NORFOLK – Northeast Community College in Norfolk is partnering with the State of Nebraska to train and retrain workers impacted by COVID-19.
According to a release from NECC, Nebraskans who have experienced the effects of the pandemic through their work have an opportunity to be trained or re-trained with skill sets that will allow them to pursue employment in high-demand careers and industries.
Northeast Community College is partnering with the state Department of Economic Development and Department of Labor (DOL) on a Nebraska Workforce Retraining Initiative (WRI), which will, in part, provide scholarship dollars to cover tuition and examination fees to eligible individuals who enroll in designated training programs. The average scholarship will be approximately $1,100.
Eligible students must meet one of the following guidelines – be unemployed on or after March 13, 2020, as a result of COVID-19; unemployed between January 1, 2020, and March 13, 2020, and are now unable to find employment as a result of COVID-19; employed for less than 40 hours a week at a job which provides the majority of their income (primary job) due to COVID-19 and wish to be employed full time; employed temporarily at their primary job because of COVID-19, but wish to be employed permanently; or furloughed or laid off from a primary job on or after March 13, 2020, due to COVID-19 (or had to close their own business, which provided the majority of their income, because of COVID-19) and are now employed at a new primary job with lower wages than their previous employment.
A number of existing programs offered through Northeast Community College are eligible to students who wish to utilize the WRI scholarship. This includes Basic Nurse Aide and Medication Aide, Community Health Worker (certificate program), Professional Truck Driver (non-credit), Crops Chemical Applicator, Drafting (certificate program), Machining and Manufacturing Automation (certificate program), CompTIA A+ Certification (non-credit), CompTIA Networking+ Certification (non-credit), CompTIA Security+ Certification (non-credit), LPI Linux Essentials Certification (non-credit) and Forklift Certification (non-credit).
New programs and classes at Northeast include Contact Tracer (credit skills award), Short-Term Welding (non-credit), Fiber Optic Installer (non-credit), Manufacturing Maintenance Electrical & Instrumentation (non-credit), Manufacturing Maintenance Mechanical (non-credit), Control Systems (non-credit) and Digital Controller Systems, Level 1 (non-credit).
The grant also provides a career coach to students as a part-time temporary position will be hired to provide these services. This position will collaborate with the Nebraska Department of Labor and employers in the region to identify DOL programs of support, employers of interest and opportunities for work-based learning.
The career coach will also meet with each program participant a minimum of one time during their program participation to assist students in clarifying educational outcome goals, scheduling a time for certification exams, job search preparation and job search assistance. The career coach will also refer students to other Northeast Community College resources as needed.
One scholarship will be awarded per applicant as all courses must be completed by March 31, 2021. Students who drop, withdraw or change plans will be required to repay funds.
Applications for the Nebraska Workforce Retraining Initiative scholarships will be accepted through September 30, 2020. Northeast may award up to 847 scholarships prior to September 1, with potential for more from September 2-30.
Employers may refer candidates and any interested parties may send an email to GetNebraskaGrowing@northeast.edu.
To learn more about the State of Nebraska/Northeast Community College Nebraska Workforce Retraining Initiative, visit northeast.edu/workforce-retraining, call 402-371-2020 or 800-348-9033.