Many community colleges are partnering with local businesses to retrain workers. These relationships are a great potential resource for boomers and older workers to find work they love; and for employers to find talent with skills in demand.
Silver lining for my coaching client Ben
Ben, an over-50 construction laborer, saw his industry drying up. By early 2009, he was without a job and unable to find steady employment. He researched the market, networked, sent out targeted resumes. All the right things. Nothing full-time in his field materialized. In late 2010, he learned that a community college nearby was offering specialized job-training classes in partnership with local employers. He visited the school’s career counselor for some free assessments. Then he enrolled in map use, analysis and interpretation, data acquisition, database development, and other courses geared toward a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Several months later, one of his instructors (who worked for a local urban planning company) recommended Ben for an opening with his organization. Ben started full-time work the next week!
Ben benefitted from one of the best-kept secrets in job retraining: community colleges. In talking with clients since Ben’s experience, I realized that few think of a community college as s place to recharge a career. But these school-employer relationships can be gold mines for the job seeker.
An often affordable solution
Job seekers often hold back on school for financial reasons—lack of income leaves them hesitant to invest in expensive college programs with no guaranteed results. The good news is that community college tuitions average $2,700 a year—about one-fifth of that of many private or for-profit colleges. Flexible scheduling (online, nights, weekends) allows students to work part-time while studying. Better yet, community colleges can offer a community. In an interview with AARP Magazine, Norma Kent, a senior vice president of the American Association of Community Colleges, representing 1,200 schools, says, “We provide a support system of assessment, career counseling, and job placement. We don’t put you in a position to fail.”
Of course, demand can vary by location. What’s great about the community-college approach is that schools are customizing training certificate programs to meet local companies’ unique needs.
It’s a win-win scenario
The scenario is a win-win for employers and job seekers. Back to the school that Ben attended. The program content was developed in conjunction with input from local, regional and national GIS professionals, and was tailored to prepare individuals with the technical skills and confidence to be productive within the professional GIS working environment. Instructors came from local businesses. These businesses also integrated on-site visits into the learning. They also hired heavily from the program. The new talent on the local scene was now ideally matched to need!
Keep in mind that while community college certificate programs can help you land a job faster, they are not always the higher paying jobs. Realistically, some of the better-paying positions do require more school time and cost more. But many job seekers have used the retraining to get their feet in the door; and then pursue additional education (often reimbursed by their employers) to qualify for higher-paying positions. Ben hopes to move up the ladder now that he’s landed a full-time position where there is room to grow.
To locate a community college in your area, check out the website of the American Association of Community Colleges at aacc.nche.edu/pages/ccfinder.aspx. You may find it helpful to make an in-person appointment to meet with a career representative to discuss a potential fit for you. If you’re struggling in your job search, consider reinvention!
Photo: jitze
