Brenda Odom
(803) 981-7144
bodom@yorktech.com

  FUNDING AVAILABLE!

The Institute for Workforce Development at York Tech was recently awarded over $200,000 in grant funds from the Department of Commerce. The purpose of these funds is to support local employers interested in implementing the WorkKeys system within their companies. 

WorkKeys provides a profiling-assessment-training system which determines job-specific skill requirements, matches those requirements with the skills of qualified applicants or incumbents, allowing targeted training interventions to close skill gaps and ensure job success.

These grant funds are available through spring 2008 and we are inviting inquiries through the end of 2007.  This is a no-strings-attached opportunity for local businesses to become WorkKeys participants. 

For more information or to request a visit from a member of our staff, email bodom@yorktech.com

The INSTITUTE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT has 5 primary program areas:

1. AchieveGlobal- We are an educational partner of AchieveGlobal (formerly known as Zenger-Miller), which is the largest provider of training and performance improvement services in the world. To be able to provide their products and services and receive their information, instructors have to be certified in their program areas. AchieveGlobal has three primary program areas-- Leadership, Customer Service, and Sales. All modules are applicable to a variety of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, service, financial, retail, etc.

Leadership: Designed for individuals new to leadership positions, wanting to get into leadership roles in their companies, or individuals who have not had any formal leadership training. Some course examples include:
 

Managing Priorities Coaching Managing Conflicts

Handling Emotions Under Pressure Problem Solving Dealing with Change

WorkSkills: Designed for preparing entry-level workers to succeed in the workplace-- pre-employment and incumbent workers. Some examples include:
 

Speaking with Confidence Positive Responses to Change

Getting the Information You Need Helping Your Team Work

Customer Service: Designed for individuals in any field who want to improve their customer service skills. These modules address customer service in a variety of situations. Some examples include:
 

Reaching for Stellar Service Connecting with Customers Guiding Customer Conversations

Healing the Customer Relationship Serving a World of Customers Meeting Unspoken Customer Needs

Sales Performance: Designed for individuals in any field that want to improve their selling skills.
 

Professional Sales Presentations Selling Against the Competition

Time Management for Sales People Winning Sales Conversations

2. Development Dimensions International (DDI)-- We partner with this organization to provide customized training and development programs to industry. All of DDI's programs are built around competencies (also known as dimensions) and are designed to give people at all levels the skills they need to be increasingly effective in their jobs. DDI programs are delivered through a blending of learning options that include classroom, web-based, virtual classrooms, and electronic performance support. DDI programs are offered exclusively in-house to clients as requested, as opposed to being offered to the general public. Examples of some of the modules that can be brought to your organization include:
 

3. WorkKeys is a system that matches the skills that employers are looking for with the skills that individuals have.

a. Profiling-- A certified job profiler works with job incumbents to determine tasks involved in a job and the skill levels necessary to accomplish those tasks. A profile report is then developed of the job position.

b. Assessments-- Individuals wanting to go into this job position are assessed to determine if they have the skills necessary to succeed in this job.

c. Training--If there are skill gaps, training can be provided to address those gaps.

4. Command Spanish® is the largest provider of Occupational Spanish programs in the country. We are a Licensed Official Registered Provider of their programs (one of only 7 in the state) and are the only provider of Command Spanish programs in the upstate of South Carolina. The purpose of Command Spanish® is to provide immediate, relevant Spanish training to individuals who need to learn functional language skills quickly. We also can offer courses in German, Italian, Japanese, and French. A few of the courses we offer include:
We also offer other occupation-specific courses not under the umbrella of Command Spanish® to meet the needs of industries in which Command Spanish® has not yet developed a program. Our Spanish courses are all tailored to a client's particular needs.
 

5. Pre-Employment Training provides individuals with the foundational skills necessary to become successful workers in new job positions. We conduct this program with companies (Manufacturing Certification program) as well as the Pre-Employment Occupational Certification Program (PEOC) in coordination with the Workforce Development Center, which administers a portion of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services. Individuals are pre- and post-assessed to determine skill gains. We also incorporate some modules out of the AchieveGlobal and WorkSkills series as well as DDI training.

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