ALBANY — The state Department of Labor has teamed up with the Coursera online training platform to allow people free access to nearly 4,000 job-training programs in areas like advanced manufacturing, health care and technology.
The free access will also allow people to earn certificates as well as advance their skills at no cost. That should be a boon to unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers who are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant job losses.
“While we are doing everything we can to protect the health of New Yorkers, we must also take the steps necessary for building back a strong economy,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said in announcing the new program.
“Whether it’s taking a refresher course or learning a new skill, I encourage all New Yorkers in need to consider taking advantage of this free program,” Cuomo said in a release.
The partnership should save the state millions of dollars over the next couple of years while providing free job skills to state residents.
New Yorkers can request a free account on the New York State Department of Labor website at Labor.ny.gov.
The nearly 4,000 courses available through Coursera are taught by leading professors and industry educators and cover topics ranging from mechanical engineering and project management to technology and data science skills. Many of these programs provide a pathway to professional certificates and other certifications that can help New Yorkers elevate their careers or compete in a new industry.
Examples of the wide range of courses, programs, and professional certificates available through Coursera include: How to Manage a Remote Team, Business Writing, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design and Manufacturing Machine Learning, and courses in motors and motor control circuits.
Also included are classes in Generative Design for Additive Manufacturing, mental tools to help students master tough subjects, and Marketing in a Digital World.
Coursera also offers classes in Google IT Support Professional Certificate, The Business of Health Care Specialization and Facebook Social Media Marketing as well as Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS.
The full course catalog can be viewed here at Coursera.org/browse.
[email protected] 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU
Rick Karlin covers the environment and energy development for the Times Union. Has previously covered education and state government and wrote about natural resources and state government in Colorado and Maine. You can reach him at [email protected] or 518-454-5758.
