Council for Airport Opportunity (CAO) - New York Career Center

The Council for Airport Opportunity (CAO) was created in 1972 as a nonprofit trade association in collaboration with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Mayor’s Offices of the City of Newark, and the City of New York, the Federal Aviation Administration, and airline partner companies.

The mission of CAO is to detect and address the critical employment needs of the communities that surround New York and New Jersey metropolitan airports, while also responding to the hiring needs of airport tenants, businesses and employers in the aviation industry, and community partner organizations. Through the support of the Port Authority of NY/NJ and CAO’s airline partners, CAO services are completely free to all job seekers, and there is no fee required for employers seeking recruitment services.

The range of services offered by the CAO includes job training programs for unemployed individuals, hosting the Senior Community Service Employment to train mature workers, customer service training for job seekers, hospitality and food handling training to over 10,000 residents of the communities that surround metropolitan airports. The CAO New Jersey is certified to operate an Online Performance Assessment Test Center, in addition to a seasonal temporary staffing entity called Academy Staffers.

The Council for Airport Opportunity places over 1,600 people per year in a variety of positions including Customer Service Representatives, flight attendants, baggage handlers, sales associates, restaurant managers, drivers, maintenance, and security guards. In addition to job placement services, by registering with CAO, job seekers also have access to career counseling, professional development, and networking opportunities.

The Council provides employer partners with customized recruitment events and access to a diverse and qualified pool of applicants by utilizing an extensive database of candidates who are pre-screened prior to sending the most qualified individuals to an interview based on an employer’s talent acquisition needs. CAO can also assist in securing a low or no cost space at airports or nearby locations for workshops, recruitment interviews new hire training. CAO is easily accessible with offices in downtown Jamaica, Corona, Far Rockaway, New York, and Newark, New Jersey.