Mellow, president of LaGuardia, and on the far right, Amy Tsui Luke,managing director of Accenture and executive director of the scholarship program.
LaGuardia Community College and Accenture celebrated the first graduating class from the Accenture Skills to Bookkeeping Scholarship Program. The program provides English language instruction and training in a top accounting software package to low income, non-native English speakers who have experience in bookkeeping or accounting in their home countries.
Twenty-one students from Albania, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Morocco, Paraguay, Poland, Romania,
Russia and Uzbekistan participated in the inaugural session of this
collaborative workforce initiative, which was launched in October.
The program is part of Accenture’s corporate citizenship initiative,
, which plans to equip 500,000 people around the world by 2015 with the
skills to get a job or build a business. Students received a $760
scholarship for the 10-week program, which included 56 hours of training
in foremost accounting software QuickBooks and 17 hours of English as a
Second Language (ESL) instruction.
“With improved English skills and up to date accounting and
bookkeeping skills, these graduates, who come from around the globe and
enjoyed successful careers in their native countries, have a much
greater chance of beginning meaningful careers here and contributing to
the local economy,” Dr. Gail O. Mellow, president of LaGuardia, said
to the audience that attended the January 10th event. “LaGuardia’s
ESL and training expertise combined with Accenture’s commitment to
skills training make for a great team. We hope that many more students
will benefit from this innovative program.”
In her remarks, Amy Tsui Luke, managing director of Accenture and
executive director of the scholarship program, echoed the sentiment.
“Accenture and LaGuardia share a commitment to providing people
with the skills to find employment and to make a significant, lasting
impact on the long-term vitality of immigrant job seekers and their
families,” she said. “Through initiatives like the Skills to
Bookkeeping Scholarship Program, Accenture is actively involved in
making a substantive, meaningful and sustainable difference in the lives
of individuals, families and communities around the world and right here
in New York City.”
The language classes centered around concepts in accounting and
bookkeeping that allowed students to make a practical connection between
the academics of learning English and the hands-on training portion of
the course. Support services, such as resume and job search skills
development, were also offered. And as part of the course, students
participated in a networking event with Accenture employees, who
volunteered their time and advice. With the ultimate goal of employment,
the college will continue to work with students after graduation on job
placement.
Speaking on behalf of his classmates, Freddy Aguilar, an experienced
account manager from Ecuador, thanked LaGuardia, Accenture and the
instructors for helping them learn the bookkeeping software, enhance
their vocabulary and sharpen their job skills.
“Our class was full of accomplished professionals in finance and
accounting from different countries, but we needed that extra help to
get our careers on track in our new home,” he said. “We are so
fortunate this program exists, because most of the time this is all it
takes to push somebody to the next level. This program gave us the
opportunity to obtain a certification that will help us get a better job
in our field.”
He also added a personal note. “This program has backed up all my
years of experience interpreting financial statements and making
decisions based on accountant reports,” he said. “Without this
incredible partnership between Accenture and LaGuardia, this would have
been much more difficult to achieve.”
“The program opened up new possibilities for me as well as for my
classmates,” said Ewelina Bakaj, who holds a Master’s in Economics
from Poland and is a former accounting manager/bookkeeper with
experience managing a large staff. “All the classes were organized and
understandable. I improved my English, have a great resume and gained
self-confidence. And the most important thing is I learned
QuickBooks.”
Trilingual Marilin M. Santacruz Rodriguez, an experienced auditor from
Paraguay with a dual Bachelor’s in Accounting and Administrative
Sciences as well as in Business, said the program not only gave her
training in QuickBooks, it has also encouraged her to continue her
education by striving to earn a bachelor’s degree in the U.S.
About LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, was
founded in 1971 as a bold experiment in opening the doors of higher
education to all, and we proudly carry forward that legacy today.
LaGuardia educates students through over 50 degree, certificate and
continuing education programs, providing an inspiring place for students
to achieve their dreams. Upon graduation, LaGuardia students’ lives
are transformed as family income increases 17%, and students transfer to
four-year colleges at three times the national average. Part of the City
University of New York (CUNY), LaGuardia is a nationally recognized
leader among community colleges for boundary-breaking success educating
underserved students. At LaGuardia we imagine new ideas, create new
curriculum and pioneer programs to make our community and our country
stronger. Visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.