WCC recognized for training efforts
By Staff Reports
Published in News on December 9, 2009 1:46 PM
Wayne Community College was recently recognized for providing training for dislocated and disadvantaged adults.
At its annual recognition banquet, the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board honored the college for "outstanding performance in the Workforce Investment Act Adult and Dislocated Worker programs in the 2008-2009 program year."
Workforce Investment Act programs assist clients with financial assistance, counseling, job skills development and coaching necessary to gain skills for employment. On the college's WIA staff are Michael Cordell and Catherine Stickles. Their office is located at the Employment Security Commission offices in downtown Goldsboro.
In the past year, WCC WIA served 147 dislocated workers and 137 disadvantaged adults with training assistance, representing a 95 percent increase in the number of dislocated workers assisted over the previous year.
"Due to the increase, we have managed approximately a half million dollar budget," Cordell said. "While WIA budgets remained the same as the previous year, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds were made available through June 2010 to offset the increasing demands for training assistance."
The accomplishment is even more impressive because the economy downsized the staff.
"Prior to the fall of 2008, WIA staff was two full-time case managers, a full-time secretary and a full-time director. That was reduced to one full-time and one part-time case manager last year," Cordell said. "We met the unexpected rise in services demand with two temporary support staff members. While the number of those seeking training assistance in the Wayne County JobLink through WIA may have plateaued, it still remains higher than previous years. We have, as many are, been doing more with less."