6/30/2015 Ready, Willing, and Able: Grant to help students boost job­hunting skills | Northeast State Community College

http://northeaststate.mycareerfocus.org/2015/06/05/ready­willing­able­grant­students­boost­job­hunting­skills/ 1/5

READY, WILLING, AND ABLE: GRANTTO HELP STUDENTS BOOST JOB­HUNTING SKILLSPosted in Careers | View Comments.

It always helps to have an edge in the jobmarket.

Northeast State stands ready to give students that edge with a

recent $150,000 grant to support advanced technology

workforce training opportunities throughout Northeast

Tennessee.

The funding is provided through a Walmart Foundation grant,

which is managed by the American Association of Community

Colleges. It is referred to as the JRWA Initiative, which stands

SEARCH:

POPULAR RECENT

FOLLOW US

READY,

WILLING, AND

ABLE: GRANT

TO HELP

STUDENTS

BOOST JOB­

HUNTING

Education Careers Economy Student Life Success Stories Financial aid

Facts & Finds About Contact

6/30/2015 Ready, Willing, and Able: Grant to help students boost job­hunting skills | Northeast State Community College

http://northeaststate.mycareerfocus.org/2015/06/05/ready­willing­able­grant­students­boost­job­hunting­skills/ 2/5

Susan Prohaska, College

Transitions counselor for College

Access Programs, works with

student

Tony Boyge.

for Job Ready, Willing, and Able. Northeast State was one of

only 17 colleges across the United States to receive the award.

The colleges will focus on current and potential growth of jobs

specific to their region. They will work closely with local

businesses, economic development leaders, and area

workforce systems to address the needs of the unemployed.

The JRWA Initiative aims to provide more than 5,000

unemployed adults with new skills, credentials, and jobs.

The three­year grant

will be administered by

the College Access

Programs office at

Northeast State. The

initiative will recruit

new students to

Northeast State’s

advanced technology

programs in the

identified sectors to

assist

underemployed/unemployed individuals.

Students will get help with admissions, financial aid, career

guidance, and counseling. The program will also provide

additional support to students currently enrolled in the

identified advanced technology programs at Northeast State.

“The program will work with students to build their

employability,” said Ashley Dickson, interim director of

College Access Programs. “This means help with resume skills,

interviewing skills, and finding internship and job shadowing

SKILLSIt always helps to

have an edge in the

HOW TO ENROLL IN

CLASSES AT

NORTHEAST STATEStep 1: Apply for Admission

Apply online at

www.NortheastState.edu/apply.

GETTING A

FAIR SHAKECareer fairs offer the

best in multi­tasking

and networking.

GET THE MOST

OUT OF YOUR

FINANCIAL

AID…FILE

EARLY!The financial aid

process can seem

complex, but the

GOV. HASLAM

PUTS

TENNESSEE

PROMISE IN

MOTIONIn May, Tennessee

6/30/2015 Ready, Willing, and Able: Grant to help students boost job­hunting skills | Northeast State Community College

http://northeaststate.mycareerfocus.org/2015/06/05/ready­willing­able­grant­students­boost­job­hunting­skills/ 3/5

opportunities.”

Dickson said the program will provide assistance for up to 350

people.

For more information about

the grant, contact Ashley

Dickson at

addickson@NortheastState.edu

or 423.354.5209.

The initiative will focus on several advanced technology

programs, such as welding, electrical, electromechanical,

machine tool, manufacturing/engineering, and chemical

process operations.

Dickson said there is an ample supply of employers with

demand for these skill sets in the region. The Tri­Cities, like

many areas, is experiencing an aging workforce, which will

result in increasing demands for middle­skill labor.

“The mission of the JRWA Initiative is to provide our area

industries and businesses with a skilled workforce, as well as

to decrease the unemployment rate in Northeast Tennessee,”

Dickson said.

Middle­skill jobs, as defined by the National Skills Coalition,

Gov. Bill Haslam

signed the

“Tennessee

CATEGORIES

Careers

Economy

Education

Facts and Finds

Financial Aid

On Campus

Student Life

Success Stories

ARCHIVES

June 2015

July 2014

October 2013

May 2013

6/30/2015 Ready, Willing, and Able: Grant to help students boost job­hunting skills | Northeast State Community College

http://northeaststate.mycareerfocus.org/2015/06/05/ready­willing­able­grant­students­boost­job­hunting­skills/ 4/5

are those requiring postsecondary education below the

baccalaureate level; they make up the largest part of America’s

labor market. High­skill workers possess technical training

and industry certification or an associate’s or bachelor’s

degree in a manufacturing­related field. Northeast State’s

Industrial Technology and Electrical Technology programs

prepare high skill workers for middle­skill jobs that include

Advanced Manufacturing occupations.

In addition, manufacturing is a major industry in the

Northeast Tennessee region; the area provides one­third of

the state’s manufacturing jobs in Tennessee. Recognized as

the second largest industrial employment area in the state, it

is home to Eastman Chemical Company, Domtar Paper, A.O.

Smith Water Heaters, and other manufacturers.

Letters of support from local employers, submitted for the

College’s Master Planning process, indicate a need for

graduates from the following Northeast State Programs:

Machine Tool, Manufacturing, Welding/Metal Fabrication,

Combination Welding, Computer­Aided Drafting; Industrial

Operations, and Machine Tool Operations. Wright Tool, Inc.,

A.O. Smith Water Products, Eastman Chemical, and Decanter

Machine, Inc., through letters of support for other projects,

have committed to support these programs and consider

program completers for employment.

Center Gives Answering

RELATED POSTS