Questar III BOCES has been awarded nearly $100,000 through Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2013 Regional Economic Development Council Awards to provide free or low-cost training to 30 long-term unemployed adult workers in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R), Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) and welding.
Questar III chose to include HVAC/R in its consolidation funding application (CFA) based on Department of Labor statistics indicating the Capital Region is in need of more skilled workers in this field. Welding was chosen based on the success of Questar III’s community education welding program. Funds will also be used to offset a portion of the tuition for students enrolled in Questar III’s LPN program.
During the program, set to begin in September 2014, students will earn certificates of completion for the HVAC and welding programs to add to their portfolios. LPN students will also receive a certificate of completion making them eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN®).
HVAC/R and welding students will also learn job skills including resume writing and interview techniques and will earn Certificates of Employment from the Schenectady County Chamber of Commerce. They will also complete OSHA 10 training and certification.
“These programs will be ideal for a person who has had difficulty finding employment,” said Christine Perry, Questar III Workforce and Personal Development recruiter. “This is an opportunity to be trained in an emerging field with good entry level positions that provide stable employment.”
This is the second successful CFA Questar III has submitted. In 2011, Questar III was award funding for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) manufacturing as well as the LPN program.
Perry attributes this success of this year’s CFA to Questar III Grant Writer Arlene Sampson, and to Questar III HVAC/R teachers Dan Ramirez and Mike Veeder who collaborated over the summer to develop the curriculum prior to the submission of the CFA.
“The teachers really came together to make sure the modules and curriculum were all set,” said Perry. “This is why we got the money; their work means we can hit the ground running.”
Interested adults are required to have a high school diploma or GED as well as a minimum Grade 10 reading level determined through TABE test.
For additional information, please contact Christine Perry at 518-273-2264.
