JobsNow Program at Randolph Community College Under Way
ASHEBORO (February 16, 2010)
Randolph Community College JobsNOW students (from left) Dale Spainhour, Alan Mozingo, and David Long practice wiring electrical outlets during the Industrial Maintenance section of their class.
When North Carolina's JobsNOW: "12 in 6" initiative was developed, it was conceived with people like Dale Spainhour of Asheboro in mind. Spainhour had worked in the furniture industry for nearly 30 years before being laid off due to the downturn in the industry and the economy. "I looked for employment and couldn't find anything," said Spainhour. He saw a story about JobsNOW in the newspaper and came to Randolph Community College to investigate. Spainhour, who is married with one daughter who is enrolled in Randolph Early College High School, is now a student in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning/Industrial Maintenance program at RCC through JobsNOW.
"We started the first HVAC class Jan. 5 with 10 students (12 is the maximum number per class)," said Elizabeth Kremer, coordinator of the program at RCC. The students are currently in the industrial maintenance part of the training, which encompasses 100 hours of class time. On a recent day in the classroom, instructor Mike Whitt was teaching the students how electrical circuits work, how to wire up electrical switches, and introducing them to motor control circuits. After that, the students will move on to 60 hours of heating and air conditioning training, then finish up with a Human Resources Development class that will include resume writing, how to fill out applications, how to dress, and how to interview, said Kremer.
Another HVAC/Industrial Maintenance student, David Long, relocated to Asheboro from Maryland a couple of years ago. He had been working for a defense contractor on Navy ships and traveled extensively and was looking for a place to settle down. He was hoping to get on with HondaJet in Greensboro, but didn't get chosen. "I was familiar with JobLink as a resource, and I was happy to get to be a part of this program," said Long. "We're covering a lot of ground in a short time. Hopefully, it will allow me to use my talents and get me on a new career path." The students in this class will finish their training around the end of March.
Kremer said the HVAC/Industrial Maintenance class, one of four pathways chosen by Randolph Community College for JobsNOW based on job demand in Randolph County, is the most popular of the new programs. A second class is scheduled to start Feb. 17 and is full. Kremer is currently looking for HVAC instructors to start additional classes.
The other pathways at RCC are Office/Clerical Support, Hospitality, and Nursing Assistant. Office/Clerical Support classes were scheduled to begin on Feb. 15 in Archdale and Asheboro. A Hospitality class in Asheboro is scheduled to begin on Feb. 22.
Kremer said she hopes to start a Nursing Assistant class in March and is currently recruiting instructors for this area, who must meet state requirements before being approved. "The Nursing Assistant program is the second most popular of the four programs," said Kremer.
Kremer said RCC will hold additional Information Sessions on the JobsNOW programs when the current classes finish later this spring. "Before the students go into the classroom, they go through an extensive orientation to get them motivated," said Kremer, which includes items like how to read and take notes in the classroom. Students are encouraged to start on their Career Readiness Certification through RCC's JobLink Career Center, which is an assessment of their work skills.
Students can apply for tuition assistance through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) at the JobLink Career Center in the county in which they reside.
Kremer said the College has been getting around 10 inquiries a week on the JobsNOW program this winter. Potential students are encouraged to come by the College to fill out paperwork and have the program explained to them. They will be given a checklist of steps and taken to JobLink to start with that process. "We can answer questions over the phone, but they eventually have to come in to fill out the paperwork and we try to make the process as easy possible," said Kremer. Students should come to the Continuing Education office in the Administration/Education Center at the Asheboro Campus.
The JobsNOW funds are provided through ARRA to the state of North Carolina and are supported by the Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Development, Randolph County JobLink Career Center, and the Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board.
For more information about this program, contact Elizabeth Kremer, 12 in 6 JobsNOW coordinator at RCC, 336-633-0228, epkremer@randolph.edu; or Adrianne Siler, 12 in 6 JobsNOW administrative assistant, 336-633-0335, amsiler@randolph.edu.
