OBT Highlighted in Bushwick Observer

Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (OBT), a non profit organization located at 25 Thornton Street off Broadway which provides training programs, has added a new Adult Education Program to its services.

Completion of the program leads to testing for the GED (General Educational Development) diploma. For those who require it, a Pre-GED program is available to bring students up to GED study levels.

The program also offers English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). ESOL is aimed at people with any level of English proficiency including those with no English skills at all.

Adult Education Program runs approximately 12-weeks sessions. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Monday through Thursday from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Currently, about 135 people are enrolled and OBT is looking forward to raising the enrollment numbers to 200 the adults served per year with this new program.

OBT began with a Youth GED and Employment Program which continues today. This program runs 20 weeks, five days a week from 8:30 am to 4:15 pm., focusing on Office Skills, Business English, and Business Math, recreating a business environment requiring students to clock in and out, and “dress for work.”

Recently, the youth program added a new component which includes a public speaking course. “Speaking to a large audience is known to be a frightening prospect to most people”, said William Ortiz, Site Administrator of OBT Bushwick/Bed-Stuy. “People who just get up and do it,” he said, “gain tremendous confidence. The experience is a great help in any kind of job interview.”

Recognizing the needs of people in the Adult Educational Program, who often come to class straight from work, business attire is not required.

All of the services, including job search services, provided by Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow’s Bushwick/Bed-Stuy location are free of charge. For more information on any of them, call at 718-387-1600.

-Bushwick Observer