One-Stop Center Opens October 27

CONTACT: GLENN HELLENGA, EXT. 2165

FOR RELEASE ON OCTOBER 27
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- A new one-stop center designed to provide free assistance with "job seeking and keeping" skills will open its doors to the community October 27.

Located on the Tri-County Technical College campus in Miller Hall, this One- Stop Center is a cooperative venture with the S.C. Employment Security Commission and is one of several in the state where individuals can increase their employment opportunities by taking advantage of a variety of services. Ten computers will be available to assist clients with their job searches at the local, state and national levels. Visitors will have access to Internet job searches about job openings and company profiles. In addition, workshops on resume writing and job interviewing will be scheduled. The Center will be manned by Tech counselors weekdays from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

A ribbon cutting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27, at 10 a.m. Joining Tri-County Technical College President Don C. Garrison will be Joel Cassidy executive director of the S.C. Employment Security Commission, and Larry Inabinet, chairman of the Pendleton District Workforce Investment Board.

This Center will be the delivery system for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 which "reforms current job training programs and creates a new comprehensive customer focused workforce investment system" beginning July 1, 2000.

"The philosophy is work first," said Glenn Hellenga, director of Tri-County's Employment and Training Department. "The focus is universal access to services and is built upon a system of partners providing seamless services to eliminate overlaps in the delivery system."

The Center was established by a $130,000 grant from the Pendleton District Workforce Investment Board. Included in the grant were facility renovations, 11 computers and workstations, a printer, a Xerox machine and a fax machine. Five partner offices are located adjacent to the Center.

"All services are under one roof," said Mr. Hellenga. "There are no qualification criteria to meet to receive these services.

"In addition to serving persons who are seeking job upgrades, we anticipate seeing, for example, dislocated workers who held a job with the same employer for years and want to re-enter the workforce," added Mr. Hellenga. "They recognize that they don't have the skills necessary to return to the labor force. They have an opportunity to reassess their interests and skills and to see what transferable skills they have to seek gainful employment."

"We can provide a comprehensive assessment of their skills and interests. Some may require additional training, and others may just need career counseling and assessment. We will work hard to identify sources of financial aid for those who elect to pursue job skills training.

"We'll make referrals to appropriate agencies to meet the needs of each person who visits the Center. Again, all of these services are free of charge," said Mr. Hellenga.

Employer services are also available. Employees will be able to access resumes on file and list job orders with the Employment Security Commission. This Center will complement services available at the Job Service offices in Anderson, Liberty and Seneca. The Center is designed to be flexible enough to maximize benefits as identified by job seekers and employers. Continuous improvement input from all users and partners will determine the future direction of the Center, said Mr. Inabinet.
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