TESTIMONY
Greg Mantsios, Founding Dean of CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, on CUNY's Social Justice Training Corps Program
2:10:33
·
151 sec
Mantsios testifies about CUNY's proposed Social Justice Training Corps program, modeled after ROTC, that aims to prepare students from disadvantaged communities for public service careers. The program involves:
- Taking college courses in high school
- Earning a certificate in community leadership during a bachelor's degree
- Receiving career counseling for public service or social justice advocacy roles
Mantsios suggests solutions to address workforce issues faced by current workers, including:
- Providing points for civil service claims
- Using selected certification exams
- Tying pay increases to educational achievements
Greg Mantsios
2:10:33
We've we've spoken today about the fellowship program that CUNY has at Brings College, graduates to do civil service.
2:10:44
Gloria was referencing a a proposal that we actually have before the city council now.
2:10:48
Called the Social Justice Training Corps.
2:10:51
It's it's modeled after ROTC.
2:10:54
It starts with with high school and prepares students from disadvantaged communities to enter into career paths that would take them through high school where they start to take college courses.
2:11:07
And they go into our program, take their college courses with us, earn a certificate in in community leadership, and pursue that through their bachelor's degree.
2:11:16
We provide them with career counseling that would get them into public service or social justice advocacy work.
2:11:23
It's a great program.
2:11:26
We've had other good ideas here.
2:11:27
I think the the career counseling is a great idea.
2:11:30
I think the work culture survey is a great idea.
2:11:36
The the 2 programs though that involve CUNY, as wonderful as they are, they don't address the fundamental problem that we're talking about here, which is the current workforce.
2:11:48
You know, what are we gonna do for the current workforce to remedy and injustice that that they're that they're carrying still today.
2:11:56
I mean, what do we say to the students who are continuing to tell us?
2:12:00
The workers and our students who continue to tell us, I'm trapped.
2:12:04
I can't get above where I am.
2:12:06
And so I think the the recommendation for providing points until a service claim is a great way to address that issue.
2:12:15
I think authors point about selective service selected certification exams is another great way to address that issue.
2:12:24
The the the point that I made pay increases that are tied to a occasional achievement is another way to address that.
2:12:31
We're talking about people working really hard, are highly motivated as a report says, you want to reward those people.
2:12:39
Work hard and are highly motivated.
2:12:41
When you go to school at the end of a day, after juggling everything else, you you know, all day long and you go to school, that's a sacrifice.
2:12:50
That's showing motivation.
2:12:51
There ought to be a connection.
2:12:53
As there are and so many other professions and jobs between your educational achievement and your pay.
2:13:00
So those are just some of the ideas I think that are worth addressing.
