Learn a job at little or no cost -- VPCC unveiling two new job programs at local campus
It's April 6. Also: today: how you can comment on local government taxes and budgets this week. Plus, nearly a quarter of James City's voters have already weighed in on redistricting referendum.
Virginia Peninsula Community College’s Historic Triangle campus is launching two short-term workforce training programs to place students into jobs in high demand in the area: hospitality and nursing care.
“These are short term programs that are designed to help people get a job right away,” said Edgar Swain, program director at the college.
Both programs are approved for Virginia’s Fast Forward program, which provides heavily discounted or even free tuition.
The noncredit programs — a certified nurses aide course and a multi-track hospitality program — train for jobs in demand in our area, he said.
The certified nurse aide, or CNA, program will run from April 23 through June 24, with classes held Monday through Thursday evenings. Students will receive a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on skills training and six days of clinical experience in a nursing setting.
“It’s very hands on,” Swain said. Students practice with mannequins and each other to build patient care skills before entering clinical rotations.
Graduates are eligible to sit for certification through the Virginia Board of Nursing, a requirement for employment in the field. Entry-level wages typically range from $15 to $19 an hour, according to Swain.
The hospitality program, which begins in July, runs about five months and is divided into two tracks: food service and lodging. Each track includes 90 hours of specialized training, plus training to help graduates land work by coaching them on how to do well in interviews and write resumes.
Lodging students train for roles such as front desk representative, maintenance worker and guest room attendant, while the food service track prepares students for positions including restaurant server, kitchen cook and breakfast attendant.
Hospitality is “a pretty strong job market,” Swain said. “The pay at the entry level is not very high, but there are career opportunities for people who stay with it and that’s what we’re trying to train people (for) so they can enter the job market as a manager.”
Students in the hospitality program will also earn industry-recognized certifications, including the ServSafe food manager credential and additional certifications through the American Hotel and Lodging Education Institute.
Swain said the hospitality programs were developed with direct input from local employers. A committee that included representatives from the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, economic development groups, The Williamsburg Area Restaurant Association and hotels helped shape the curriculum. A survey of 64 employers in the region identified hiring needs, hard-to-fill positions and workforce gaps.
Industry officials said their biggest challenge was finding applicants who were ready to work. They also fought the perception that hospitality jobs did not provide long-term career paths.
Tuition for the CNA program is set at $3,495, but the Fast Forward program allows state residents to typically pay only one-third of the cost as long as they pass the course. Students whose families earn less than four times the poverty level can get free tuition, Swain said.
Your chance to speak on government spending and taxes this week
James City, York and Williamsburg all hold sessions
James City County residents will be able to ask questions on the county’s proposed $413.million budget at a community meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 9, at 5:30 p.m. The James City Service Authority will also discuss its planned water and sewer rate increases. The meeting will be held in the board room of the county government center at 101 Mounts Bay Rd., Building F. You can also watch the meetings stream live on the county’ Facebook and YouTube pages and on Cox channel 88.
Williamsburg residents will have a chance to comment on the city’s proposed $121.15 million budget at the city council’s work session scheduled for Monday, April 6 , and to speak at a public hearing on the budget and increased water fees at the city council’s regular meeting April 9. Both meetings will be in the Stryker Center and will be livestreamed.
York County’s Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the proposed $308 million budget at their regular meeting Monday, April 7, and will hold a work session on it Thursday, April 9, at 4 p.m. in York Hall. The meetings are livestreamed.
Other government meetings this week:
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