Site search
sponsored by
News
Sports
ENLARGE
It's difficult for South County residents to tap into resources, training and higher education, according to area business and education leaders.
Community organizers in South County have batted around the idea of a training center that could “skill up” workers for the job force. But they made little progress in developing the idea — until recently.
About 30 interested community members from the area met Wednesday night at the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino Resort's convention center to discuss what was wanted and needed.
Ted Romas, secretary for the Myrtle Creek-Tri City Area Chamber of Commerce and member of the task force to develop the center, said the proposed South County Career and Technical Center is beginning to gain some traction and momentum.
The project is still in its early stages and needs more funding. Still under discussion is exactly what such a center would or wouldn't include.
On Wednesday, ideas ran the gamut from providing training for skills such as welding and fabrication to teaching simpler tasks such as answering telephones, skills which some employers present said are lacking in today's applicants.
Other ideas aired Wednesday included a community kitchen for young entrepreneurs, English language services and a host of social services and financial support counseling.
Portland architects from the CAG Resources firm were also on hand to listen to community ideas, but one of the representatives said they were not yet near the design stage.
Attendees at the two-hour event also heard from Agnes Balassa of the Workforce Alliance — an advocate group for public policy that invests in training and education for America's workforce — about the need for more middle skill level jobs.
She said that about 50 percent of Oregon's jobs today demands workers with education beyond a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree.
“That's what your center is trying to address, that piece in the middle,” she said, pointing to jobs such as fire fighters, paralegal and physical therapy assistants.
Information from her presentation on “The Forgotten Middle,” can be accessed at www.skills2compete.org.
Many ideas were thrown out Wednesday night, but there are still many unknowns.
“Somewhere along the way we're going to have to find the golden purse strings to build and support this thing,” Romas said.
Pete Bober, director of workforce and community education at Umpqua Community College and member of the task force, said the task force has submitted a grant application seeking $77,000 from the Federal Economic Development Administration.
The center has also been tacked onto discussions and plans for a UCC facilities bond that could go on the ballot as early as 2011. Bober said UCC's role in the center isn't yet clear, but that the college is open to responding to community need.
Task force representatives and architects will meet today with educators from the six South County school districts to learn how the center might support K-12 education and what they would like to see develop from the current conversations.
“(The task force) thinks this could serve as a much bigger catalyst,” Bober said of the training center. He added the center could serve as a renaissance for the area by drawing in more businesses and perhaps keeping or bringing back young people who are now leaving the area after high school.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
Community organizers in South County have batted around the idea of a training center that could “skill up” workers for the job force. But they made little progress in developing the idea — until recently.
About 30 interested community members from the area met Wednesday night at the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino Resort's convention center to discuss what was wanted and needed.
Ted Romas, secretary for the Myrtle Creek-Tri City Area Chamber of Commerce and member of the task force to develop the center, said the proposed South County Career and Technical Center is beginning to gain some traction and momentum.
The project is still in its early stages and needs more funding. Still under discussion is exactly what such a center would or wouldn't include.
On Wednesday, ideas ran the gamut from providing training for skills such as welding and fabrication to teaching simpler tasks such as answering telephones, skills which some employers present said are lacking in today's applicants.
Other ideas aired Wednesday included a community kitchen for young entrepreneurs, English language services and a host of social services and financial support counseling.
Portland architects from the CAG Resources firm were also on hand to listen to community ideas, but one of the representatives said they were not yet near the design stage.
Attendees at the two-hour event also heard from Agnes Balassa of the Workforce Alliance — an advocate group for public policy that invests in training and education for America's workforce — about the need for more middle skill level jobs.
She said that about 50 percent of Oregon's jobs today demands workers with education beyond a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree.
“That's what your center is trying to address, that piece in the middle,” she said, pointing to jobs such as fire fighters, paralegal and physical therapy assistants.
Information from her presentation on “The Forgotten Middle,” can be accessed at www.skills2compete.org.
Many ideas were thrown out Wednesday night, but there are still many unknowns.
“Somewhere along the way we're going to have to find the golden purse strings to build and support this thing,” Romas said.
Pete Bober, director of workforce and community education at Umpqua Community College and member of the task force, said the task force has submitted a grant application seeking $77,000 from the Federal Economic Development Administration.
The center has also been tacked onto discussions and plans for a UCC facilities bond that could go on the ballot as early as 2011. Bober said UCC's role in the center isn't yet clear, but that the college is open to responding to community need.
Task force representatives and architects will meet today with educators from the six South County school districts to learn how the center might support K-12 education and what they would like to see develop from the current conversations.
“(The task force) thinks this could serve as a much bigger catalyst,” Bober said of the training center. He added the center could serve as a renaissance for the area by drawing in more businesses and perhaps keeping or bringing back young people who are now leaving the area after high school.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
