SUNY Oneonta Downtown Space To Support Otsego Area Learners

ONEONTA—SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle was joined by state, city and community leaders on Monday, April 29 to officially open the new SUNY Oneonta Extended and Community Learning Center.

Located at 2-4 Dietz Street, the ExCL Center is designed to strengthen the region by offering training for pressing job vacancies within Otsego County, officials said in a press release. SUNY Oneonta was awarded more than $450,000.00 from New York State and the SUNY system to support Otsego area learners and local workforce development through two initiatives.

The new space will act as a local destination for learning, including high-school students looking to get a head-start on college courses, community members who want to receive training for a new career, or new drivers seeking the five hour pre-licensing course.

It will also facilitate the expansion of affordable, convenient trainings for career paths in key local industries with high needs, to fill vacancies through strategic partnerships with Bassett Healthcare, Springbrook, Pathfinder Village, The Arc Otsego and the Otsego Northern Catskill Board of Cooperative Education Services.

“SUNY Oneonta is excited to open the downtown ExCL Center and position learners across Otsego County for upward mobility,” said President Alberto Cardelle. “Local business leaders tell us they have job openings and want to hire locally. As an academic institution, we can be of value and service to our regional partners by providing access to the training programs necessary to align with local needs.”

Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek emphasized that the success of the City of Oneonta is tied to the engagement of its colleges in the creation of a vibrant and vital downtown.

“On behalf of a grateful city, I applaud the vision and commitment of Dr. Cardelle, SUNY Oneonta, and our strategic partners, and salute the New York State and SUNY leadership for their commitment to the education and training of our local workforce, as well as for their embrace of the potential of our high-school students and community through the creation of the ExCL Center and its placement in the heart of our downtown. I am excited for our future,” Drnek said.

The SUNY Oneonta ExCL Center will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn more, visit https://suny.oneonta.edu/admissions/extended-learning/workforce-training.