SUNY Canton Latest Lead Campus to Join SUNY’s Free Online Training Center

State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras today announced the addition of SUNY Canton as a lead campus for SUNY’s free Online Training Center. With a campaign that launched earlier this month, the Online Training Center will provide a direct pathway to a new career or SUNY’s 30 community colleges, SUNY Empire State College, and now SUNY Canton for those who complete a certificate and have a high school diploma or equivalency. The application fee is also waived, saving money for students. SUNY Canton provides 22 fully online degrees and more than 450 online courses.

SUNY Canton is one of many SUNY Colleges of Technology offering associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and is active in workforce development and online programming with a particular focus in setting students up for success post-graduation in health- and technology-related fields. Even before the pandemic, it was projected that 65 percent of jobs in the U.S. would require post-secondary education through 2020, and recent projections show that increasing to 70 percent by 2027. Currently, more than 2.2 million New Yorkers between the ages of 25 to 44 have no degree, and 2.6 million between the ages of 45-64 are without one.

During Chancellor Malatras’ first State of the University System address, he talked at length about how SUNY will expand to provide to the people of New York education services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused job loss and economic uncertainty for countless New Yorkers throughout our state—it is up to us as the largest system of higher education in the country to help them get the education and training they need to get back on their feet,” said Chancellor Malatras. “With our free Online Training Center, among other initiatives, we’re meeting students where they are and providing educational tools that fit their lives, with the personal support they need to succeed. I thank SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran and his team for stepping up and joining this crucial effort to help more New Yorkers recover, move forward, and thrive this year and beyond.”

SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran said, “As a major economic driver in the north country, SUNY Canton is proud to join and participate in the Chancellor’s new SUNY for All pathway program. SUNY for All increases the opportunities for students to complete high school and go on to obtain a college degree and enhance their employment prospects. SUNY Canton’s 22 online programs and award-winning support services can help meet the needs of all New Yorkers, taking them where they want to go both academically and professionally.”

Registration is still open for the Spring semester. Currently more than 1,700 New Yorkers have registered.

The SUNY for All free Online Training Center includes programs offered through the University Center for Academic and Workforce Development (UCAWD), Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) labs, and Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs). These online programs, coupled with success coaches, will help more New Yorkers earn a higher education degree. Additionally, small business owners can start or grow their enterprises with EntreSkills, the free online entrepreneurial education course developed by the New York Small Business Development Center.

I want to thank President Szafran and the entire @SUNYCantonNews team for joining the @SUNY free Online Training Center program. We'll lead the way in the post-COVID economy. https://t.co/N0NWCZdEPM

— Jim Malatras (@jimmalatras) January 28, 2021

SUNY's free Online Training Center includes the following programs:

Academic Certification

• High School Equivalency
• College Preparation
• English As a Second Language
• Pre-vocational Studies 

Allied Health Certification

• Professional Medical Coder & Biller
• Pharmacy Technician
• Emergency Medical Technician
• Electronic Health Records
• Physical Therapy Aide 

Business & Industry Certification

• Emergency Telecommunications
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Office Administration Professional
• Child Development Associate
• Customer Service
• Teacher Assistant
• Security Guard
• OSHA 30 & 40
• Civil Service Preparation 

Small Business Certification

• Entreskills
• Business Advisement, Webinar Business Trainings

SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have traditionally served as a launching pad to community colleges, and SUNY campuses have partnerships with many EOCs to give enrollment and orientation programs. The statewide network of ten EOCs and two Outreach and Counseling Centers include 600 faculty and staff. While SUNY's EOCs are located in large urban areas across New York, SUNY's Online Training Center is accessible across the state.

About The State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. As of Fall 2020, nearly 400,000 students were enrolled at a SUNY campus. In total, SUNY serves about 1.3 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide were more than $1.0 billion in fiscal year 2020, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.