EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

Education and Training Programs: Assisting clients to enter training and develop a long-term career plan…

The Spanish Speaking Center (SSC) has been working to ensure that the basic needs of individuals are met as they acculturate into their new English speaking environment.

Through the creation of individually tailored education and training programs, the Center acts as the link between the individual and the community. Developing our future workforce with culturally appropriate support is critical to the participant’s long-term success.

Whether the individual has never been to school, needs to complete high school or had attended college in a different country, the Center provides career development activities to anyone who enters their door.  SSC proudly maintains the reputation for support that shows, “we are able to work with everyone.”

While the SSC is funded for 200 individuals to partake in development programs, they actually serve an average of 300 - 400 people per year. Through their work in Education and Training Programs the SSC has not only established itself as the link for new English speakers to reach out into the community, but also as an access point for other agencies to get in front of this audience. 

• Career Development Program / Adult Education   SSC offers E.S.L., G.E.D. and high school completion programs on-site or at other locations.  Once a client has completed these programs the SSC moves them into occupational skills training, where assessment of each individual allows the Center to connect them to job opportunities that best fit their abilities. Individually tailored plans, including self assessments of skills and interests, will lead the client to more rewarding job opportunities. We encourage participants to think about where they hope to be in 5 or 10 years and assist them in beginning a career ladder with training that they are more likely to complete successfully. Often this includes attending a university and we can assist with the development of a financial aid package and course selection.
  
  
• Certified Nurse Assistant Program and other health care training.   SSC recruits, screens, prepares and advocates for individuals  seeking funding for C.N.A. and other health care trainings for our participants.  These occupational skills trainings,  which may range from $350- $1,200 depending on intensity, length and components, lead our participants to a 95% employment placement rate.  Bilingual health care workers are in demand and those graduating from SSC programs have excellent opportunities for advancement.  We are working to develop other healthcare related training opportunities.
  
  
•  Computer Lab  An Open access computer lab is available to individuals who have signed up for Career Development programs at SSC. Located on site at the SSC the lab is open in the afternoons for job search, independent research, email, and tutorials for ESL classes.  Opportunities for training are available utilizing a variety of software.  Reasonably priced computer classes are currently being offered in English, Spanish and Polish.
  
  
• Latino Business Start-Up: Collaboration with CCSU and BankNorth. Collaboration created a business prep program for Latino entrepreneurs who want to start their business in New Britain.  SSC recruits, screens, and provides basic education and computer classes to participants and supports them with tutoring and technical assistance during the second phase of the program. The next 10 weeks involve workshops focused on the areas of business law, customer service, insurance needs, marketing, financing, and other topics at the Institute for Technology and Business Development at CCSU.  Our first class graduated in February 2006 and the second class began April 5, 2006.