(From Owens Community College and Raise the Bar Hancock County)
The WorkAdvance job training program in Hancock County recently celebrated its one-year anniversary with a graduation celebration for its most recent cohort graduates.
The program is supported by Owens Community College, Raise the Bar Hancock County, Findlay/Hancock County Habitat for Humanity Financial Opportunity Center and The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. It’s hosted on the Owens Findlay-area Campus.
WorkAdvance boosts the skills of entry-level applicants and individuals in populations that have been under-represented in the manufacturing sector. Of the 185 applicants to the program, most receive some sort of public assistance, such as SNAP Food Benefits or Medicaid, while more than half have been impacted by the justice system.
“It’s a lifetime of change,” Raise the Bar executive director Tricia Valasek said. “It’s not just about getting the job. It’s about, How do I interact with others and be the best version of myself, that’s what we’re teaching in this program.”
Participants go through two weeks of training that includes 30 hours of employability training from the Financial Opportunity Center, 20 hours of a math refresher from Owens, and 30 hours of foundational manufacturing training.
Since the program started in August 2023, 34 graduates have secured employment with area employers, with an average hourly wage of $17.34.
The most recent graduation celebration included past graduates, who came back to celebrate their continued success. Larry Braden graduated in August; he is currently waiting on his background check to clear before starting his new job with the Findlay City Schools.
“It helped me with where I’m at, in the process of getting work,” Braden said. “I can start saving for an apartment. … If everything works out with the job I’m getting, I can make it into a career.
“If anybody needs help, I can tell them to go to Owens or the (Financial Opportunity Center). If they need any help, I tell them to go there.”
Graduates receive a free Chromebook computer to help them apply for jobs online. They also receive a $500 work apparel voucher.
“It’s very exciting to be a part of the pipeline towards employment and good jobs,” Owens Aspire Program director Heath Huber said. “It’s a great way to partner with the community and the social service resources in Hancock County that provide a lot of that job training process.
“It’s great to see people starting off, not knowing what they’re getting into, and then getting a job, the smiles on their faces, the confidence it builds in them.”
For more information on WorkAdvance, visit workadvancefindlay.org.