Program prepares unemployed for workforce

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
WELCOME — Peter Caron, guest presenter at the recent WorkReady event, greeted Jodi Williams, supervisory Border Patrol agent, to the luncheon at Region Two where potential employers and endorsers learned about the program that prepares unemployed and underemployed individuals for expectations in the workforce.
By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Officials of the local WorkReady program that prepares individuals to be successful in the workplace presented the importance of the program to local employers last Thursday at the Region Two vocational center in Houlton.
    Otis Smith, Houlton/Hodgdon director of adult education, described WorkReady “as an intensive 60-hour program that will run for three weeks in February to acquaint unemployed and underemployed people with the job skills needed to succeed in the workplace.”
    Peter Caron, guest presenter and director of adult and community education for SAD 27 in Ft. Kent, said  the purpose of the program is “to acquaint key employers from the southern Aroostook region about the availability of the WorkReady program. It is a state-endorsed and state-governed training entity that focuses on soft-skill development for people who have experienced difficulty in either getting jobs or keeping them once they have them.”
    Caron said that endorsements are “critical, vital, essential and absolutely imperative” in the form of business and employer support and in spreading the word about WorkReady’s viability as an option for prospective employees in the region.
    Wade Hanson, economic development director for Houlton, said he attended because the town supports the outreach center and the WorkReady program. He commented that “the presentation was very informative and the program is a great asset. It should be part of the high school curriculum to prepare students for work.”
Twofold role for employers
    Smith said he had invited potential partners, employers and agency individuals who will help recruit students for the session beginning at the end of the month. Also invited were employers who will serve as endorsers and send their employees to speak to the students. Some employers may act as hosts so the students will be able to see what is required to be a WorkReady employee.
    According to Smith, the program is significant because it should give those enrolled the advantage of knowing an employer’s expectations regarding dress, demeanor, attitude, communication skills, resumes and cover letters. He said that to be in the program, an individual must have a high school diploma and go through a rigorous screening process to demonstrate basic skills in writing and math. “Most employers we talk to say ‘send me an employee who will show up on time, show up every day and is willing to be trained for the job,’” he said.
WorkReady certificate
    Caron pointed out that participants who successfully complete the program obtain from the Maine Department of Education a portable state-authorized certificate telling employers anywhere in the state “that this is an individual who has the skills necessary to obtain a job and keep it. This is a person who understands teamwork, can manage personal stress, manage time effectively, work together with others to solve problems and has effective communication skills.” He added that the WorkReady graduate is “a person you want to invest industry-specific training dollars in not only for the job you are looking to hire them for, but also for other positions in the company long-term.”
    Rev. David Rowe is the local WorkReady coordinator and an adult education teacher who stated that the program is looking individuals who are having a hard time getting employment or getting back into the workforce and may need some help in securing a job, writing a resume or cover letter or going through the interview process — what the program calls “soft skills.”
    “We also bring in people from the community who can talk about human resource issues that people may not know once they are employed. And, we even bring in people who are involved in local banking to talk about paychecks and deductions listed on the paycheck like FICA,” said Rowe.
    Police Chief Butch Asselin said he attended the information session because it was a good opportunity to take advantage of the good pool of promising candidates in the area who might go into law enforcement. Cathy Davis represented the Varney Agency and she, too, said she saw an opportunity to help individuals become ready for their first job.
    “For this area, it’s a big bonus as far as adults getting re-introduced into the world of work and we just want to make them more marketable,” said Rowe.
    For more information, call 521-3100, ext. 5.