Speaker Quinn Targets Jobs, Removing Barriers

February 17, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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In her State of the City address last week, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn proposed tackling the need for job growth in three ways:

• Harnessing the potential of some of the city’s strongest industries, notably the design and manufacturing industries.

New York City Design Week will be a global event to highlight the city’s designers.

Additionally, a new state-of-the-art shared manufacturing center will provide shared space and equipment for professionals and students.

• Creating job opportunities in neighborhoods with high unemployment.

Plans include creating a $10 million small business loan fund exclusively for businesses in low-income neighborhoods.

Additionally, a new program will be formed together with the organization Kickstarter to help turn ideas into reality by helping raise needed funding for projects that will spur development in communities that need it most.
• Removing the barriers that keep many from accessing good jobs.

The city will launch a new program called “New Skills, New Jobs” that will help the long-term unemployed gain skills and a pathway to full-time permanent employment. According to Quinn, the program will be an eight-week paid training program leading to a permanent position.

Quinn also announced that new legislation would be introduced making it unlawful for employers to request or use an applicant’s unemployment status for hiring purposes.