Brooklyn Navy Yard reports record-setting job creation in 2018
Hires through the Yard’s Albert C. Wiltshire Employment Center connected 459 people to jobs in 2018, nearly half of whom entered the Yard workforce with only a high school diploma or GED
More than 450 people were connected to jobs by the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation in FY 2018, the most in its employment center’s 19-year history.
A report released on Wednesday by BNYDC found that of the 459 hires, 84 percent are Brooklyn residents and 33 percent are from the Yard’s nearest five surrounding zip codes.
“As a mission-driven nonprofit, our Employment Center serves a critical role in connecting local residents to quality jobs at the Yard,” said David Ehrenberg, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. “We’re incredibly proud not simply of these latest numbers but of the range of workers – both in terms of skill set and education level – that we were able to connect with our tenants over the past year.”
The Albert C. Wiltshire Employment Center plays an important role in the Yard’s efforts to support economic development and job growth in the surrounding community by providing hiring and support staff services at no cost to BNYDC tenants. The Employment Center places a deliberate focus on providing opportunities to the chronically un- and under-employed, veterans, public housing residents, the formerly incarcerated and less skilled workers. The Robin Hood Foundation is the primary external funder of the Albert C. Wiltshire Employment Center.
BNYDC leverages its unique assets to provide resources and opportunities to its surrounding community. This includes collaborations with local high schools and CUNY campuses focused on career and technical education; MWLBE contracting and business support services; free school programming; and historical tours of the Yard. The Employment Center team proactively recruits job seekers on an ongoing basis and for specific roles, with a focus on local residents and individuals who may need additional support to secure employment.
In addition to hiring and recruitment services, the BNYDC also funds a summer internship program to provide exposure to potential careers for local students. This year, the internship program served over 100 young people. Of this total, 92 percent attended college in Brooklyn, 75 percent were Brooklyn residents and 57 percent were CUNY students. The internship program has also benefited Navy Yard tenant businesses, leading to a new high of 53 employers to welcome an intern to work with them. Last year’s program saw 32 percent of interns placed in the engineering fields, 18 percent in media and communications and the remaining 50 percent placed in fields ranging from business and finance, hospitality and culinary, fine arts and other STEM-related areas. Over the course of the year, the Yard hosted over 150 interns, another Yard record.
