Lanier Tech expects to play an expanded role in the local economy by helping laid-off employees find new jobs.
While the growth in enrollment at the Commerce campus is minimal, as more businesses and industries shed workers in a faltering economy, that is expected to change.
“We’re looking to continue to grow,” said Howard Ledford, coordinator of instruction for the Commerce campus of Lanier Tech. “We’re seeing 10, 12, 14-percent increases in enrollment. As we see more layoffs in our area, we’ll see our enrollment increase.”
Winter quarter enrollment is up 1.5 percent at both the Commerce campus and overall for Lanier Tech, Ledford says.
Ledford believes that layoffs have been slower to come to Northeast Georgia than in other areas, but they are taking place here too.
“What I’m seeing is a lot of people out of work coming back and needing to be trained,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve been as fast to catch it as other counties. It’s hit them harder first.”
Lanier Tech offers a couple of programs to improve job-seekers’ chances.
Its WorkReady program provides the WorkKeys exams - math, locating information, and reading for information - that can give workers a leg up when industries do hire.
“They want to use that as part of their portfolio in looking for a job,” Ledford says. “The 15-20-30-year professionals want some fresh training to put on their résumé, and they want to take WorkKeys so they can put that in their portfolios.”
WorkKeys provides certification to industries that potential employees are adequately trained in areas important to the industry.
The school’s certificate programs give a potential worker a chance to enhance existing skills.
Ledford says he encourages the newly unemployed to contact the Department of Labor and the Workforce Investment Board to “get on their lists” for programs and benefits.
“We never know what kind of funding will come from the stimulus bill for unemployment and other benefits,” he said. “We encourage them to get on whatever list as soon as possible so they’ll be at the top of the list when funding is let loose.”
The most important advice, says Ledford, is for the jobless people to avail themselves immediately of all the opportunities and benefits “instead of sitting there waiting for a job to open up.”
The Hope Grant covers Georgia residents’ tuition, and there are other resources that can sometimes help pay for the $35 technology fee and books not covered by the Hope Grant (which has a $50-$100 allowance). There is federal money for those laid off, and for those being retrained the Department of Labor and Workforce Investment Act provide some funds.
The Spring Semester starts March 30.
The Commerce campus, located in the old Bi-Lo shopping center on South Elm Street, also serves as a feeder to the main campus in Oakwood.
“We’re finding a lot of students coming in, take some of our math and English courses here, then transfer to Oakwood for their main courses or go online,” Ledford said. He adds that a third of Lanier Tech’s students take online courses.
Lanier Tech also offers GED courses.
