SUNY Schenectady receives $1M to develop mobile classrooms

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- SUNY Schenectady will create two mobile classrooms through a $1 million grant. The mobile classrooms will deliver workforce development courses through “SUNY Schenectady 2U.”

The program will focus on retraining adults who need updated skills to improve employment prospects, and increasing high school students’ employability and understanding of opportunities in advanced manufacturing and healthcare fields.

“Through SUNY Schenectady 2U, we are building bridges for students and employees to enhance their skills and opening up many more possibilities for them in their careers,” said president of SUNY Schenectady Dr. Steady Moono.

The college will offer training courses and cover a variety of disciplines including: technical skills, business management, manufacturing, medical administrative assistant, behavioral health and community health workers. Sessions are delivered in four hour increments which reduce the time workers are away from their job.

Both mobile classrooms will be self-powered, climate-controlled, and have workstations with Wi-Fi that can accommodate up to 12 students in each session.

Employers will contract with the college for the course and provide space to set up the mobile classroom.
Programming will prioritize those from underserved backgrounds, veterans, disabled, at-risk youth, unemployed/underemployed and those who are traditionally underrepresented.

The college anticipates it will take about a year to design and acquire the mobile classrooms, work with partners and employers to book the mobile classrooms and then offer training.

The grant was received through the SUNY 2020 Workforce Development Initiative Consolidated Funding program.