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º£½ÇÂÛ̳ embraces its role as an educational resource for the regional workforce. We are developing a variety of new partnerships aimed at helping members of Otsego County and surrounding communities advance in their current careers or gain the skills and certifications to pursue new ones.

Direct Support Professional Microcredential

On March 20, 2024, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $32 million investment to expand the Direct Support Professional (DSP) microcredential program offered by the State University of New York (SUNY) in partnership with the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). One of six SUNY campuses chosen to expand the program, º£½ÇÂÛ̳ was awarded $706,455 in grant funding to provide local workforce training and fill a growing need for specially trained support professionals across our county and region.

Partnering with the area’s largest employers, º£½ÇÂÛ̳ has tailored nationally recognized coursework for the employees at Springbrook, Pathfinder Village and ARC Otsego to earn their DSP 1 microcredential. The funding will offer these students the skills necessary to advance within these local organizations serving people with developmental disabilities.

Program participants will earn certification from the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) through NADSP-accredited microcredentials. The three-tiered credential program includes: DSP-I, DSP-II and DSP-III, as well as Front-Line Supervisor. Grant funding for this initiative will cover tuition, books, course materials, NADSP credentialing for students and educational supports. In addition, the program will offer a $750 incentive to eligible students who successfully complete each microcredential and earn a certification.

º£½ÇÂÛ̳ is also working with ONC BOCES (Otsego Northern Catskill Board of Cooperative Education Services) to design opportunities for high school and adult education students. The students may be able to earn their DSP microcredential and intern at a local partner facility to prepare them for employment.

º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Law Enforcement Academy

The º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Law Enforcement Academy is open to both sworn police officers and civilian students interested in a career in law enforcement.

Courses are taught on campus at the Emergency Services (University Police Department) Building. Designed to serve cadets both pre-employment (Phase I) and employed (Phase II) while earning the Basic Course for Police Officers Certificate, the academy includes:

• Physical training conducted by NCAA coaches in modern athletic facilities
• Water rescue and survival Instruction conducted in an indoor pool.
• Radar/Lidar certification
• Breath Analysis Operator Certification
• Standardized Field Sobriety Testing
• In-depth training in drafting Felony Complaints and Criminal Informations
• In-depth training for responding to mental health emergencies
• In-depth training for preparing statements and depositions

Requirements

• Must by at least 21 years old by the end of the course
• Must be prepared to pass a physical fitness test during the first week to be accepted into the academy

Looking for a jump start by completing curriculum that combines physical training and cognitive preparation? Completing º£½ÇÂÛ̳'s Law Enforcement Academy Preparation Microcredential gives you a competitive edge by preparing you for success in a New York State-Certified Law Enforcement Academy, such as the º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Law Enforcement Academy.