noffen@heraldsun.com; 419-6646
DURHAM -- With additional federal stimulus money, Durham Technical Community College is launching a new series of short-term training programs designed to meet local employer needs.
Starting next month, the JobsNOW program will offer training sessions in nine separate areas -- all of which can be completed within six months or less -- that are intended to get students out into the workforce quickly.
"Shorter term training seems to be the key to getting retooled and allowing people to begin new careers," said Kelly King, the program coordinator for JobsNOW. "This is for people who need to find work faster, and need to find the type of training that will accommodate their schedules."
Durham Tech began offering JobsNOW programs last fall. The classes have proved popular.
A training course in phlebotomy -- collecting blood and other specimens -- opened for registration Monday morning. In 20 minutes, the class was filled.
So far, 138 students have enrolled in the various courses, "and we're seeing pretty good results so far," King said. "It's a good track record."
Of the courses that have been completed, more than 50 percent of the students already had found employment.
The new training sessions include several new programs -- such as auto detailing, biomanufacturing process technician and emergency medical technician basic training -- as well as second editions of courses Durham Tech began in the fall. Joint courses like solar technology and sustainable landscaping have been broken up into separate classes.
The school was able to offer a new round of JobsNOW programs because it received $84,600 in unused stimulus funding from the state community college system. That money had been designated for other community colleges for JobsNOW, but those schools had been unable to get their programs up and running.
Durham Tech only found out about the available funds on Feb. 11.
"We had to get moving very quickly," King said. "We've had just over a month to apply for the money, decide what we wanted to do, establish all our programs, find instructors and open for registration. It's been very busy."
