Bergen Community College: Booker Helps Bolster Bergen Workforce Initiatives

Press release from Bergen Community College:

April 9, 2024

LatinxCEO students and entrepreneurs at the program’s kickoff last year.

“One of my highest privileges and priorities in Washington is to fight to bring home federal resources to invest in worthy New Jersey projects,” Booker said. “The New Jersey projects funded in this bill include vital investments in our infrastructure and in the leaders who work tirelessly, often away from the limelight, to improve their communities. These projects will create jobs, grow local economies, improve healthcare, and protect families. I’m grateful to the organizations, community leaders, and government leaders who, with this funding, will further improve the quality of life for New Jerseyans.”

The College launched the LatinxCEO program as a workforce development initiative that targets underrepresentation in the workplace, where Hispanic men and women account for less than four percent of executives at S&P 100 companies. This data, compiled by USA Today, showed that women faced especially disproportionate odds – only two executives among 533 publicly listed corporate leaders identify as a Hispanic female.

LatinxCEO empowers aspiring Hispanic business professionals by providing students with skills, real-world connections and career exploration opportunities. Among the activities, students network with regional executives, meet entrepreneurs and participate in career shadowing, worksite visits and mock interviews. New cohorts begin each semester.

The program combines numerous priorities outlined in the College’s strategic goals such as enhancing workforce development initiatives and supporting programs that foster belongingness among students.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.

This press release was produced by Bergen Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.