Colleges Awarded Almost $300,000 to Train Unemployed Workers

The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) received a one-year $298,836 grant to provide training in Advanced Manufacturing or Welding Applications to 60 long-term unemployed adults with barriers to employment. Graduates will receive certification through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) or American Welding Society (AWS) processes and be prepared for entry-level jobs with advanced manufacturing and logistics companies. The Economic Development and Corporate Training (EDCT) Division of the SBCCD, which is responsible for the grant, also obtained the commitment of multiple employers represented by the Inland Empire Manufacturer’s Council as potential sites of employment for the graduating students. “Creating a streamlined structure to return workers to viable employment assists the individuals, the employers and the economic stability of the Inland Empire,” Chancellor Bruce Baron noted. “This serves the mission of the EDCT which is to stimulate the economic prosperity of the Inland Empire through workforce development, and this program exemplifies the Division’s goal.” In crafting this project, the District developed a regional approach and reached out to other area colleges, including Chaffey College and Barstow College. Each college has agreed to align their current industry maintenance programs with the NCCER curriculum guide. As a result, this training will not only address the requirements of the unfilled jobs that now exist but create a pipeline to meet ongoing demand. And finally, having a certification will ensure participants can receive nationally recognized, stackable and transferable certificates. Dr. Matthew Isaac, the EDCT Chief Executive Officer, noted that the contract award was the product of the dedication of Robert Levesque, Director, Workforce Development, PDC. Dr. Isaac said, “As a result of Mr. Levesque’s on-going collaborative efforts with the Inland Empire Manufacturer’s Council and our colleagues at Barstow and Chaffey Colleges and the EDCT’s commitment to economic and workforce development, EDCT secured the contract.”