High School Tech Center offering 2-year manufacturing skills course
Aug 14, 2018
Washington County community organizations are helping expand the ACT Work Ready Communities program to help more residents and businesses benefit.
The Work Ready program, which was launched by Washington County Economic Alliance in January 2016, is designed to increase the county’s attractiveness to industries, increase the number of local jobs and streamline hiring processes by testing and certifying residents’ job skills.
Up until now, WCEA was the only community organization in Washington County working to test residents and create job profiles. However, that changed Monday with the start of the school year.
Tarrinasha Jones, director of Greenville Technology Center, a part of the Greenville Public School District, said high school students from area schools will have the opportunity to participate in a two-year Manufacturing Basic Skills course that ties into the Work Ready program.
“This class was initially being done at the GHEC (Greenville Higher Education Center),” she said.
Last year, Jones said, GPSD started talking with administrators at the Charles W. Capps Center in Indianola, which provides classes that also tie into the Work Ready certification.
After going over the curriculum, she said, they found there was no reason why the course couldn’t be offered to high school students.
“Last year, we talked about how that could be accomplished and sat down with MDE (Mississippi Department of Education),” she said.
Between the Capps Center, WCEA and GPSD, Jones said MDE saw the benefit of the program and approved a three-year pilot program, which, if found to be beneficial, could be made a permanent course offering across the state.
“With the program, we’ll have students leave at 18 with their silver certificate,” she said, explaining that a silver certificate is a level of job preparedness gained by taking the ACT Work Keys test, a job-skills test created by the same company that makes the ACT.
Based on performance on the Work Keys test, students will receive a bronze, silver, gold or platinum certificate, which employers use to check skill proficiency and comprehension before hiring someone.
Additionally, Jones said, students will also have the opportunity to earn further certifications, such as an OSHA certification, first aid, forklift operating certifications and a certification from the state of Mississippi recognizing graduates’ preparedness to work manufacturing-type jobs.
“All of these things they can get at 18 instead of waiting until they’re 22, 23 years old and paying to take classes,” she said.
Cary Karlson, executive director of WCEA, said the Manufacturing Basic Skills class is a great opportunity for students and for local employers.
“When they graduate, they’ll qualify to be hired at USG and some of the other plants that use this,” he said. “And, we’re not the only county using this.”
Plus, Karlson said, the ACT Work Ready certification is nationally recognized.
All certification levels, from bronze, silver, gold or platinum, are accepted by participating employers anywhere in the country.
“The score you have here is equal to the score you have somewhere else in the country,” he said.
For students in Greenville, Jones said, they plan to focus on the skills needed for local manufacturing jobs at USG and Mars Food Inc. However, should a student want to relocate, the certification will go with them.
Smart Start with Families First
Greenville Public School District isn’t the only organization that sees the benefit of the ACT Work Ready program, either. At the Family Resource Center of Greenville, a new Smart Start class is being scheduled to help adults bone up on their skills as well.
“We are partnering with the Mississippi Department of Human Services to provide a Smart Start class here,” said Cynthia Hines, executive director of the Family Resource Center.
The class, Hines said, is intended for adults with or without a high school diploma who would benefit from a refresher course before taking the ACT Work Keys exam.
Currently, the Smart Start class, which is being offered free of charge, is scheduled to begin Sept. 5. However, an orientation session is being offered at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Family Resource Center, which is located on the third floor of the ICON building, 540 Main St.
“Individuals who have a high school diploma or who may not have a high school diploma are encouraged to come out and see if this is something they’d be interested in,” Hines said.
For residents who have conflicts with the Sept. 5 class time, Hines said stay tuned as the class will be offered several more times in October, January and February.
Posted: Friday, August 10, 2018 12:00 am
Thomas Howard thoward@ddtonline.com