Welcome to Work in Progress!

We're bringing you a list of worker education opportunities. Every class featured in this newsletter is free, based in NYC, and offered directly through CWE or a trusted union or community partner.

This month we have a ton of free classes, from construction, to healthcare, to community organizing! We also have some worker news and an opportunity to take action for NYC union workers.

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Before we get to the classes, we have some news and action items for NYC workers:

IFPTE Local 98 rallies alongside elected officials and advocates to keep the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in NYC.

Workers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' New York City office, represented by IFPTE Local 98, are pushing back against a plan to relocate to New Jersey by the end of the year. Nearly half of surveyed NYC staff say they'd leave the agency if the move goes through, a loss of expertise that would put flood protection, emergency response, and critical infrastructure work at risk for the entire region. The NYC Central Labor Council is calling on the Army to halt the relocation. CWE is proud to stand with these workers. Add your name to the petition today!

Staff with the Bronx Defenders go on strike

From AMNY: "The line of Bronx staff, joined by other members of their parent union, The Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys UAW Local 2325, stretched around the block, with chants and signs that targeted management. When Bronx Defenders Union members voted to authorize a strike, members blamed management’s economic proposal around non-attorney roles, such as investigators, advocates and administrators, as a major part of the stalemate in negotiations."

Mamdani appoints antitrust crusader Lina Khan as chair of NYC economic development agency

From Gothamist: "During a press conference at City Hall, Mamdani hailed Khan as a champion for working people and small businesses. He said that as the chair of his mayoral transition team, Khan had 'helped to craft an agenda that put working New Yorkers at the heart of our first 100 days.' The chair position is unpaid. Khan’s appointment — which comes seven months after Mamdani entered office — amounts to a shakeup for the agency. The board must approve the EDC’s projects and deals, which have included Hudson Yards, High Line, the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island and the city’s ferry system."

Now, here are the free worker classes happening soon in NYC:

First Step

Coalition for the Homeless | 129 Fulton St., Manhattan

This 14-week, holistic job training program serves unhoused and low-income women pursuing careers in Human Services, building computer proficiency, soft skills, and career advancement skills like networking, interviewing, and resume writing.

Dates: Tue., Sept. 8 – Fri., Dec. 11, 2026 Schedule: Mon.–Fri., 9:30 AM–3:30 PM Eligible: Women 18+, work authorized, basic English proficiency Apply: Call 212-776-2074

Organizing for Everyone

Astoria Worker Project (Consortium for Worker Education) | Astoria, Queens

This 8-week course covers the theory and practice of community organizing; students select a real-life organizing project and apply their new skills to their own cause.

Dates: Mon., Aug. 3 – Mon., Sept. 28, 2026 Schedule: Mondays, 6:00–8:30 PM Eligible: Open to anyone who volunteers or organizes in their community Apply: bit.ly/astoriaorganizers

Certified Nurse Assistant Program (CNA)

Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow | 882 3rd Ave., 10th Fl., Brooklyn

This NYS-approved CNA training program, offered in partnership with Kingsborough Community College, includes classroom instruction, hands-on skills labs, supervised clinical experience, and BLS/CPR certification, preparing participants to sit for the NYS CNA Certification Exam.

Dates: Starts Tue., Sept. 8, 2026; runs 3 months Schedule: Mon.–Fri., 9:00 AM–3:00 PM Eligible: Ages 18–24, HS diploma or GED, living in any of the 5 boroughs Apply: obtjobs.org/registration-page by Sept. 22

BuildingWorks Pre-Apprenticeship Training

NYC District Council of Carpenters Training Center | 395 Hudson St., Manhattan

This 4-week pre-apprenticeship training prepares participants for the carpenters apprenticeship program, including site safety training.

Dates: Mon., Aug. 10 – Fri., Sept. 4, 2026 Schedule: Mon.–Fri., 7:00 AM–3:00 PM Eligible: 17+, HS diploma or equivalent, must pass a drug screen Apply: nyccarpenterstrainingcenter.org/buildingworks-application by Aug. 3, 12:00 PM
Must upload HS diploma or GED with the online application.

HOPEworks

The HOPE Program | 1 Smith St., Brooklyn

This free 10-week, full-time program trains New Yorkers for careers in general industry, horticulture, green construction, and building operations and maintenance, with job placement support, a weekly stipend, and wraparound services.

Dates: Rolling; 20 cohorts run throughout the year Schedule: Mon.–Fri., 10:00 AM–4:00 PM Eligible: 18+, work authorized; no HS diploma required; criminal legal history and substance use history not disqualifying Apply: Register for an info session here (virtual Tue. & Thu. at 1:00 PM; in-person Wed. at 1:00 PM, Brooklyn and Bronx)

CoolRoofs

The HOPE Program | 1 Smith St., Brooklyn

This program offers 10 weeks of full-time paid work experience installing reflective rooftops at a starting wage of $17/hour, with free OSHA-30, Site Safety, 4-Hour Flagger, and 4-Hour Scaffold User certifications included.

Dates: Mon., Aug. 24 – Fri., Oct. 30, 2026 Schedule: Mon.–Fri., 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Eligible: 18+, NYC resident, work authorized, unemployed or earning under $50,000, able to perform manual labor Apply: Register for an info session here by Aug. 7

Construct Forward

Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow | 882 3rd Ave., 10th Fl., Brooklyn

This NYSDOL-certified pre-apprenticeship program, offered in partnership with Kingsborough Community College, provides OSHA-30 and site safety certification along with hands-on training in carpentry, electrical work, and renewable energy, plus paid internship opportunities.

Dates: Starts Tue., Sept. 8, 2026; runs 3 months Schedule: Mon.–Fri., 9:00 AM–3:00 PM Eligible: NYC resident, ages 18–30, HS diploma or GED Apply here by Sept. 22

Environmental Remediation Technician Training

St. Nicks Alliance | 92 Throop Ave., Brooklyn

This free 7-week training provides hands-on skills and certifications for a career in environmental remediation, along with employment assistance.

Dates: Mon., Aug. 24 – Wed., Sept. 30, 2026 Schedule: Mon.–Fri., 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Eligible: NYC resident, 18+, work authorized, fluent in English, must pass a 7th-grade TABE test Apply: Attend an in-person info session, Wednesdays at 1:00 PM, 92 Throop Ave., Brooklyn, by Aug. 19

English as a Second Language (ESOL)

Workers United Education Program (Consortium for Worker Education) | 83 Maiden Ln., New York

Free ESOL classes for beginner and intermediate levels, offered online via Zoom on weekday evenings and in-person on Saturdays.

Dates: Aug. 17 – Dec. 23, 2026 (start dates vary by level) Schedule: Weekday evenings, 5:30–9:00 PM; Saturdays, 10:00 AM–4:30 PM (times vary by level) Eligible: 21+, must live or work in NYC Apply: Email your name and phone number to Vickie Leung at vleung@cwe.org

GED Preparation

Workers United Education Program (Consortium for Worker Education) | 83 Maiden Ln., New York

Free GED preparation classes offered in English and Spanish.

Dates: English: Aug. 31 – Dec. 23, 2026; Spanish: Oct. 6 – Dec. 22, 2026 Schedule: English: Mon., Wed. & Thu., 10:00 AM–1:00 PM or Mon., Tue. & Wed., 5:30–8:30 PM; Spanish: Tue. & Thu., 6:00–9:00 PM Eligible: 21+, must live or work in NYC Apply: Email your name and phone number to Vickie Leung at vleung@cwe.org