Hudson Technical

HCST offers classes for companies

By JENNIFER KIM
SW STAFF WRITER

Jersey City’s Hudson County School of Technology— HCST — has seen a new wave of students from Secaucus based company Hartz Mountain Industries.

Hartz Mountain recently took advantage of one particularly useful aspect of HCST’s curriculum — customized post-secondary training programs.

District Director of Post Secondary Education Tom Soriero said these programs are practical and useful to adults who have been out of school for several years as well as various businesses.

The expectation for employees taking these programs is to give them an edge from the competition, making them more valuable within and outside the workplace.
The 16-week training program involved basic math, retention and concentration skills for the 15 Hartz Mountain employees. The program was taught at the HCST Jersey City Center and taught by Philip Pagnotta.

Superintendent Frank Gargiulo said Hartz Mountain's customized training program was a great example of exactly what they set out to do at HCST, while adher ing to the basics of traditional schools and continuing adult education.

“Post Secondary classes like this one give working people access to the education they might have missed out on in the past, making them more productive for their employer and bettering their lives. It is really a win-win for everyone involved,” said Gargiulo.

All 15 employees that participated graduated and will return to HCST in September for a class in Microsoft Office proficiency.

“These men and women took to the material immediately, and their performance in the class was very impressive," said Soriero.

Customized classes in any number of fields are available to businesses in the area. According to Soriero, they offer courses anywhere from plumbing to cosmetology. “It all depends on what the company is looking; it’s up to them, really. All our courses
are taught by vocational certified instructors, who have at  least a minimum of three years in the field, said Soriero. “It’s a great opportunity.”
For more information, contact Soriero at 201-662-6791 or visit them online atwww.hcstonline.org