Agenda - 08-20-1996 - X-C - Laserfiche WebLink

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• 7 Establishment of formal linkages between currently existing transportation and other services and skill development opportunities Formal agreements and linkages should be established between agencies to ensure those seeking work have access to vital support services such as transportation, child care, assessment, financial aid, etc. .Skill development for individuals is dependent upon their ability to take advantage of training while fulfilling other obligations. Every effort should be made to ensure Orange County citizens have access to services to support their need for skill development and employment. Permanent, consistently available spaces for training Space needs to be allocated to offer job development opportunities at convenient locations in the County, during both day and evening hours. Durham Technical Community College, JTPA, JOCCA, and others currently offer skill development opportunities for adults at various locations throughout the county, but often find a need to recommend that potential students seek educational sites outside the county where specialized laboratories and training facilities are available. Designated spaces for training would allow for the expansion of existing services and the addition of educational opportunities to meet the specific needs of business and industry in Orange County. Information and communications technology should be incorporated into training spaces to reach further into the community to offer convenient skill development opportunities. Extension technologies -telecourses via public broadcast and local access cable channels - and emerging technologies such as wireless broadcasts and courses via computer networks offer additional opportunities for offering skill development to the citizens of Orange County. Training developed to better match emerging jobs and include but go beyond the basic 3 R's Entrants in the workforce in the nineties and beyond will be faced with the challenge of utilizing fundamental skills and advanced understanding of service delivery and technology. Most will agree that basic skill levels in math and reading are absolute requirements and are, in fact, the building blocks for future learning. These two skills are accompanied by the requirement to be able to communicate in written and oral forms. While there may be some debate about the proficiency level that one may require in order to be employed, there is no debate that the fundamentals must be taught and retained. A program that reinforces the basic skills is a certain requirement. Potential employees must be able to demonstrate the application of these skills in such a manner that employers will be able to provide job-specific training that will directly benefit both the employee and the employer. Job training programs that are skill-based and that are general enough to develop a wide variety of skills may be necessary. Any course-work that delivers the three basic skills referenced above must also be applicable in a complex and competitive environment. Trainees will be expected to handle both entry level tasks as well as gradually more complex tasks. Training programs should focus not only on the basic skill being taught, but should also focus on methods of learning and proficiency development. Certainly,the employer base of Orange County has needs for trainees who are capable of being trained and retrained to a skill level that matches emerging jobs and services. The impact of technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation will make such skills as critical thinking, use of judgment and independence,and multi-modal communication very likely requirements for the successful training program. Employees will be expected to master an array of skills and be able to