Educational Opportunity Center opens new location
Hudson Valley’s affiliated Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) opened a new location in Troy on Monday, Jan. 13.
The new 50,000-square-foot space on River Street provides students in the program with an updated facility to meet their needs.
“The Educational Opportunity Center was founded in 1966,” said Katie Bradley, coordinator at the EOC.
“Since then we’ve been able to provide academic and vocational training for thousands of Capital Region residents,” said Bradley.
The EOC is a SUNY program designed to provide accessible education for people who are seeking advancement, but may not be able to afford college or need extra academic preparation.
There are 10 centers across New York State, each of which are affiliated with a local SUNY college. Centers in Troy and Albany are both divisions of Hudson Valley.
Students that meet the income and academic criteria can enroll at the EOC for free and receive academic enrichment or enter a vocational training program including cosmetology, building trades, welding, culinary arts and nursing assistance.
900 to 1,000 students a year take advantage of these flexible programs.
Each vocational program combines classroom learning with lab work.
A full professional salon is available for cosmetology students, which gives them a real world environment to prepare for a NYS license.
For the building trades program, the facility has a workshop with machinery and tools for woodworking. The students are currently working on building a bathroom.The EOC has a relationship with Hudson Valley’s construction trades department for students who wish to continue their education.
18 welding booths provide ample space for students to hone their craft. The welding program gives students the opportunity to become certified by the Department of Transportation and the American Welding Society.
Every Tuesday and Thursday a full lunch for students is made by those in the culinary program who work out of a full size professional kitchen.
Finally, students in the nursing assistance program work toward certification in a large classroom that mimics the environment of a hospital with adjustable beds and other tools to help build experience. These students either continue the nursing program at Hudson Valley or enter the workforce.
Beyond vocational training, the EOC helps students progress in academics. They provide preparation for the High School Equivalency exam, formerly know as the GED, and offer a wide range of counseling and personal tutoring.
A SUNY ATTAIN computer lab provides training and certification in computer skills, such as Microsoft office.
Rachel Mullen and Lindsey Duers, both graduates of the cosmetology program, have high praise for the work of the EOC.
Duers said, “It’s phenomenal. I didn’t have the money to do anything else, so this was a miracle.”
“My life has changed,” said Mullen.
Mullen had been working at Pizza Hut before deciding that she wanted a career to better provide for her daughter. After completing the cosmetology program, she was able to get a job as a hairstylist.