The Board of Commissioners for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recently approved extending funding by more than $3.8 million over two years for the Council for Airport Opportunity (CAO).
CAO is a nonprofit organization providing minority and disadvantaged residents with airport-related recruitment and job placement services.
CAO serves residents living near Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy International Airports, and created through a partnership between the port authority, the airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration and the mayors of Newark and New York City.
The organization works with the port authority, the airlines and service companies to develop employment programs and job opportunities. It also recruits applicants and provides them with instruction on job search techniques and interviewing job-readiness counseling, and career orientation.
Last year, CAO made 3,700 referrals. So far, more than 6,000 referrals have been made this year.
These referrals have resulted in more than 2,500 placements.
“Thousands of residents in Queens and New Jersey have successfully found employment with the assistance of CAO,” Port Authority Vice Chairman Jeff Lynford said. “This program provides job training and work experience to residents living near our airports, and equips them with the skills they need to pursue an aviation career.”