New program to better prepare employees
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
A new program aimed at better preparing employees for the Union County workforce will get underway in mid-September.
Union County Works! will start its first week-long class on September 18 and the training classes will be held at the Herron Tech Center, which is on the Union County High School campus.
The program has been designed to improve workplace essential skills primarily for the unemployed and underemployed segments of the county's population, age 18-35. It is the first phase of a multi-phase program aimed at improving these skills in the local workforce. The participants must be a high school graduate or have obtained their GED.
The first class is expected to enroll up to 30 people. Participants can be unemployed; working part-time or looking for a better job.
The classes will be taught by Henderson Community College staff and will be held from 8 a.m. till noon for five days. A new class will be held around the third week of each month.
Program requirements include attending all five sessions on consecutive days; being on time for all sessions; and meeting the dress code-blue jeans, t-shirt or fitted top, closed-toe shoes, and no visible piercings.
The topics of the five sessions are:
- Succeeding in Today's Workforce
- Effective Communication
- Teamwork
- Conflict Resolution
- A Safe Workplace
There is no cost to the program and those who successfully complete the program will receive $100 and a certificate. Participating employers have agreed to provide a hiring preference for those who have earned the certificate. After being hired and completing 90-days of incident-free work, the individual will receive another $100 from Union County Works. The rewards funding was granted by the Union County Fiscal Court.
Those wishing to enroll in the program should call the Union County Economic Development office, 389-9600, leave their name, phone number and email if available.
The idea for such a program surfaced during routine visits with existing industries in the county. Many plant managers were concerned about the lack of essential work skills.
Cooperating in the effort to establish Union County Works! have been local industries; Northwest KY Forward; Union County Economic Development Foundation; Henderson Community College; the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development; and the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training.
Younger Associates