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Through its collaboration
with the National Cristina Foundation, Unilever, one of
the world's largest consumer products companies, has over
the last few years donated equipment to NCF partners throughout
the United States and now also in Canada. Recently, through
a large donation from a Unilever facility in New Jersey,
NCF was able to place equipment with a number of partners
that are participating in the A+ Certification program
of CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association.
The National Cristina Foundation works closely with CompTIA
as its civic outreach program.
As part of its collaboration
with CompTIA and its JOBS+ Workforce Development Program,
the National Cristina Foundation is directing donated
computer technology to schools and colleges engaged
in A+ Certification training.
Denis Scobbo, Manager of IT Purchasing
for Unilever, stated "It's a sense of accomplishment
on our part, that we are taking what we no longer need
and allowing it to continue to be used to support the
education of others."
Collaborations like this one
with NCF, further enhance the recent Unilever community
relations focus on a Youth and Education platform. The
focus on Youth and Education led Unilever to identify
the importance of developing strong self-esteem, as
it provides the skills and tools necessary to face life's
challenges.
Among the CompTIA member training
sites receiving donated Unilever computer technology
were Monroe County Area Vocational Technical School
(AVTS) in Pennsylvania and Manhattan Community College
in New York City.
Art Young, voc-tech information
technology director at the Monroe County AVTS, oversees
their A+ certification program. In this program, the
training received while repairing or refurbishing donated
equipment builds the skills the students need to pass
certification exams. As an added bonus, the completed,
ready-to-use computers are then distributed to economically
disadvantaged students who need them at home.
Speaking of the donation of these
computers, Art commented, "How important is it
for [studentsl to have a pencil and pad of paper? It's
the fingers, the eyes, the pulse and the whole process.
It's exciting." Terry Cramer, assistant computer
technician, adds, "It's great because some families
out there just can't afford a computer. This gives kids
what they need to stay [competitive] with the rest of
the kids who can type their reports at home."
Manhattan Community College has
similar goals for the computers they have received.
In partnership with CompTIA, the college has designed
a high level computer training program. Donated computers
will be used to assist students from the Upper Manhattan
Empowerment Zone and workers who were dislocated as
a result of the World Trade Center tragedy. David Kohn,
Assistant Director of the College comments, "We
intend to train about 200 students a year just for the
A+ certification training. . . The students will gain
more hands-on experience that is a crucial qualification
in obtaining jobs in the technology workplace."
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