The de Blasio Administration and Council Member River today celebrated City Council's approval of the Tech Training Center in Union Square, the final necessary vote of the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). The Tech Training Center will fuel the growth and continued diversification of New York City’s unique tech sector, providing accessible tech training and space for companies to grow and hire within the building.
“The NYC tech sector is home to over 325,000 jobs, and is growing at an unprecedented pace. Whether it’s fin-tech, fashion-tech, health-tech, or fill-in-the-blank tech, it’s happening in New York City, and at a scale that cannot be matched elsewhere. Our goal is to connect homegrown talent to these opportunities, and the Tech Training Center will play a critical role in that endeavor. Free courses for our students, internships and paid jobs at startups, and ample space for budding companies to grow, all of this will happen under one roof at the Center. I want to thank Council Speaker Johnson, Council Member Rivera, and the entire council for their partnership," said Alicia Glen, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.
“This technology center levels the playing field for those who have historically found it difficult to access employment and opportunity in this booming industry. With trusted community-based organizations and visionary nonprofits, we are building a bridge for women and people of color who are underrepresented in this field. This project can help close the tech education and hiring divide that keeps low-income people from the jobs being created right here in our city,” said Councilwoman Carlina Rivera. “We owe it to our neighbors and our youth who face challenges in a 21st century economy to support them with facilities and training that can help them realize their dreams. Seniors, students and everyone in between will have a state-of-the-art building where they can learn, train, and thrive.”