In central Manhattan, a block away from the subway, Penn Station, and the Empire State Building, is Noble Desktop’s private career training center, where more than 50,000 students have begun their careers.
It’s one of the few career schools in NYC that offers live online and in-person courses. It’s also one of the only 400 “licensed” private career schools in New York.
Noble Desktop stands tall because of its license, unlike many career and trade schools, which shut down due to fraudulent activities, leaving students with worthless certificates.
The State License is more than a credential; it’s a sign of quality education and real career opportunities. And to understand why this licensing matters (a lot), let’s understand what happens without it.
The Dangers of Unlicensed Schools
In 2011, seven former employees of Harris School of Business filed a lawsuit against them and their parent company, Premier Education Group, accusing them of defrauding students. The for-profit trade school was enrolling them in expensive programs that didn’t deliver the promised skills training or jobs.
They even accepted students with criminal backgrounds and disabilities just to get their federal aid.
While charging more than $10,000 for programs lasting less than a year, school officials routinely misled students about their career prospects and falsified records to enroll them and keep them enrolled, so that government grant and loan dollars would keep flowing. – Forbes
In another case, Philip Xavier Training Center, another medical trade school in Manhattan, hired unlicensed teachers who taught students how to run dialysis machines and read EKG results in courses that were never approved by the state.
In both cases, the students and regulations weren’t a priority. Such schools were known to target low-income, immigrant students who were more likely to get federal aid, only to lure them, take their aid, and leave them in debt, without offering anything.
Private, unlicensed schools usually have:
- No Tuition Reimbursement Access: Unlicensed school students cannot access New York’s Tuition Reimbursement Account (TRA) if the school closes or fails to deliver promised services.
- No State Oversight: Unlicensed schools operate without state monitoring of their financial stability or educational quality.
- No Records Protection: If an unlicensed school closes, students have no guaranteed way to retrieve their educational records.
- No Formal Complaint Process: Students at unlicensed schools lack access to the state’s formal complaint and resolution procedures.
Based on accusations over the years, it’s safe to say that such schools aim for profitability over education. Harris School of Business had collected $112 million only from 2011-2012.
Today, 13 years later, it’s easier to confirm a school’s credibility with Google Reviews or Reddit. But if it’s that easy to confirm credibility, does a license matter? Yes.
Securing a license by the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) doesn’t just affirm a school’s validity; it highlights its commitment to quality education and your future. Noble Desktop is one of the few schools that is keeping up with both state requirements and the industry’s needs.
What started as a desktop publishing studio, teaching evening classes on a single computer monitor, is now a state-of-the-art training center in Midtown Manhattan. Its alumni reviews, premium programs, and reputation are the result of its education standards, instructors, and indirectly (and largely), its New York State License.
What Goes into Getting Licensed?
According to the New York State Education Department, licensed schools offer:
- Employer-recognized job training with state-approved curriculum and equipment reviewed by field experts
- Qualified staff, including state-licensed directors, instructors, and agents
- Student protections through regulated admission requirements, enrollment agreements, refund policies, and tuition reimbursement provisions
- Safe, compliant facilities meeting all state and local building, fire, and health codes
Before the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS) handed Noble Desktop its two-year license, it inspected the facility, ensured the curriculum and catalog were well-versed, checked for financial and ethical policies, and verified whether the instructors were thoroughly trained.
The renewal process (every four years) is the same. Noble Desktop also welcomes surprise visits and audits from the BPSS. This translates to the learning sophistication, high-value education, and success of thousands of students.
Training that Matches the Course and License Values
If you go through the reviews of any Noble Desktop course, at least one student would’ve praised the instructor for being “helpful”, “knowledgeable”, even “funny”.
Even Reddit users point out how proficient they are. Mourad Kattan, the CEO, believes this is a result of their rich experience in their respective fields and the training they received while getting licensed.
Noble Desktop instructors are approved by the New York State Department of Education based on their professional experience. Working knowledge of their fields is crucial to lead a class.
While students rave about their professional knowledge, they also point out how the instructors are friendly, composed, and energetic.
The positive reviews are also the result of the 30 hours (for provisional license) plus 60 hours (for permanent license) training they undergo during the licensure. It helps them learn the best education practices to engage students. And it builds their ability to conduct one-on-one mentorship sessions that bring students closer to getting hired.
Noble Desktop also conducts rigorous instructor training that aligns with specific course specializations. As opposed to unlicensed teachers, licensed ones understand how to make students retain information in class and deal with their hiring hurdles beyond the classes.
Intensive, Portfolio-Driven Syllabus
The instructors’ rich experience and the licensing training are the reasons for Noble Desktop’s well-rounded, sharp, and practical curricula.
The curriculum is licensed, too. Here’s how it works: Noble Desktop submits it to the NYSED, makes the edits according to their standards, and adds it to the catalog. If the NYSED needs multiple reworks, the school does it.
The best part about this standard, premium curriculum? A sophisticated personal portfolio that employers would like to see.
The aim of the curriculum is to teach industry skills instead of theoretical knowledge. Noble Desktop helps beginners and professionals practice principles and create a portfolio that impresses hiring managers.
Design jobs are typically portfolio-driven. Employers will want to see your body of work before hiring you. The goal of the Graphic Design Certificate is to give you the knowledge to build a portfolio and then use that to start a career. Like our other certificates, it is focused on job-oriented skills. – Dan Rodney, Director of Graphic Design at Noble Desktop
It’s not just the portfolio creation that stands out; it’s also the clean, clear, and extensive structure that makes the curriculum easy to follow. For instance, when you sign up for the Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate, here’s what the 126-hour syllabus looks like:
Add to that the proprietary material like workbooks, class recordings, and the interactive learning format, and you have a holistic program that can make you a valuable hire.
This investment in teaching methodology reflects in student outcomes—an average of 4.9 out of 5 rating across courses, and graduates landing positions at JPMorgan Chase, IBM, Samsung, and Princeton University Press.
High-demand industries
Noble Desktop’s award-winning certificate programs (minimum 72 hours) offer licensed certificates that highlight the number of hours you’ve put in.
These licensed certificate programs span across competitive and in-demand sectors such as software development, data, design, marketing, business, and cybersecurity.
Web Development & Software Engineering
These programs will prepare you for a career in building, designing, and maintaining websites and software applications, covering both front-end and back-end technologies, programming languages, and industry-standard development tools.
- Full Stack Web Development Certificate (awarded Best Full-Stack Developer Bootcamp by Forbes and one of the Best Affordable Coding Bootcamps by BestColleges)
- Front-End Web Development Certificate (awarded Best Beginner Front-End Development Bootcamp by Forbes)
- Software Engineering Certificate (named one of the Best Coding Bootcamps by Time Out)
- JavaScript Development Certificate (named one of the Best JavaScript Bootcamps by Forbes)
- Python Developer Certificate (awarded Best Python Bootcamp by Forbes)
Data Science & Analytics
Data science and analytics, especially when integrated with AI and machine learning, are booming industries (growing 36% every year). Noble Desktop’s certifications meet recent industry requirements with best-in-class curricula.
- Data Science & AI Certificate (named one of the Best Online Data Science Bootcamps by Forbes)
- Data Analytics Certificate
- FinTech Bootcamp (awarded Best FinTech Bootcamp by Forbes Advisor)
- Business Analyst Certificate
Design & Creative Arts
Apart from fundamental graphic design, Noble Desktop also offers certifications in UX & UI design, motion graphics, digital design, and more. The curriculum is more research and portfolio-based.
- Graphic Design Certificate (named one of the Top Graphic Design Certificates by Time Out)
- Digital Design Certificate (named one of the Best Certificates for Digital Design in 2024 by Forbes)
- UX & UI Design Certificate (awarded Best UX/UI bootcamp by Fortune)
- Motion Graphics Certificate
- Video Editing Certificate (named one of the Top Video Editing Certificates by Time Out)
- CAD/BIM Certificate
Digital Marketing & Business
Marketing and business are industries that are growing at more than 10% every year. Noble Desktop has introduced certificates that encompass aspects of each sector with trending skills.
- Digital Marketing Certificate (named one of the Best Digital Marketing Bootcamps by Forbes)
- Social Media Marketing Certificate
- ‘MBA’ Business Certificate
- Generative AI Certificate
Cybersecurity & IT
With the rise in cyber threats and crime, cybersecurity is one of the most in-demand yet vacant fields (due to a lack of experts) today. Noble Desktop’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp (300 hours) is an in-depth course that covers Linux, Python, forensics, cloud computing, and more.
A Student-First Policy
In 2012, another school was called out for offering valueless certificates—Katharine Gibbs School. A student mentioned that after spending $25,000 and two years in the institute, he, too, wasn’t given the job placement he was promised.
Unlicensed schools misrepresent job opportunities, which become a bait for students with limited means. In this case, even employees called the school out for its lack of regulations and ethics.
If students are applying through federal aid, they require enrollment at licensed institutions. Private lenders also prefer offering loans to students enrolled in eligible and recognized programs. One of the reasons they’re wary of unlicensed schools is how profit-driven they are or have been.
Students who invest in unregulated education have found themselves in debt and with unmarketable skills on multiple occasions.
The NYSED and its licensed schools look out for students first. They conduct financial reviews to ensure the school is stable. They also collect money from assessment fees that the institutions charge, so if a school closes (like many unlicensed ones do), the student gets their deserved refund.
Apart from sturdy financial policies, Noble Desktop looks out for students with:
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Real representation of career opportunities
Noble Desktop doesn’t guarantee job placements. Instead, they train their instructors to guide students toward competitive opportunities. The directors and curriculum developers also design courses that push students to practice relevant skills that their resume and portfolio will reflect.
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Flexible payment options
Because of the license, it’s easier for students to qualify for financial loans, federal aid, and more. The school also offers alternative financing if you’re looking for diverse payment options.
There are options to “pay-as-you-go” with a 0% interest or pay in installments, again, with a 0% interest (for select certifications).
Students can also re-take the classes for free (for a year), so they can go back to the material, re-learn, and brush up on essential skills.
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One-on-one mentoring sessions
Irrespective of the nature of training (online or on-campus), students are around instructors who will cater to doubts and offer feedback on their work. With smaller class sizes (8-15 students), students tend to get more personal attention from the instructors in every class.
The mentoring sessions also allow them to check the skills they need to work on and the gaps they need to fill to get a job.
Why the State License Matters
For Mourad, education quality and student experience come first; everything else follows. The school offers affordable pricing (compared to other private career schools), and the programs are built on exponential value.
While unlicensed schools collapse and leave students stranded, Noble Desktop’s license protects student investments and career outcomes, reiterating their commitment to excellence, trust, and integrity in education.
Explore their licensed certifications and sign up for your next career move.
This article was produced by the Class Central Report team in partnership with Noble Desktop.
The post How Noble Desktop’s New York Licensing Is Shaping Its Training Excellence appeared first on The Report by Class Central.
