Community Renewal Good Stories - Flint

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Community College in Flint RC Trains Residents for Employment

Flint, Michigan, RC

Housed at the Sylvester Broome Center in the heart of the Flint Renewal Community, the Mott Community College (MCC) Workforce Development Department offers a variety of affordable educational and employment training services to local residents who are unemployed or underemployed.

The Flint RC, designated by HUD in January 2002, is a committed partner of the college's workforce training. The RC helped MCC identify funding opportunities and participated in regional planning efforts to assess workforce needs, types of jobs available, and effective job-training services.

MCC's partnership with the local workforce development board and Michigan Works! offers services in vocational and academic assessments, computer and employment training, and job placement.

MCC operates a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program, an adult worker program, a dislocated worker program, an Incumbent worker program, and a year-round youth program. These programs offer educational/ career assessments; resume development; employment assistance; and training in computer, literacy, and teamwork skills.

Participants placed in jobs receive support services for up to 90 days, which include transportation services, uniforms, and childcare services.

As many as 100 WIA participants secured employment in 2004. The WIA program "Helped me to obtain employment and to develop and focus on my goals," said Narisis Coleman, a WIA-Youth-program participant who found a job as a lunch aide at a Flint elementary school. Prior to coming to MCC, Coleman was unemployed and enrolled to obtain her GED.

A relatively new certificate program is MCC's Assisted Living/Direct Care Worker Job Opportunity program, which prepares participants to provide direct care and CPR to individuals in assisted living, private homes, or group home settings. Since its inception in May 2003, 31 students have graduated and 27 of the graduates are now employed. Angela Colen, 41, a recent graduate of the MCC Direct Care program, is now employed at a resident adult care facility. She enjoys working with the elderly to make sure their needs are met and, more importantly, they receive companionship.

Before coming to MCC, Colen was an unemployed college graduate with an accounting degree who had difficulty finding a job. Colen's story demonstrates how program staff overcome multiple barriers to employment. Because she had been unemployed for a long period and lacked money for class fees, staff helped Colen secure financial assistance. The staff also helped her secure housing and helped resolve a situation with unpaid tickets that had deprived Colen of her driver' license. Direct Care staff worked with Colen and the court to develop an agreement that allowed her to satisfy the debt through community service at MCC. "The staff was always very resourceful in helping me work out problems and barriers," said Colen. "I couldn't have done it without them."

For more information on the MCC Workforce Development Department, please contact Robert Matthews of Mott Community College at (810) 785-3300. For more information on the programs of the Flint RC, please contact Veronica Agle at (810) 341-1499.