Essex County College Gets Bloomberg Terminals
New Business Technology Now available for Students and Faculty
The Bloomberg Terminal is a modern icon of financial markets and used by more than 325,000 of the world’s most influential decision makers. Now, Essex County College has full access to the same real-time financial market data as do the top business and financial industry experts. Through the Federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), ECC recently received the funding required to add two Bloomberg Terminal software packages in the College’s Faculty Technology Resource Center. The Bloomberg Terminal software is available to faculty in the Division of Business and students enrolled in the division’s eligible CTE programs. Essex is one of four New Jersey community colleges to have Bloomberg Terminal access on campus.
Entrepreneur, Mchael R. Bloomberg, who later became mayor of New York City serving three terms founded Bloomberg LP in 1981. The Bloomberg Terminal software provides real-time and historical data, market moving news, and analytics to help leading business and financial professionals worldwide make more informed investment decisions. The solution also trading functionality for every asset class, research and a global network to communicate securely and reliably. “Having Bloomberg Terminal software on campus is a major selling point for our College,” said Professor Germaine Albuquerque, acting chair of the Division of Business. “The who’s who of the financial world use it and that’s very significant for our college.”
Required by the college to use the system,, Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certification takes 10 to 15 hours. Essex County College’s Bloomberg Terminal subscriptions will enable students to become familiar with tools used in financial services, and reinforce classroom theory, while faculty can use it to further their own research.
According to Chair Albuquerque, securing Bloomberg Terminal subscriptions has been in the works for several years. “It’s really the brainchild of Professor Alexandre. Then Professor Raquel Pernia, coordinator of the college’s Accounting program, was instrumental in putting the proposal together last year for grant submission. This was a true team effort,” added Chair Albuquerque. “The software is ideal across the business spectrum, including Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain Management and Marketing.
“I applaud the hard work of everyone in the Business Division in securing Bloomberg Terminals. Students will see how the certification and the many applications available to them provide huge career boosts,” said ECC President Dr. Augustine Boakye.
ECC student Tonhon Haba, a Business Administration major, has already started on her BMC certification. “I will be using the data for my school work and in my career. There’s just so much information available now,” she said. Tonhon, a Newark resident, is interested in a finance career and believes being BMC certified means she can enhance her resume.
Fellow student Mina Michael, a Business Administration major from Bayonne, said he likes the real-time data he has at his fingertips. “This is something that has always interested me and being BMC certified will definitely help me going forward into the business world.”
“The next five months will be a good learning curve for us as we look to expand the availability of the program,” said Chair Albuquerque. Looking to expand ECC’s Bloomberg Terminals soon, Professor Alexandre said, “I would like all our Business students to become certified on the Bloomberg Terminal.”
