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Bergen Community College data analyst program students meet twice per week to collaborate on projects.
PARAMUS, N.J. – Bergen Community College has launched a new initiative that will prepare students to support the region’s businesses as data analysts. The program, which operates under the auspices of the College’s Bergen for Business workforce development initiative, leverages $75,000 in federal grant funding secured by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ).
“The skills that our students learn will help businesses turn information into insight,” Bergen for Business Director Linda Caruso said. “Supporting the business community while creating opportunities for students to gain real-world experience represents the very core of what Bergen for Business seeks to accomplish.”
The data analyst program began this spring with an inaugural roster of 10 students, who will meet twice a week with a corporate instructor to develop their skills. Students will build dashboards using data, while also learning about business analytics and how to prepare for employment interviews. Successful students will have the opportunity to interview for summer internships with businesses, nonprofits and government agencies located in the region. Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, Kearny Bank and the Bergen County Office of Economic Development have already agreed to interview students for potential internships, with new partners joining each week according to Caruso.
“These are dedicated students who are actively positioning themselves to gain a competitive edge in future employment opportunities,” Caruso said before noting that more than 120 students applied for the program’s coveted 10 spots.
Participants include Eugene Woo, of Mahwah, a business administration student active in the College’s investing club and Future Business Leaders of America. He holds a certification in Bloomberg Finance Fundamentals and Marketing Concepts from the international business organization.
“As an aspiring finance professional, I am very grateful to be a part of the data analytics program,” he said. “It has enhanced my data interpretation and decision-making skills, which are critical aspects of the finance industry.”
Bergen for Business maintains an office at the College’s main campus in Paramus where students can gather, network and complete projects. A satellite office will soon open at Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst alongside the institution’s business accelerator, which offers affordable office space and the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment with other entrepreneurs at the facility.
Launched in 2023 as the signature program of President Eric M. Friedman’s Economic Recovery Committee, Bergen for Business has developed a trio of initiatives to connect students with the local workforce. Among them, the College has partnered with Bergen County government leaders to sponsor a small business consulting program where students assist local business owners with marketing projects and business plans. More than 1,800 businesses have benefited from the program.
Additionally, in 2023, the College launched LatinxCEO to target underrepresentation in the workplace. LatinxCEO empowers aspiring business professionals by providing students with career exploration opportunities, networking events and career-ready workshops.
The data analyst program represents the latest piece of the Bergen for Business portfolio.
The College received federal funds to support the initiatives with the assistance of Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III and Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey President and CEO Carlos Medina, who submitted letters of recommendation to Sen. Booker. The Hispanic chamber maintains its headquarters at Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands – the site of the business accelerator – and provides support and advocacy for 80,000 Hispanic small business owners in New Jersey.
To partner with Bergen for Business, email [email protected].
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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