This spring the Job Market and College of the Redwoods will offer short-term trainings designed to help folks move into a new job quickly.
Two trainings are accepting applicants now. Both are intensive seven- to eight-week courses designed to provide essential certifications and concrete hands-on experience for the skills necessary to enter these regional, in-demand jobs.
Better yet: through the Employment Training Division of the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services, scholarships are available for qualifying participants age 18 and older.
Landscaping for the 21st Century: April 4 to May 18. Scholarship deadline March 21.
The landscaping field provides 180 local jobs annually. Joining an existing company or striking out on your own will be a real option at the end of this training. It provides instruction in basic plant identification and care, garden design and xeriscaping. The hands-on training will include water conservation techniques, drainage and sprinkler system design as well as equipment maintenance, care and use.
Office Specialist: April 25 to June 20. Scholarship deadline April 4.
Office Specialist training prepares participants for general office positions. It includes business communications, front desk etiquette and reception skills, organizational best-practices, customer service and use of common office equipment. This course will include basic use of Google Docs, Microsoft Word and Excel, and commonly-used email software. There are over 400 annual positions available in the office support industry within the community. This is an excellent opportunity to prepare for one.
Previous participants have reported positive outcomes from the programs. One woman in a low-wage job heard about the Office Specialist course and decided that a two-month training, while continuing to work, would give her the additional tools she needed to make the leap toward a brighter future. At the end of her program she secured a permanent, 35-hour-per-week career with benefits.
Another woman, a young mother with no education beyond a GED, heard about the Community and Social Services training ETD was offering and signed up. Following the training and a paid work program at a social services agency, she secured a full-time job with the county.
For more information, call 707-441-5627 or 800-242-1353, or visit www.thejobmarket.org. For additional course details or to register for classes, call College of the Redwoods Community Education at 707-476-4500, or visit http://www.redwoods.edu/Departments/Community-Ed/business.asp.
-###-
Follow us on Twitter: @HumCoDHHS.