HITN’s Career Fast Track to empower Latino Workforce.

In an effort to arm Latinos with marketable skills for the workplace as well as to reinforce its commitment to empowering the Latino community, The Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network (HITN), joined forces with Lehman College and HITN’s CBO Connect network of community based organizations to offer a free, interactive distance learning course which is a component of HITN’s Career Fast Track initiative.

Using a state of the art classroom approach consisting of high definition videoconferencing (professor to students), face-to-face at community based organizations (via teacher assistants), and online support materials, students receive training and certification in such areas of demand as Healthcare, Energy and Technology. Career Fast Track is made possible by a grant from the NYS Department of Labor.

“Hispanics will account for half of the US labor growth through 2020,” says HITN founder and CEO José Luis Rodriguez. “And, there is an increased demand for bilingual employees to address Latino consumers worldwide. With this initiative, we are providing the much needed free resources and tools that will ensure Hispanics become a bigger force in the growing professional service areas” Rodriguez adds.

Although Career Fast Track is currently only available in New York, HITN and its partners plan to grow the program nationally. Rather than using the traditional approach of having one professor teaching 20 students in a classroom, this model allows one professor to reach close to 60 students in multiple sites, creating a more cost effective and productive program. Timing for such a program is critical as Hispanic Americans, who represent 15% of the population and average 26 years of age, can fill the hole as America’s baby boomers retire.

“This is just the beginning for me,” says Armando Cabrera, a recent graduate of the pharmacy technician course. “I’m going to go forward and get my certification and I know I’ll land a job after that. I feel good about myself and I know I’m going to be able to provide a better life for my family,” adds Cabrera. The set up of the class was amazing, the teachers, both virtual and on-site, were knowledgeable and helpful and the students became like a big family”, adds Cabrera.

Career Fast Track offers a selection of 5 courses in a variety of professional services. The pharmacy technician course for example, is a collaboration between HITN and four community based organizations spread throughout New York State; Centro Civico of Amsterdam, Ibero-American Action League, Hispanics United of Buffalo, and Spanish Action League of Onondaga County. The 70-hour training course is taught by a Lehman College professor from a remote site at Lehman College Continuing Education. The objective is to prepare students to enter the pharmacy field and to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam. Upon completion of the course, the student receives a certificate from Lehman College, which is sufficient for students to apply for a job as a Pharmacy Technician, and students can also apply for further certification (PTCB).

“I’m excited and proud to be a part of this innovate pilot program which allowed me to touch students beyond my traditional classroom,” says Professor Emanuel “Manny” Palermo, Lehman College. This approach can “fast track” their career objectives in a way that is meaningful and practical for today’s Latinos. The course and the graduation ceremony used technology to bridge multiple sites in a uniform fashion demonstrating the capability of broadband and initiating a new learning paradigm,” Professor Palermo concludes.

“Career Fast Track takes the classroom to the community through our valued relationships with community based organizations, says Henry Queiro, Vice President for HITN’s Career Fast Track division. “We couldn’t do this without them. They are on-site, working side-by-side with our students and providing the necessary encouragement and council throughout the process,” adds Queiro. And, it doesn’t stop once the course is done. Together with our partners, once our students complete the course, we provide guidance on resume writing, interviewing and helping them find internships and employment,” concludes Queiro.