Governor announces Career Readiness Program
Orientation for the first class in Burlington on December 8th and 9th
Montpelier, VT (December 3, 2008)- Governor Jim Douglas announced today a new workforce readiness training program to be offered state-wide through the Community College of Vermont (CCV). The program will initially help up to 450 Vermonters participate in basic work skills training over the next 18 to 24 months.
"In these difficult economic times, it is even more critical that we prepare our workforce for the challenges of a changing economy," said Governor Jim Douglas. "Innovative initiatives such as this career readiness program can lend a helping hand to Vermonters as they face transitions in employment," said Governor Douglas.
The Departments of Labor and Economic Development have partnered with the Community College of Vermont (CCV) to offer the CCV Career Readiness Certificate. The program is being made available through local Department of Labor offices and conducted at CCV's ten regional locations. The first section will be offered in Burlington at CCV's downtown campus beginning in early January.
According to Labor Commissioner Patricia Moulton Powden, "We expect this certificate program will go a long way in helping unemployed and underemployed Vermonters improve their work skills and employability and help employers reduce turnover. The program is an opportunity to assess work skills and address areas needing improvement. We believe this will help build a stronger workforce."
The Commissioner added "By offering the certificate program state-wide, we hope to assist every region with workforce development."
Participants will be trained in six areas - mathematics, reading for information, teamwork, work ethics, and computer skills. What makes this program unique is that each participant's skills will be assessed before starting the program, and they will then work on the specific areas where they need the most help.
"This program is a stepping stone to a new or better job for employees and provides a meaningful credential for Vermont employers to use in their hiring process," explained CCV Provost Joyce Judy. She added, "It uses the best of CCV's experience in providing educational access to all Vermonters."
Also unique to Vermont is the certificate's use of the nationally recognized WorkKeys assessment tool. WorkKeys was developed by ACT, a national organization known for college readiness testing.
The WorkKeys assessment provides a score which enables the participant and employer to compare an employee's score with specific job occupations. According to WorkKeys, over thirteen thousand job profiles have been assessed and are available for participant comparison. In this way, an employee or job-seeker can compare their current skills with a job they are seeking - and know where they may need to improve.
Participants can expect to attend classes twice a week for three to four hours per class. Classes may last six to twelve weeks, depending on local scheduling needs. Computer labs will be available to do homework and customized lessons. At the end of the training, CCV will award the Career Readiness Certificate to those who successfully complete all six areas of training.
The program is free to participants and funded by the Vermont Departments of Labor and Economic Development.
The first class is being offered in Burlington starting in January. Participants should attend an orientation session at the Vermont Department of Labor, 63 Pearl Street, Burlington, on Monday, December 8th at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. or 6 p.m. or Tuesday, December 9th, 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.
For further information about the Burlington orientation call VDOL at 802-863-7676
All job seekers, employed or unemployed are welcome. For more information about classes contact the local Department of Labor office or call (802) 828-4000.
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