Local News

Workforce Skills Classes

Wed, 17 Jun 2015 09:50:52 CDT
A workforce skills class takes place over the summer. The University of Illinois Extension recently partnered with the Montgomery County Health Department for a workforce development program. The program focuses on certain life skills such as resume building and how to dress for job interviews and the workplace. U of I Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Chris Casey says the informal classes began due to a need for education on workforce skills.

"We've just taken on the issue itself and we've tried to build it into a really solid program - something that's very informative for people. But, it comes down to, whenever you go into a job interview, people get their first impressions within the first three seconds. If you're not dressed accordingly as to what they're expecting, chances are, you may not get that job. Basically, we just want to try to lay the groundwork for individuals to be able to see that there are certain things that employers are looking for and to open that door."

Casey says with the first round of classes and mock interviews, he's already seen a positive response from the group.

"You can see it about at the end of the second class that, 'Oh we're starting to build into something,' and by the third class, we were fully engaged.
By the time that we got to the interview, the individuals that were in that class, they took on the challenge that we gave them. They dressed in their very best and to see them go through the interview process and respond (with) their well thought out answers all coming out during that interview process. It's been very positive."

To find out more about the classes, contact the Montgomery County University of Illinois Extension office at 217-532-3941.

Thomack 6/17/15