ASHLAND, Maine — ACAP Workforce Development, the Ashland Area Economic Development Committee, Ashland Adult Education and SAD1 Adult and Community Education have joined forces to offer nationally recognized WorkReady credential training at Ashland Community School in March.
Space is limited. An open recruitment night will be held Tuesday, Feb. 13,, at 6:30 p.m. at Ashland Community School.
Students can receive this short training at no cost. Lunch will be provided, and a stipend may be available for qualifying learners.
WorkReady is a 60-hour class to help participants upgrade their resumes and connect directly with local employers, who will attend the sessions. Classes are offered in the evenings and compressed into three Saturdays. Maibec and JD Irving, as well as other businesses, will guarantee a higher starting rate of pay and/or an interview to people completing the Ashland WorkReady credential.
The WorkReady credential is recognized across the U.S., and Maine employers such as L.L. Bean and Bath Iron Works offer preferred rates and interviews to job seekers holding the credential. In addition to WorkReady, the Ashland course will include a digital literacy certification and a WelcomeME hospitality certificate included in the 60 hours of class time. This effort is supported by the generosity of the USDA, KeyBank Foundation, and area employers.
“This is a joint effort to especially connect workers with high-skill, good-paying jobs in manufacturing and forestry,” says Christy Daggett, Senior Manager at ACAP Workforce Development. “One in 10 jobs in Aroostook County is in manufacturing, and production facilities are cleaner, faster and more computerized than ever before – so it’s important that workers are well-trained and adept at operating expensive equipment.
“According to the Maine Center on Workforce Research and Information, the 1,600 manufacturing workers in Aroostook earn an average wage of $16.44 hourly – or $34,195.00 a year,” she continued. “For forestry occupations, the average wage is over $41,000 yearly. Both of these fields offer competitive entry-level wages and benefits.”
If you have questions, please call Jenny Paul, Project Director at ACAP Workforce Development, at 764-3721.
