Applications Now Being Accepted for CAP/CU MWL Construction Trades Certificate Mentorship Program

By
Office of the Executive Vice President
September 19, 2011

Corporate Alliance/Columbia University MWL Construction Trades Certificate Mentorship Program

Columbia University Facilities (CUF) is committed to enhancing labor force and contracting opportunities for the minority, women and local (MWL) community. One of the ways in which CUF is working to build the MWL contracting opportunities is through a mentoring program for small and medium-sized MWL construction trade firms.

History

In January 2008, Columbia University and the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) launched the Minority-, Women-, and Locally-owned (MWL) Construction Trades Management Certificate/Mentorship Programto help MWL businesses build capacity and earn contracting opportunities at the University. Program partners included The Columbia-Harlem Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which provides technical services to MWL firms, and Columbia University's School of Continuing Education, which oversees the program's academic portion and administers certificates of completion to mentees after fulfilling their first year.  Since inception of the program, 48% of participating frims were awarded Columbia and City contracts totalling over $32 million.

About the Program

After three successsful years, Columbia and the City expanded the program as part of New York City's new Corporate Alliance Program (CAP). Participants in the Corporate Alliance/Columbia University MWL Construction Trades Certificate Mentorship Program will receive extensive construction management training modeled after Columbia University's Master of Science in Construction Administration program, and will also have access to opportunities with the City and Columbia as well as corporate partners BNY Mellon, Con Edison, Goldman Sachs and National Grid.

Participants will:

  • Attend 36 academic sessions on construction management from January 2012 - June 2013, offered by Columbia University School of Continuing Education.
  • Spend the following six months (July 2013 - December 2013) getting exclusive insight into how to do business with each corporate partner!

In order to be eligible for the program, construction firms must meet the following criteria:

  • Have annual revenues between $100,000 and $5,000,000
  • Be certified as a Minority or Women-owned firm with the City of New York or be a small business with a principal headquarters in the 13 county footprint
  • Be in business a minimum of 2 years

*The business must either be located in the five boroughs of New York City, or in one of the following counties: Nassau, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties in New York, or Bergen, Hudson, or Passaic counties in New Jersey.

How To Apply

To apply for the Corporate Alliance/Columbia University Construction Mentorship Program, please create an account here, then drop down and select "Corporate Alliance/Columbia University Construction Mentorship." Applications are due by November 4, 2011.

More Information

Join us for an Open House Information Session on October 12, 2011, 6:30 pm - 8:30pm to learn more about the program. To register for the Open House, click here and use subject heading "RSVP: CAP/CU Construction Mentorship."

For more information about the Corporate Alliance/Columbia University MWL Construction Trades Certificate Mentorship Program, please e-mail [email protected]. For information on being certified as an MWL business, click here.  

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