| Tri-County Job Readiness Training Program |
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| Wednesday, 14 April 2010 14:28 |
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The Tri-County Job Readiness Training Program is a comprehensive initiative providing financial aid application assistance, core skills training, exposure to employers, and training in one of four career tracks to eligible individuals. Program participants will receive training in Hospitality and Lodging, Industrial Coatings, LEED Certification/Solar Awareness, or Manufacturing Operator Assistant. Industry specific training will be provided by instructors from The American Wood Finishing Institute (AWFI), Danville Community College (DCC), IAMGO Green, LLC., Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC), and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC). Agency representatives on the Tri-County Collaborative include William “Bill” Coleman, Executive Director of Tri-County Community Action Agency; Debra Crowder, Executive Director of South Central Workforce Investment Board; Mike King, Manager of the Virginia Workforce Center; and Nettie Simon-Owens, Director of Workforce Assessment and Advancement at the SVHEC. Simon-Owens is serving as the program manager for this initiative. The lead funding agency in the collaborative is Tri-County Community Action Agency. “With unemployment at record levels our effort to launch a job readiness training program comes at the right time,” said Tri-County Community Action Agency Executive Director William Coleman. “Emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that these are Federal Stimulus dollars at work in Southside Virginia. When you add the component of community collaboration it really demonstrates the good things that can be done in forging workable solutions that benefit the community.”
Debra Crowder, Executive Director of the South Central Workforce Investment Board, also remarked on the collaborative nature of the project, “This collaborative effort will benefit the citizens of our area who are unemployed and will give them additional skills to enter the workforce.” Tri-County Job Readiness Training Program participants will have two convenient locations for training. Classroom instruction will take place at the SVHEC in South Boston, and the Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center in South Hill. Classes will be held Monday-Friday for eight weeks beginning May 17. Eligible participants may receive mileage reimbursement and child care support while enrolled. Program completers may receive a stipend of $500. Simon-Owens encourages unemployed individuals to attend one of the information sessions to learn more about the Tri-County Job Readiness Training Program. According to Simon-Owens, “employers will be invited to participate in the training program to provide realistic workplace expectations to participants and to get a first-hand look at the emerging potential applicant pool. This training program will provide essential skill development as well as workplace credentials many employers want in new hires.” Program participants must meet several eligibility requirements to participate. Participants must be unemployed, be a resident of Charlotte, Halifax, or Mecklenburg County, be 18 years of age or older, and have completed the 10th grade or above. Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to attend an information session in one of the following locations:
South Hill Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center: April 21 at 10am and April 23 at 10am. South Boston Virginia Workforce Center: April 21 at 2pm, and April 22 at 10am.
Individuals may register for an information session by calling 434-572-5440, ext.0 or 1-800-283-0098, ext.0. The Tri-County Job Readiness Training Program is available because of agencies working together to prepare citizens of Southern Virginia communities—Charlotte, Halifax, and Mecklenburg Counties obtain relevant workplace skills and knowledge.
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Tri-County Community Action Agency, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC), and the South Central Workforce Investment Board have partnered to form the Tri-County Collaborative. The Collaborative will administer the Tri-County Job Readiness Training Program this spring and summer, providing training to unemployed individuals in Charlotte, Halifax, and Mecklenburg Counties. 
Tri-County Job Readiness Training Program Brochure