Free Training In East Orange Helps Residents Get Construction Jobs

EAST ORANGE, NJ — A new partnership in East Orange is helping local residents to train – and get hired – for jobs in the construction industry.

With the aid of Mayor Ted Green and the East Orange City Council, the Mayor’s Office of Employment and Training (MOET) has partnered with East Orange-based National Career Institute (NCI) to launch a free training program for East Orange residents.

“The program focuses on careers in construction, which offer career stability, higher salaries, and an opportunity to work with new technologies,” city officials said. “In addition, more women and minorities are choosing jobs in construction, making the industry more diverse.”

Here’s what participants can expect, according to city officials:

“This 10-and-a-half-week training program will offer free classes, union pre-apprenticeship testing, and training and placement in the construction trades. The curriculum includes, but is not limited to: OSHA 30, carpentry, tools of the trade, electricity, HVAC and scaffold safety. Graduates of the program will receive a certificate in skilled trades.”

The first cohort of participants, which include both men and women, began training last week. Classes are held Monday to Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. at NCI, 134 Evergreen Place in East Orange.

“My administration is committed to investing in our residents and giving them access to resources and training for viable employment and career opportunities,” Green said.

“As the economy continues to evolve, it is my administration’s top priority to ensure that our residents are a part of this transformational change,” the mayor added.

For more information on the program, contact David Sharp, program director, at 862-241-9512 or david.sharp@eastorange-nj.gov. Interested participants can also visit tinyurl.com/eoconstruction to complete an online survey and be added to the city’s database.

• See related article: East Orange Program Gives Financial Boost To First-Time Homebuyers

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