New Commitments from Local Colleges and the City to Prepare New Yorkers for Tech Careers

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 6, 2018

NEW COMMITMENTS FROM LOCAL COLLEGES AND THE CITY TO PREPARE NEW YORKERS FOR TECH CAREERS

Local Colleges and the City will Launch New Programs Informed by the Tech Industry to Help Students Fill an Increasing Demand for Employees in Data-Related Careers

NEW YORK – NYC Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Gregg Bishop today announced new commitments by local colleges and the City to better prepare New Yorkers for New York City's growing tech sector. These commitments were informed by companies engaged in the City's NYC Tech Talent Pipeline (TTP). Beginning this fall, five local colleges will offer new industry-informed curricula for students to gain the skills and knowledge needed to fill in-demand, data-related jobs.

These new commitments are the result of TTP's Data Summit, held in May, which brought together industry professionals, faculty, and training providers to discuss feedback on data-related curricula and workforce trends.

"As New York City's tech ecosystem continues to rapidly expand, we want to ensure that our next generation of employees has every opportunity to succeed right here in our city," said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. "These new commitments will go a long way in continuing to promote an inclusive local economy in which New Yorkers can easily transition into well-paying careers."

"Having access to a workforce that can both think critically about how to interpret data and adapt to the field's rapidly changing technology is crucial to StreetEasy's continued success, and that of the broader New York City business community," said Grant Long, Senior Economist at StreetEasy. "As we grow, teams like mine rely on tapping into a talent pool that's not only proficient in the tools we use, but also has the confidence and enthusiasm to seek out and implement the latest advancements in the field. It's exciting to be a part of the City's continued investment in growing and diversifying this in-demand talent pool and the resources available to them to help them grow in their careers."

"To meet rapidly increasing student demand for data science, the Queens College Mathematics Department has developed a rigorous option in data science and statistics for its mathematics undergraduate major, to be launched in fall 2018," said Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, President of Queens College. "The new option allows students to confidently grow in the more applied aspects of data science, preparing them for careers in industry. The data science and statistics option for the mathematics BA has a strong grounding in statistics and data analysis, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary and computational courses especially tailored for careers in data science. This is part of ongoing efforts at Queens College to prepare our diverse students to enter the City's technology sector."

Consistent with TTP's goal of supporting the alignment of NYC educational pathways with industry needs, a number of academic institutions are creating new curricula in data-related fields. The following schools plan to open enrollment in new programs this fall:

Lehman College interdisciplinary Data Science minor;

Queens College concentration in Data Science and Statistics in the Math major;

The City College of New York Master's in Data Science and Engineering;

New York Institute of Technology Master's in Data Science; and

Pratt Institute Advanced Certificate in Spatial Analysis.

In addition to the above, Pace University plans to launch a Master's in Data Science in fall 2019.

TTP released a Key Takeaways report, which highlights industry feedback on skills needed to compete for entry-level data-related jobs. The full report, which is designed to help educators across the five boroughs prepare New Yorkers for data related careers, can be found at techtalentpipeline.nyc/industry-insights.

TTP also released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new training program designed to equip New Yorkers without previous related professional experience for jobs as Data Analysts and in related roles in NYC companies. Interested partners should review and submit responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) available here by August 16, 2018. Questions about the RFP are due by July 19, 2018.

About the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline
Launched by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014, the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline is the City's tech Industry Partnership, designed to support the inclusive growth of the NYC tech sector by delivering quality jobs for New Yorkers and qualified talent for the City's businesses. The Tech Talent Pipeline works with 225 companies, 17 local colleges, and additional public and private partners to define employer needs, develop training and education models to meet these needs, and scale solutions throughout the City, delivering quality talent for the City's businesses and quality jobs for New Yorkers. For more information on TTP, visit techtalentpipeline.nyc.

About NYC Department of Small Business Services Industry Partnerships
The NYC Tech Talent Pipeline is one of SBS's five industry partnerships that work with employers, industry and trade organizations, organized labor, non-profits, training providers and educational institutions, private philanthropy, and workforce organizations to build a sustainable and robust pipeline of local talent to fill New York City's jobs, create formal career paths to good jobs, reduce barriers to employment and sustain or increase middle-class jobs. Other industry partnerships include the construction, healthcare, hospitality, and industrial fields.

About the Department of Small Business Services (SBS)
SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building a fairer economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information on all SBS services, go to nyc.gov/sbs, call 311, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.