SUNY Schenectady has opened a free computer lab inside its downtown Schenectady Outreach Center, giving students and the public access to 24 workstations, high-speed internet and an interactive ViewBoard at no cost. The lab sits at 201 State St. and is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., offering an independent workspace for job applications, studying and program paperwork to anyone registered with the outreach center.
The college christened the space at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 20, according to The Daily Gazette. College officials said the lab aims to bridge the digital literacy gap in the community, and Jaimee King, executive director of the Schenectady Outreach Center, described it as an on-ramp for people who aren't yet college-ready or who need help building basic digital readiness.
A Statewide Network Rooted in Schenectady
The new lab is one of 33 statewide SUNY ATTAIN labs, per the outlet's reporting. SUNY's Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking program has helped New Yorkers learn basic computer skills since 2001, according to the SUNY University Center for Academic and Workforce Development, which describes ATTAIN services as free to participants and built around digital-literacy support, short training courses, and educational and vocational programs delivered through labs in communities across the state.
Linda Wicks has been named ATTAIN Lab coordinator, a role formalized in a resolution on SUNY Schenectady's Aug. 17 Board of Trustees meeting agenda. Per King, Wicks will support lab users with technology questions, digital-literacy coursework, career-exploration tools and employment and education certifications, and she'll also lead group workshops aimed at building or sharpening skills in Microsoft Excel and Intuit QuickBooks. The lab additionally offers Rosetta Stone training in more than 20 languages, and outreach center staff are on hand to help users with questions, King said.
Expansion Fits a Broader Pattern
King said the ATTAIN lab will expand offerings to the broader community and strengthen local workforce pathways. Susan Flynn said the lab gives baby boomers a chance to learn computer skills and adapt to technology. The emphasis on practical, career-linked training mirrors what's happening elsewhere in the SUNY system: at Mohawk Valley Community College, which was selected to host a new ATTAIN lab in Utica, programming is increasingly tied to industry-recognized certifications such as Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft Certified Fundamentals and IC3 Digital Literacy. MVCC's planned lab, slated to open in the Academic Building at its Utica campus, will likewise provide free computers, high-speed internet, Wi-Fi-enabled technology and virtual study resources.
A Relocated Hub With More Than a Computer Lab
The Schenectady Outreach Center relocated from the college's Center City space to its current location earlier this year, moving into the Kindl Building at 201 State St. in spring 2026. The center is housed on the ground floor of the building, which was donated to the college in 2009. The renovated Kindl space includes more than the computer lab: a soon-to-be-completed testing center, case-management meeting spaces, and an expanded pantry.
That pantry, which economically disadvantaged individuals pursuing education or workforce placement can access once a month, offers toiletries, cleaning essentials, laundry soap and laundromat voucher cards. The outreach center's expansion also coincides with the 60th anniversary of SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers, which SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said have provided community pathways to upward mobility for six decades.
The Gazette News Group's reporting on the lab was funded by donations to its Community Journalism Fund, established in 2025. The article was written by Miles J. Reed, a senior editor overseeing the fund's initiative.
