Establishes the "help individuals reach employment program" (HIRE)

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the "help individuals reach employment program" (HIRE)

Purpose

To establish the Help Individuals Reach Employment Program (HIRE).

Summary of provisions

This bill provides for the creation of the "Help Individuals Reach Employment Program (HIRE).

To participate in HIRE an applicant must have : 1) received an undergraduate degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) or City University of New York (CUNY) and have achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher; 2) completed their degree in no more than 5 years or 6 years if the degree typically requires 5 years to complete; 3) completed an approved experiential learning activity as defined by the board of trustees; 4) graduated and sought employment for at least 6 months prior to the date of application; 5) been unsuccessful in obtaining full time employment; 6) provided documentation that such applicant has sought employment for such a job in New York State; and 7) applied for the degree enhancement for employment program within one year after the date of graduation.

The SUNY and CUNY trustees must establish or identify existing certificate programs that provide skills for college graduates to enhance their employment marketability and these certificate programs shall be made free of charge to the applicant. The SUNY and CUNY trustees will also work with the Department of Labor to identify what the job market and industry needs are. If SUNY or CUNY does not offer certificate programs that meet the requirements of this section or if the current programs are at capacity or cannot be expanded to admit all eligible applicants, those programs can be offered in an online format.

This measure also allows an applicant to take a certificate program at the campus where they graduated, if available. If not, the applicant can take the certificate program at a community college free of charge.

Each SUNY and CUNY institution that confers 4 year degrees must inform all incoming freshmen and transfer students about anticipated job availability per major, approximate salary ranges, which degrees typically require a graduate degree or additional education and about the institution's undergraduate student employment rates within one year of such students' graduation.

Justification

Higher education is extremely important in the current job market. However, making sure students are aware of outcomes per degree is also just as vital. This bill would create the "HIRE" program to help ensure employment outcomes for students graduating from a SUNY or CUNY institution and provide them with tools necessary to find employment after school by providing an opportunity for additional training for enhanced marketability for a job if an applicant to the HIRE program has had trouble finding employment.

It is important to foster better employment outcomes after investing so much time, money and effort in higher education.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

EFFECTIVE DATE : This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.