Posted on July 31, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning is gearing up for the start of the school year. As of last Tuesday, 127 students were signed up for SCILL’s three vocational training programs.
SCILL Center Director Ron Gifford says the automation, robotics, and equipment maintenance program is starting its second year. “That started with five students, all from Knox, last year,” he told the Knox City Council last week. “This year, we are looking to go to about 17 students in one class, so we’ve tripled our enrollment in one year. Right now, Knox has 12 of those 17 and North Judson has two, but we have two other schools in Marshall County that are sending at least one student here, as well.”
Gifford also said SCILL’s automotive program remains popular, with 71 students set to take part, with 29 of those coming from Knox. Meanwhile, he said the welding program is once again at full capacity. “This year, we had 63 applications for the welding program,” Gifford said. “We can only handle 40 in the space that we’re in, and that’s assuming we get 20 in the morning and 20 in the afternoon, which is very unlikely. So we’re out of space. This is the second year in a row we’ve had to tell kids they can’t take the course.”
The welding program is currently housed at Knox Middle School, but Gifford said plans are in the works for a larger space. “It would be just north of the existing auto facility in the industrial park, not connected to it, other than a breezeway to connect the buildings,” he explained. “Because of fire codes and the like, we can’t add onto the auto facility or do anything like that.”
SCILL Center classes for the 2017-2018 school year start this Thursday.
Showing posts with label Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning. Show all posts
Monday, July 31, 2017
Monday, October 17, 2016
Indiana Department of Workforce Development Discusses Strategies During SCEDF Event
Posted on October 17, 2016
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The State of Indiana expects a million jobs to open up over the next 10 years, but finding people to fill them remains a challenge. That’s the message the Indiana Department of Workforce Development shared with Starke County manufacturers, educators, and elected officials last week.
Dennis Wimer is the associate chief operating officer for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. He was the keynote speaker during the Starke County Economic Development Foundation’s 2016 Prospectus and Achievement Celebration Thursday. It was part of the larger Manufacturers Day event, which gave seventh graders from around Starke County the chance to learn about 17 local manufacturing companies.
Wimer pointed out that rather than focus on job-seekers, the Department of Workforce Development instead chooses to focus on businesses. “I have said over the last five years, I consider us to be a manufacturing organization,” he said. “We manufacture employees for the businesses of the state. If we look at it differently, we’re not really doing the right thing for the state. So the challenge of that, for all you manufacturers, is every raw material that I get in is different.”
He noted that Indiana has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, but Starke County hasn’t quite reached the same level of success, “Starke County’s unemployment rate’s a little higher than the state overall, 5.3-percent, with a total labor force around 11,000 and about 600 or so total size unemployment in that labor force and around 250 job openings in Starke County alone, which all of you know.” Wimer added that 75 percent of Starke County’s employers are small businesses with only one to nine employees.
One challenge the state faces is the area of education. He said roughly 70,000 Indiana students graduate from high school each year, but 8,700 fail to do so. Of those who attend and complete college, under half remain in the state after graduation. Wimer said the state continues to take steps to make sure its educational efforts align with the skills needed by employers while also making students aware of the opportunities that exist in their communities. “Really, students lack the information about occupations and demand,” he said. “This day is one of those things that works to change that, and these kinds of thing, over the last couple years I’ve seen, have started to increase across the state. So we recognize these issues, and across the state, communities – not just the state agency – but communities are working to fix these problems.”
Wimer felt that the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning does a good job of matching these skills, and similar programs need to be enhanced and developed around the state. He said the state is making grant funding available to help do that. “Last year, we gave out $11 million for our Skill UP grant, and that’s going to take folks and companies and training solutions and provide the kind of training that people need,” Wimer said. “Enhancing organizations like SCILL is the kind of thing that we’ve done across the state with those grants. SCILL wasn’t a recipient of it. I want them to apply for round three. I think they have a great opportunity for that.”
Additionally, Wimer says the Department of Workforce Development is tracking 800 different types of jobs and forecasting the demand for each of them at the county level for the next several years. The state also plans to roll out a “skills engine” that takes each of those jobs and translates them into a list of the direct skills required.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The State of Indiana expects a million jobs to open up over the next 10 years, but finding people to fill them remains a challenge. That’s the message the Indiana Department of Workforce Development shared with Starke County manufacturers, educators, and elected officials last week.
Dennis Wimer is the associate chief operating officer for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. He was the keynote speaker during the Starke County Economic Development Foundation’s 2016 Prospectus and Achievement Celebration Thursday. It was part of the larger Manufacturers Day event, which gave seventh graders from around Starke County the chance to learn about 17 local manufacturing companies.
Wimer pointed out that rather than focus on job-seekers, the Department of Workforce Development instead chooses to focus on businesses. “I have said over the last five years, I consider us to be a manufacturing organization,” he said. “We manufacture employees for the businesses of the state. If we look at it differently, we’re not really doing the right thing for the state. So the challenge of that, for all you manufacturers, is every raw material that I get in is different.”
He noted that Indiana has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, but Starke County hasn’t quite reached the same level of success, “Starke County’s unemployment rate’s a little higher than the state overall, 5.3-percent, with a total labor force around 11,000 and about 600 or so total size unemployment in that labor force and around 250 job openings in Starke County alone, which all of you know.” Wimer added that 75 percent of Starke County’s employers are small businesses with only one to nine employees.
One challenge the state faces is the area of education. He said roughly 70,000 Indiana students graduate from high school each year, but 8,700 fail to do so. Of those who attend and complete college, under half remain in the state after graduation. Wimer said the state continues to take steps to make sure its educational efforts align with the skills needed by employers while also making students aware of the opportunities that exist in their communities. “Really, students lack the information about occupations and demand,” he said. “This day is one of those things that works to change that, and these kinds of thing, over the last couple years I’ve seen, have started to increase across the state. So we recognize these issues, and across the state, communities – not just the state agency – but communities are working to fix these problems.”
Wimer felt that the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning does a good job of matching these skills, and similar programs need to be enhanced and developed around the state. He said the state is making grant funding available to help do that. “Last year, we gave out $11 million for our Skill UP grant, and that’s going to take folks and companies and training solutions and provide the kind of training that people need,” Wimer said. “Enhancing organizations like SCILL is the kind of thing that we’ve done across the state with those grants. SCILL wasn’t a recipient of it. I want them to apply for round three. I think they have a great opportunity for that.”
Additionally, Wimer says the Department of Workforce Development is tracking 800 different types of jobs and forecasting the demand for each of them at the county level for the next several years. The state also plans to roll out a “skills engine” that takes each of those jobs and translates them into a list of the direct skills required.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
SCILL’s Ron Gifford Honored by Rep. Walorski Posted on
U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski honored Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning Director Ron Gifford during a speech last week on the House floor. It was part of Walorski’s “Who’s Who in IN-02” initiative, in which she highlights a local resident or business each week.
During her speech, she said Gifford’s dedication has enabled SCILL to build a strong workforce and ensure the steady growth of the economy, helping local communities meet the demand for qualified workers.
Click here to watch Walorski’s full speech.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
SCILL Receives Award from NIPSCO
Published:
The Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning is being recognized by NIPSCO for its efforts in strengthening local communities in the area of education. SCILL is one of five recipients of the fifth annual NIPSCO Luminary Awards being presented this evening in Merrillville.
Coordinator of student services and programs Jerry Gurrado says the recognition means a lot to the organization, “Sometimes you’re fortunate enough to get an award and it’s rather hollow or shallow, but coming from NIPSCO, they’re pretty diligent in how they do their screening process, so it’s just a tremendous honor.”
He says the group deserves the recognition, “It’s always nice to be recognized, but we’ve always been just a little bit prejudiced and thought that we have this little hidden gem here in Starke County that is something that the entire county should be proud of because so many entities and people have been instrumental in our success.”
Gurrado says it feels good to be part of a team that’s doing amazing work, “All of us have days when we kind of grind at work and days when you kind of scratch your head and wonder why you’re doing what you’re doing. You don’t do it for awards, but when something like this pops up, it just makes you feel so proud of your entire organization because you know that this wasn’t through the efforts of just one person or a small committee or anything like that.”
Additionally, NIPSCO’s donating $1,000 to each award winner’s charity of choice.
Gurrado says the money for SCILL will likely go to the Starke County Community Foundation.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
SCILL Enrolling High School Students in Welding and Automotive Tech Programs
By: Mary Perren, WKVI
Published: August 14th, 2014
Starke County high school students wishing to pursue a
career in either welding or automotive technology can get a head start on doing
so without leaving home. The Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning
offers courses in both fields of study to high school juniors and seniors.
Participants in the vocational welding technology program learn about various
types of welding as well as how to read blueprints, handle tools and do the job
safely. They also get ample hands-on experience and receive both high school
and college credit for their participation in the program. The tuition cost is
covered by their school corporation, but the students are responsible for their
book rental and welding kit.
SCILL also offers a vocational automotive technology
program. It’s also a two-year course of study for area high school juniors and
seniors who attend classes at their school for half a day and spend the rest of
their time at SCILL. They get hands-on instruction in brakes, electrical
systems, engine performance, suspension and steering, automatic and manual
transmissions, vehicle heating and air conditioning and engine repair.
Students interested in enrolling in the SCILL Vocational
Welding Technology Program or Vocational Automotive Technology Program can
contact their high school guidance counselor, the SCILL Center or use the
online application available at www.scill.biz or www.ncavc.info. Participating
students will also have opportunities to intern with local businesses as part
of the program.
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