooklyn.

A new Workforce1 Career Center, located at 1906 Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island, opened for business this week as part of the city’s effort to expedite economic recovery in Superstorm Sandy-impacted neighborhoods.

Formed by a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations, the city’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS), and Counciman Mark Treyger’s office, the center connects Sandy-impacted residents to employment with Build it Back employers, local small businesses, and employers in various sectors citywide. The career center also offers training opportunities for skills needed to fill positions with Build it Back contractors performing rebuilding and recovery work.

“As we continue to help communities recover from Hurricane Sandy, we must also ensure that we connect local residents to jobs with family-supporting wages and real career pathways,” said Maria Torres-Springer, Commissioner of SBS. “We are thrilled to be opening a Workforce1 Career Center in Coney Island to help ensure that Sandy impacted residents have access to training and local recovery jobs in their neighborhood.”

In addition to the new Coney Island center, Sandy Recovery Workforce1 services will be available at the existing Far Rockaway and South Shore of Staten Island Workforce1 Career Centers by early May.

Workforce1 is a service provided by the NYC Department of Small Business Services that prepares and connects qualified candidates to job opportunities in New York City. Through a network of 17 Workforce1 Career Centers, the City helps connect New Yorkers to job opportunities through recruitment events, career advisement, interview and resume assistance and training opportunities.

Eligible individuals can apply for training vouchers to enroll in pre-apprenticeship programs for construction careers and for other construction industry-related skills trainings. Pre-apprenticeship programs are approved by the Building and Construction Trades Council and offer direct entry into a trade union.

Councilman Mark Treyger applauded the move earlier this week.

“The opening of a Workforce1 center in Coney Island has been a top priority for me and is an important step towards connecting residents in impacted communities with recovery jobs and active roles in the rebuilding of their own neighborhood. With so many storm victims still struggling to build their homes, businesses and lives, it is imperative that residents have access to solid jobs that are created as a result of the recovery effort,” he said.

New Yorkers looking for jobs can log on to www.nyc.gov, which offers a list of all Workforce1 Career Center locations and the opportunity to sign up for the Workforce1 Career Bulletin, a weekly email featuring the latest job openings available through the centers. Job hunters can also find valuable resources online through the Workforce1 Career Blog, and by following Workforce1 on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you were impacted by Superstorm Sandy and would like to learn more about Sandy Recovery Workforce1 and register for communication about Build it Back job opportunities, click here.