Lynchburg poised for new job-training program
The newly formed Appalachian Gateway Development Board held its first meeting Tuesday, Oct. 22, followed by a lengthy meeting with representatives related to potential job training and future employment in the village of Lynchburg and the surrounding area.
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, board members Joel Pierre, Jeremy Shaffer, Barb Cole, Sharon Bedard and Carolyn Hastings met with Michael Dumont, national employer relations manager with Connected Nation, and Heather Delany of Connect Ohio.
Also attending the meeting were representatives from Highland County and Clinton County One-Stop Employment and Training Centers, Rick Thompson and Karen Cook, respectively; John Joy of Southern State Community College; and Robin Brown of Highland County Veterans Services.
The board's focus is on "economic development, community development and personal development."
Dumont provided an orientation video presentation to the board outlining the potential economic impact of Digital Works, as it is related to customer service representative jobs and online employment.
The first-year goal of Digital Works is to train a minimum of 75 people in the Highland and Clinton County areas. At the end of the training, each person who completes the program is guaranteed a job, earning up to $13-$17 per hour, the board stated.
However, according to Lyndsey Kleven, a public relations specialist with Connect Ohio, the jobs may pay less than initially stated.
"At the end of the training, each person who completes the program is guaranteed a job, and can earn $0.25 per minute with agents averaging $9 to $12 an hour to start," Kleven said.
According to Pierre, the year-one economic impact for the region could be between $2 million and $2.6 million.
Board member and Grow! Highland County Director Sharon Bedard also pointed out that those employed through this training program will contribute to the success of other local businesses.
"Lynchburg is a key area because we're close to three counties – Highland, Clinton and Brown," Pierre said. "This is a community development project (as much as an economic development project)."
Board member Carolyn Hastings said she was excited for the area, adding that "Lynchburg is home to many great families. It's just an exciting opportunity for the area."
Board member and Highland County Commissioner Jeremy Shaffer referenced the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), which was passed by Congress in 1998 to reform federal job training programs and create a new, comprehensive workforce investment system.
"With Highland and Clinton counties here today, we have both counties working together for one of the largest job creation opportunities since the departure of DHL."
"We believe in our motto 'If we can dream it, we can build it here," board member Barb Cole said. "We are prepared to keep this going."
Dumont shared the story of Digital Works' successes in Perry County, Tenn., a region devastated with 27-percent unemployment. Digital Works created new economic opportunities in Linden, Tenn.
"There are basically three different potential job occupations," Dumont said, "customer service representatives, computer program trainees and web content writers. For those who successfully complete the training, it is very easy to find work.
"It's a whole different way of working," he said. "It's making a living – from home – on the telephone and computer."
Initially, the group is scheduling meetings for potential trainees in Highland and Clinton counties. The first orientation will be held 10 a.m. Nov. 6 at Highland County Job and Family Services in Hillsboro. A second orientation will be held 10 a.m. Nov. 8 at Southern State Community College's North Campus in Wilmington.
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Additionally, resources are available for spouses of those displaced workers who have lost their employment due to a factory closing.
The board is in need of donations of office desks and chairs, and monetary donations will be accepted toward scholarships for those participating in the training.
The board thanked Jeff Cloud and Southern Hills Community Bank for the use of its building in the 200 block of North Main Street, across from the Lynchburg Post Office.
For local information on the program, email Joel Pierre at lynchburgcc@gmail.com, or call Karen Cook, office manager of the Clinton County Employment and Training One-Stop Center, at (937) 382-7762 or Rick Thompson of the Highland County Employment Center at (937) 393-1933. Interested candidates also can go online at the links below for more information.
About Connected Nation
Connected Nation uses grassroots techniques through our eCommunity Strategies effort to pinpoint underserved areas and create strategic technology plans for these locations. They work with community leadership to address communities challenges related to technology growth and implement the necessary programs to overcome these obstacles. eCommunity Strategies helps communities to effectively and efficiently leverage technology by identifying best technology practices and how to acquire such technology.
About Connect Ohio
Connect Ohio is working to bring the benefits of universal broadband to Ohio. Technology, especially widespread access, adoption, and use of broadband, improves all areas of life. Connect Ohio works together with the State of Ohio to advance broadband issues in communities across the state and invites you to join us in changing communities and lives. Connect Ohio is a subsidiary of Connected Nation and operates as a nonprofit in the state of Ohio.
About Digital Works
Digital Works is an initiative of Connected Nation, Inc. the parent organization of Connect Ohio, whose Every Community Online program has trained over 120,000 individuals. Digital Works merged with a highly successful working model in Tennessee supporting national companies putting hundreds to work in the most economically challenged areas. During the last two years, VisionPerry has developed and implemented job-specific training programs to provide local citizens 21st century technological skills and provide jobs for training graduates.