May 29,1998
Contact: Stephanie Boyd
619) 594-8761 or (619) 594-8762
Congressman Randy Cunningham Secures New $7.5M Grant To Retrain Hundreds Of Displaced Defense Workers Now On Wait List
SAN DIEGO, May 29, 1998 -- Continuing into its fourth year, San Diego State University Defense Conversion Center today announced that Congressman Randy Cunningham secured a new $7.5 million grant from the Department of Defense (DoD). The grant will provide retraining for displaced professional workers impacted by cutbacks in the defense industry. The new infusion offunds will allow an additional 700 qualified candidates, now on a waiting list, to obtain advanced degrees and certificate programs from the Center.
The announcement was made during the SDSU Defense Conversion Center'sgraduation ceremonies today by Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham. Cunningham has been instrumental in securing appropriations for the Center's programs. "The SDSU Defense Conversion Center helps ensure that the men and women who lost their jobs because of defense cutbacks can move forward with new careers, new hope and greater opportunities," said Rep. Cunningham. "I strongly support the Center and wish all the best to the students who are graduating today."
The program has been very successful in retraining and placing its students. "The program is the most successful of its kind in the nation with an 80 percent job placement rate for its graduates," said Harry R. Albers, general manager of the SDSU Foundation, which administers the Center.
Some 174 graduates, the largest class to date, and their families attended the graduation representing a variety of professional fields in today's marketplace: software engineering; health data and information management; concurrent design and manufacturing engineering; telecommunications; and multimedia design and management.
Each program is streamlined to fast-track students through the program from six to nine months and results in a certificate from SDSU. Courses are scheduled to begin as early as late June. Those interested in registering may call (619) 594-4922 or visit the website at www.foundation.sdsu.edu (Click on Defense Conversion Center.)
The SDSU Defense Conversion Center is a non-profit organization that provides retraining, training and job search assistance to unemployed and underemployed displaced professional workers.