New York, NY – [October 31, 2024] – Civic Hall proudly marks the one-year anniversary of its newly named Bernard Goldstein Center at Union Square, a groundbreaking hub for innovation, digital skills training, and civic engagement. Since its opening, Civic Hall has welcomed more than 35,000 visitors who have participated in events, training sessions, job fairs, demo nights, and tech meetups designed to bridge the gap between underserved New Yorkers and high-growth tech sector opportunities.
Founded to break down employment barriers within the tech and innovation industry, Civic Hall’s inaugural year has seen 1,050 individuals enroll in digital skills or tech training programs offered by Civic Hall’s distinguished training providers, who offer courses in high-demand fields such as data analytics, IT networking, digital marketing, building automation, coding, and cybersecurity. These programs have achieved an impressive 80% completion rate, reflecting Civic Hall’s commitment to equipping individuals with relevant, marketable skills in New York City’s dynamic tech sector.
“Our first year has set a strong foundation for what we envision as a transformative model to drive innovation and economic opportunity,” said Christine McMahon, President and CEO of The Fedcap Group, the parent organization of Civic Hall. “Civic Hall’s Bernard Goldstein Center at Union Square not only empowers individuals from all backgrounds to develop essential tech skills but also serves as a blueprint as we establish Civic Halls across the country and internationally, bringing this unique model of opportunity and inclusion to new communities.”
Over the past year, Civic Hall hosted more than 150 events driving tech innovation, supporting the local community, and helping connect people to jobs.
Civic Hall – The Bernard Goldstein Center has also hosted a wide range of events in emerging fields like AI, EdTech, robotics, and disability tech, promoting innovation and sparking important dialogues within these sectors. Civic Hall also hosted a number of foreign nations and organizations to drive new global tech partnerships in New York City, including Israel, Taiwan, Spain, Italy, and Germany.
To further strengthen employment pathways, the Center held nine job fairs attended by over 450 participants, along with 44 free community events that drew more than 2,050 people from across New York City.
“The first year of Civic Hall served thousands of New Yorkers through workforce development programs, global tech events, and career fairs - setting a remarkable standard for innovative development of the city’s tech ecosystem,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “NYCEDC congratulates Civic Hall on this milestone and looks forward to our continued work fostering equitable economic opportunity and further positioning New York City as a leader in tech and innovation.”
“Civic Hall has set a genuine example of how community-focused tech and innovation can empower people, create real pathways to success, and drive new ideas,” said Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. “I completely support a space that’s not only advancing fairness and tech equity in New York City but also setting a precedent for communities everywhere seeking to build technology for everyone.”
To commemorate its highly successful first year, Civic Hall will host a celebratory NY Tech Alliance Meet Up on November 20th from 6pm-9pm, spotlighting Civic Hall’s vibrant community and showcasing its members’ work. The event will conclude with an open reception.
“Civic Hall’s The Bernard Goldstein Center has quickly become a cornerstone for tech and innovation in New York City and beyond, making strides in workforce equity and community engagement,” said Jim Malatras, Chief Strategy Officer & Senior VP for Education at The Fedcap Group and Managing Director of Civic Hall. “Our mission is to break the down digital divide and create lasting, impactful change, and this past year has shown us how achievable that vision is. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Civic Hall team for their hard work in bringing this vision to life.”
Ranked as the world’s second-largest tech ecosystem, New York City is home to over 25,000 tech-enabled startups, supported by a dynamic network of 100 accelerators and incubators. The city’s tech sector employs over 360,000 people, having expanded by over 30% in the past decade. Civic Hall’s Bernard Goldstein Center plays an essential role in this innovation economy, ensuring that all communities have access to opportunities and can thrive in the tech sector.
“Civic Hall was founded to create a new model for connecting empathetic technologists working to drive innovation for the public good with underserved and underestimated populations in a space designed for learning and collaboration,” said Andrew Rasiej, Founder of Civic Hall. At the Bernard Goldstein Center we’ve established a place where synergies in tech and ideas come together, fostering an environment where people can build skills, connect, and develop solutions that benefit communities. Our goal is to make New York City a shining example of inclusive, purpose-driven tech, setting a standard for others to follow.”
About Civic Hall
In partnership with the City of New York, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, developer RAL, local elected officials, and community partners, The Fedcap Group opened Civic Hall’s Union Square location in November 2023.
Civic Hall’s Bernard Goldstein Center at Union Square is a collaborative innovation center that brings together civic-minded technologists, social entrepreneurs, government officials, and community leaders to develop technology solutions for the public good. Located in Union Square—the heart of New York City’s burgeoning tech sector, Civic Hall fosters a vibrant ecosystem of knowledge sharing and cooperative action. Civic Hall’s mission is to support and enable best-in-class programs that help close the digital skills divide and plan for the needs of tomorrow’s workforce. Civic Hall facilitates groundbreaking partnerships among high-impact organizations, civic and social innovators, workforce training partners, and New York’s employer ecosystem to work collectively to meet the educational and professional needs of all New Yorkers, especially those from communities too often left behind. Civic Hall also serves as a tech incubator and accelerator, support network for profit and nonprofit organizations and start-ups, and place to spur new innovations and ideas. For more information about membership, training, and event opportunities please visit civichall.org.
Contact:
Josh Vlasto, josh@joshvlasto.com
