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As labor shortages in some industries come face-to-face with the challenge of educating (or retraining) those who could otherwise be valuable workers in those fields, programs such as the Washington County Career Center's Aspire program are providing some solutions.
Aspire offers free adult education classes toward multiple goals -- from helping a student prep for the GED or HiSET tests to gaining workforce credentials through the Adult Diploma program, there are plenty of options.
Among the Adult Diploma program options are business office specialist, fiber optic technician, CDL Class A, HVAC and refrigeration, medical billing and coding specialist, medical assistant, phlebotomy, state tested nursing assistant and welding.
Now, there is another option. Emergency medical technician basic training is available, too, for those 18 or older who do not possess a high school diploma or GED.
"This addition gives those without a diploma one more in-demand job area to receive training, all at no cost," said Ashli Diamond, Aspire program coordinator. "Our program supports individuals as young as 18, providing them with a pathway to success. We will work with them through every step of the process."
This is not just another way the WCCC (and other similar local institutions) provide pathways to success, they help us shore up a rapidly changing job market. And in this case, the EMT-Basic program might mean more men and women working to keep us healthier and safer. Certainly those already stretched thin in such positions will look forward to the help.
Students take different roads to productive, successful careers. A four-year degree, or even multiple degrees, might not be the right turn to take.
It is wonderful, then, to be reminded that even those who have not yet completed their high school diplomas have options that will prove fruitful not only for them, but for their communities as well.