Borough of Brooklyn Center for Arts & Technology (BoBCAT) - Providing Lasting Solutions to Unemployment in Brooklyn, NY Post-COVID-19

In the aftermath of COVID-19, BoBCAT's mission is to educate, nurture and sustain a well-prepared, world-class workforce in Brooklyn, New York, for the balance of the 21st Century, with the goal of eradicating chronic unemployment and underemployment within the Borough. Our vision is to provide individuals aged 18 and older - including unemployed youth and people who attended but did not graduate from selected local universities (“stopouts”) - with educational training (including visual arts) as well as career training which will enable them to effectively compete for high-growth jobs in high-wage sectors of a global society. BoBCAT will specifically target African American and Latinx populations in the economically challenged neighborhoods of East Flatbush, East New York, Brownsville, and Bedford Stuyvesant, where unemployment rates are notably higher than other areas of New York City.

BoBCAT will work closely with specific, prospective employers to craft curricula which suit their respective needs. BoBCAT client participants will be trained specifically to work with these select, well-vetted employers.

BoBCAT will specifically train clients for careers that pay liveable wage jobs. Below is a sampling of preliminary pathways and salary ranges for our pilot program:

• Pharmacy Technician                             $27,130 - $41,270
• Emergency Medical Technician             $32,520 - $50,604
• Billing and Coding Clerk                        $33,820 - $53,000
• Welder/Cutter/Solderer/Brazer               $32,820 - $59,080
• Heating/Air Conditioning Mechanics    $39,070 - $71,950
• Graphic Designer                                    $40,310 - $82,310
• Carpenter                                                 $37,900 - $82,800

• Determine the overall capacity of each pathway in BoBCAT's program (Summer/Fall 2021)
• Continue to select philanthropic partner organizations to support BoBCAT’s programs (Summer 2021 and ongoing)
• Secure funding for BoBCAT to offer stipends to participants while they receive job training (Fall/Winter 2021)
• Collaborate with Brooklyn employers to secure commitments for internships and externships (Summer/Fall 2021)
• Develop mechanisms to get “stopout” candidates back on track, either toward their degrees or toward internships and externships that lead to permanent employment (Summer 2021 and ongoing)
• Recruit "stopout" and unemployed candidates for program participation (Fall 2021 and ongoing)

BoBCAT is being established by a group of concerned professionals, many of whom originally hail from BoBCAT's target neighborhoods in Brooklyn, to address the problem of chronically high unemployment among underrepresented populations. In May 2021, New York City's unemployment rate was 10.9%, while the overall national unemployment rate was 5.8% (BLS, 2020), proving that workforce development programs directly leading to jobs are of utmost importance to our City's economic recovery after COVID-19. In struggling neighborhoods like East Flatbush, Bedford Stuyvesant, East New York, and Brownsville, unemployment rates are often higher, and career prospects that provide a liveable wage are frequently scarce. But, times of struggle often lead to times of great opportunity, and BoBCAT believes that now, post COVID-19, is an enormous opportunity for the people of Brooklyn to (re)build their lives, neighborhoods, and sense of pride and identity. 

BoBCAT believes that everyone, regardless of their background, socio-economic status, and life experiences, deserves a chance to build a successful career and live a self-sufficient life. That is why we offer training tracks to suit many different talents and skill sets, in addition to career mentorship opportunities for those motivated to create a better life for themselves and their communities. BoBCAT is excited to be on the forefront of neighborhood transformation, to create new jobs alongside employer partners, and to support individuals as they traverse their new chosen career paths.