Partnership offers GED diploma classes plus Customer Service training
For qualified people in eastern Iowa, it is a deal too good to miss. Two deals, in fact. Ten individuals in eastern Iowa could soon be on the path to a catch-up on their education with in-demand skill training to boot.
Kirkwood Community College is launching the Partnership of Academic and Career Education, providing a cohort of students the chance to earn two critical keys to success: a GED diploma and specific training in a skill set sought after by area employers. The PACE program is seeking students who are interested in a customer service career and also needing to complete their high school equivalency studies.
The program offers qualified students paid GED instruction, testing fees and paid tuition for a Customer Service Professional certificate. Kirkwood assistance in transitioning to employment or further education is also part of the PACE program.
High School Completion Programs Director Marcel Kielkucki says such a program “doesn’t come along every day” and believes it addresses many needs in one focused approach. Students will get great hands-on lab experience instructed by industry professionals, while gaining a connection to many local companies.
Eligible candidates for the PACE program should have a good work history, reliable transportation, and be able to commit to a four-month program, Monday-Fridays from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The training program will also allow participants to earn National Career Readiness certificates that verify skills and knowledge for future employment. Tuition, study materials and testing fees are covered through grant funding. The program is limited to 10 participants per session.
Classes start Monday, April 4, 2011 and run for 13 weeks at the RuffaloCODY Training Lab on the main campus of Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids..
For more information please contact Christine Shea-Hunt at the Lincoln Learning Center, 319-366-0142; or via e-mail: cshea@kirkwood.edu.