It’s another when you simply want a hand out.
Sad as it may sound, it looks like some in Richmond County are after the hand out, not the hand up.
The lack of local participation in a federal JobsNOW program makes it seem that some people would rather complain about not having a good job instead of training to get one.
The JobsNOW program is designed to prepare people for jobs as a Certified Nursing Assistant, or early childhood educator and other service-oriented careers like food service and hospitality, as well as blue-collar jobs like carpentry, plumbing and Industrial Systems Technology (IST).
The program is paid for in full by the ESC for displaced workers through federal stimulus money. It’s open however to anyone who wants to change careers.
The program is tailored to people who don’t want to go back to school for years just to get a better paying job. All of the programs are designed to last six months. At the end could be a new career with a solid future. The new jobs typically pay $30,000 to $50,000 a year, which aren’t bad wages when you consider the average wage in Richmond County is about $25,000.
The problem is you can’t force people to take the next step.
“We can’t fill the classes,” said Richmond Community College President Dr. Sharon Morrissey.
Before the program was rolled out, leaders looked at what kind of jobs were available in the Richmond County area and what skills were required to fill them. They came up with 12 courses for the Richmond County campus, Nursing Assistant I & II, Phlebotomy, Healthcare Billing/Coding, Industrial Systems Technology, Early Childhood Education, Masonry, Plumbing, Carpentry, Welding, Electrical Wiring, and Food Service/Hospitality. Landscaping and Medical Assisting are being offered in Scotland County. Two Scotland County courses have been filled, according to Morrissey.
There are barriers that prevent some people from reaching their true potential, but some state and federal programs are designed to break those barriers down. There are free programs to help people who need help learning to read. There are free programs designed to help a high school dropout earn a GED certificate. There are free programs designed to make sure a person has all the skills to get their foot in the door through the Work Keys program. Now there is a free program to give those hurt by textile industry downsizing the training they need to work in a field like construction or health care.
You can complain or you can do something to improve your lot in life.
It’s time for some Richmond County residents to do something.
Post a Comment
