Folks interested in learning skills that give them more opportunities in the workforce found their way Friday afternoon to the Salvation Army Center of Hope.
They arrived to pick up applications for a new program to be offered at the 927 Jefferson St. location.
The Salvation Army, State Technical College of Missouri and Missouri Apprenticeships in Manufacturing program have joined forces to offer manufacturing training through a MoAMP grant.
Courses will be offered at the Salvation Army and may certify unskilled workers in areas like Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules, first aid, robotics, blueprints, motor controls, heating and air conditioning, and more. The certifications are intended to help clients prepare for and land stable jobs.
This program will open opportunities for people who may not have had them before, said Alex Earls, a State Tech grant project developer and industry liaison.
"There's a lot of community involvement," Earls said. "There's a lot of good buy-in. This is a great opportunity."
On Friday, State Tech set up its mobile classroom on the Salvation Army parking lot, Earls said. Staff set up and displayed some of the training equipment available for people to use as they go through the MoAMP project, he said. For example, one display showed the heating, cooling and ventilation unit the college uses to familiarize students with equipment.
"This is what you're going to see inside air conditioning units in a residential building," Earls said. "We'll load refrigerant into this. We'll trip different valves. We'll hook up gauges and teach how to read gauges."
Through that portion of the program, it's possible to earn a credential that could get students in the door of a heating and cooling company, he said.
Classes are to take place in the Salvation Army gymnasium. Scheduling will be tailored to fit in with the lives of the students. Depending on the response from applicants, the program likely will begin shortly after the first of the year. To be eligible, applicants for the program must be U.S. citizens with high school diplomas (or equivalent), and be between the ages of 18-47.
Applicants should email Shelah Sinner at [email protected] or call 573-635-1975.
The program is open to people outside Cole County.