City Expands ‘Job Training Albuquerque’

Oct. 1, 2021

The City of Albuquerque’s Job Training Albuquerque (JTA), a workforce development program developed by Mayor Tim Keller’s administration, is expanding its course listings for the second time this year, now offering high-demand skills training through the New Mexico Child Care and Education Association (NMCCEA) and Pivotal New Mexico, a nonprofit that helps organizations find funding to achieve charitable and social missions.

Launched in January of 2020 and maintained during the pandemic, JTA offers free job skills courses through funding provided by the City of Albuquerque’s Economic Development Department (EDD), and is a partnership with Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). Since its inception, JTA has helped 85 organizations and 189 employees build high-demand workforce skills, including Coding, Accounting, Project Management, Commercial Driver’s License Training, and more.

“Education and skills training is key to creating better career outcomes for Albuquerque’s families, and JTA meets that need by helping workers learn new skills, and businesses create new jobs,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These new partnerships, and the services and resources we offer, are part of our strategy to push towards a robust recovery and build an economy that works for everyone.”

A core objective of this plan—Increment of One—is creating jobs one, two, and three at a time by supporting business expansion and workforce development locally. By participating in JTA, employers agree to add one job to their operation within two years, thereby spurring small business growth through job creation, and building a deeper pool of workforce talent for existing and potential companies. To date, JTA has helped employers add 78 jobs in Albuquerque.

Andrew Faber is the Marketing and Communications Director at Alta Mira Specialized Family Services, Inc., and completed the Get the Grant training offered by Pivotal NM through JTA. 

“Pivotal NM’s Get the Grant workshop was extremely informative, and helpful in navigating the entire grant application process,” Faber said. “Each session was packed with best practice insight, and how to access available funding. It was also great to have input from the local funders forum at the close of the workshop!” 

Pivotal New Mexico is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization helping organizations obtain funding to achieve charitable and social missions. Through Pivotal NM’s programs, organizations access new sources of funding, apply for and manage grants, and train, advise, and support organizations in the search for funding. They are offering the following trainings through JTA:

• Get the Grant: A 3-day grant workshop to help nonprofit professionals
• Talent Academy: A 4-month fellowship with weekly workshops to help attendees develop grant proposals for their organization

“It’s so critical that we build capacity for organizations to seek and obtain grants,” said Robert Blanquera Nelson, program manager of Pivotal NM. “Especially with federal recovery funds available now, to address our most crucial issues and needs for families in New Mexico.” 

The primary mission of the NMCCEA is to Investing New Mexico's children by strengthening licensed early care and education programs through advocacy and professional development.  NMCCEA's training courses includes the Early Childhood 45-hour course, which is required for individuals who work in a child care setting, and the NMCCEA National Administrators Credential for leaders in the child care profession.  Both courses are offered in Spanish. 

Additionally, NMCCEA advocates for licensed child care providers in state legislation across New Mexico, and hosts multiple events throughout the year to foster professional development. Their advocacy efforts focus on citizen education and representation. and through their training programs, ensuring New Mexico children’s educational success.

“NMCCEA is committed to providing continuing education to child care providers in New Mexico, and we are honored and excited to offer this opportunity for Albuquerque in partnership with the City of Albuquerque and JTA,” said NMCCEA executive director Chrissy Jeter. “Opening doors for employment training helps move our industry forward, and the future of our economy—the children of New Mexico.”

“Education and professional opportunities for Albuquerque’s workforce are essential to our City’s recovery,” said EDD interim director Damian R. Lara. “By offering robust resources to Albuquerque’s businesses and their employees, we’re investing in an economy that works for everyone.”

JTA is a partnership between the City of Albuquerque and Central New Mexico Community College. Program funding is provided by the City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department and the program is administered by CNM Ingenuity, a workforce training arm of the college.

JTA is currently accepting applications for a variety of trainings. A full listing of courses, how to apply, and more can be found at https://jobtrainingabq.org/.