Provided/APEX Founder/President Dr. Jemal Beale speaks to the 25 Cohort students and others in attendance at the kickoff event for the Certified Associate Project Management Cohort at the Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City campus.
ATLANTIC CITY — During a presentation at the Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City campus Monday, March 20, Atlantic Cape Community College announced it is collaborating with the Atlantic and Cape May County Probation Division and APEX Solutions Group on a new 10-week, train-to-hire Certified Associate Project Management Cohort through the New Jersey Judiciary Opportunities to Build Success Program.
Twenty-five students were selected to take part in this cohort out of more than 50 applicants. To qualify, participants must be under active probation supervision in drug court, Intensive Supervision Program or general community supervision while cooperating with probation supervision. The critical life skills and career development training that these students will receive is provided free, while they also will receive a $100 weekly stipend from the NJ JOBS program as they successfully advance through the course.
“We are excited to be partnering with the Probation Division and APEX. This is an excellent opportunity to assist clients in transforming their lives with a sense of purpose and equip you with the skills needed to support yourselves, your families and your local community,” Atlantic Cape President Dr. Barbara Gaba said. “We are proud to aid our local judiciary branches with the support they need in carrying out the jobs initiative in Atlantic and Cape May counties, and we are very committed to working in the community.”
Atlantic Cape President Dr. Barbara Gaba speaks to those in attendance at the cohort kickoff event.
A vital component of that commitment to the community was Atlantic Cape’s designation as an Anchor Institution. In May 2017, 19 colleges and universities across New Jersey, including Atlantic Cape, were designated as Anchor Institutions with the signing of the historic “Declaration of Commitment.” In doing so, the schools stated that they pledged to “leverage the resources of higher education institutions to revitalize, strengthen, empower and improve their respective communities.” The New Jersey Coalition of Anchor Institutions has charter members in Atlantic City, Camden, Newark, Paterson and Trenton.
“Atlantic Cape was designated an Anchor Institution for supporting our communities and we are proud that APEX provides second chance opportunities to the residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties,” Gaba said. “We are so pleased to have this 10-week course right here on our Atlantic City campus.”
The Project Management Cohort runs through May 26 and will cover topics from communications, teamwork and resume writing to computer literacy, leadership and project management.
“APEX is here to make you a better person. Solve your problems with your words and life will be fantastic,” said Retired Brigadier General and APEX Founder/President Dr. Jemal Beale. “This is a really good opportunity and this is my responsibility to give back and it makes me very happy to do so.”
The NJ JOBS program helps connect private companies and nonprofit organizations with successful drug court and probation clients who have shown the desire to rebuild their lives, work and make a difference in their communities.
Cameron, a recent graduate from the Monmouth County Cohort, talked about the benefits that he received from APEX.
“This program is real as long as you are willing to put in the effort, study hard and hold yourself to those principles. It’s not just the work you do in the classroom, but it’s also what you do once you come out of the classroom,” Cameron said. “For me, it comes full circle to come here and bring testimony to you about this program. That’s how we do things, we share with others what we have learned.”
Visit njcourts.gov for more information.
