Town of Hempstead to Provide Free Career Assistance with the Help of State Grants

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Anthony J. Santino announced two new programs to help dislocated workers “get back on their feet” thanks to grants being provided by the New York State Regional Economic Development Councils and Consolidated Funding Application.

The grants, $75,245 to train individuals for positions in rapidly growing industries, and $21,182 with priority to train low income individuals, disabled individuals and other specific individuals, will be run by the Town of Hempstead Department of Occupational Resources (DOOR) as a part of the HempsteadWorks Sectors Strategies Project. A dislocated worker is considered someone who has received notice of termination or layoff and is unlikely to return to the previous industry of occupation.

“A career change can be intimidating, but with the training and assistance our programs provide, improving your quality of life is within reach,” said Santino. “The town is always looking for ways to provide the tools needed for residents to achieve their economic goals. These grants allow us to do so without adding to the local tax burden.”

The programs will be available to all Town of Hempstead and City of Long Beach residents. The $75,245 grant is specifically aimed at unemployed and dislocated workers who want to be trained in industries considered to be rapidly growing or expected to have strong growth through 2022 such as healthcare, professional business services, and web design, among other career fields.

The $21,182 grant is also for training in industries that are rapidly growing, but priority will be given to displaced homemakers, low income unemployed, disabled unemployed, criminal justice workers, kids that have aged out of the foster care system, low literacy unemployed, English language deficient, single parents, long term unemployed, those on public assistance and/or food stamps and veterans.

Some of the occupational skills to be acquired through the training include computer operation, programming, application of software programs, information systems management, network administration, web design, understanding of medical and information technology, and office operations.

For more information on the HempsteadWorks Sector Strategies Project please call 516-489-5000 or visit them online at www.hempsteadworks.com.

Photo: Patch