Goodwin University celebrates second Hartford Community Training Center location with ribbon-cutting in city's north end
East Hartford, CT (04/30/2024) — Goodwin University was pleased to welcome state Senator John Fonfara (D-Hartford), Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam (D-Hartford), and other state and city dignitaries to a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of its second Hartford Community Training Center location on Friday, April 26, 2024. They were joined by Goodwin President Mark Scheinberg, along with other members of Goodwin's leadership team and Hartford business and community leaders, to tour the space and learn more about this exciting community education initiative.
The training center, located at 1229 Albany Avenue in Hartford's north end, is an extension of the University's Continuing Education program. The newly renovated space will host a diverse range of community-focused workforce training opportunities in areas such as Metrology, Blueprint Reading, and the use of advanced manufacturing tools, along with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), digital literacy, computer certifications, and business offerings.
Originally conceived by Senator Fonfara, the goal of the program is to deliver much-needed educational opportunities to Hartford neighborhoods, where prospective students and their families can receive valuable workforce and skills training at a convenient, easily accessible location.
"If there was one big public policy that we could pass and wave a magic wand to eliminate poverty and increase opportunity, we would have done it by now. But no such policy exists, and so we must turn to the incremental, hard work of creating opportunities for our city residents on a case-by-case, if not a street-by-street, basis. This community training center partnership with Goodwin is one such opportunity," Senator Fonfara said. "I want to thank Goodwin and all the partners in Hartford who are dedicated to moving our young people forward into good jobs with good salaries and good futures."
Fonfara's initiative reflects that of Goodwin's own mission, which focuses on career-readiness and community building by creating innovative opportunities for accessible education. "With these two Community Training Centers, we are proud to be able to bring a wealth of educational opportunities to the Hartford community," said Scheinberg. He continued, "I'd like to extend a huge thanks to John [Fonfara] for his vision and partnership in bringing this idea to life, as well as my gratitude to Mayor Arulampalam and his team for helping us continue the good work of this important project."
"Giving our residents access to education and skills training that can lead to good jobs is the most important thing we can do to build wealth and build the middle class in this city," said Mayor Arulampalam. "From occupational trades to computer certifications and everything in between, we want to make sure Hartford residents are first in line for those opportunities."
Goodwin's Senior Director of Continuing Education, Charles McGinnis, Ed. D., noted the importance of the center's location, saying, "By meeting the needs of the community where they are at, we are hoping to eliminate the barriers of transportation and access for those members." He continued, "The short-term workforce development programs we can provide to the community at the training center will provide both foundational and extended skills attainment and training in areas that help enable participants to be better positioned to gain or move into sustainable living wage employment scenarios. We are proud to be a part of the fabric of the Hartford communities."
The Hartford Community Training Center launched its first slate of programs in October of 2022 on Park Street in the south end of Hartford, with 14 students from the greater Park Street area successfully completing coursework the following year on skills training in SOLIDWORKS computer-aided drafting (CAD) as well as in assembly and general manufacturing skills. The south end center has now worked with more than 1000 members of the Hartford community. For more information, contact Dr. McGinnis at cmcginnis@goodwin.edu or 860-913-2154.
Goodwin University in East Hartford, Connecticut, is an innovative learning community that empowers hard-working students to become sought-after employees. We tailor our programs to address the needs of employers, and we shape them to fit the lives of students. Classes are conveniently offered year-round - days, evenings, weekends, and online. Degrees may be flexibly layered across certificate, associate, bachelor's, and master's programs in a variety of in-demand fields. Better still, we surround our students with the personal support and the professional guidance they need - not just to earn degrees, but to change lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. For more information, please visit www.goodwin.edu.
Media Attachments
State Senator John Fonfara (middle) is joined by Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam (right) and Goodwin President Mark Scheinberg (left) in cutting the ribbon on the north end Hartford Community Training Center.