Racine---With over 15,000 Racine County residents without a high school diploma, any effort to ease the skills shortage should probably begin by figuring out a way to lower that number. That's the conclusion of a study group that drilled deep into the skills shortage problem.
A new initiative that’s designed to persuade residents without diplomas to pursue an equivalency degree is being rolled out at events this week at Veterans Terrace in Burlington and at the Wingspread Conference Center near Racine.
Racine County Human Services Department Director Hope Otto says the initiative stems from the brainstorming that was done. "What we concluded was that the most pressing and tangible problem was that 15,000 people in our county are without high school diplomas or equivalency degrees," Otto said in taping this Saturday's Community Matters program on WGTD. "We felt that until we address this we can't effectively move forward with the soft skill development and post secondary education and training that employers have told us they so desperately need."
Racine County, Gateway Technical College and other partners will be offering to cover the costs associated with prepping for and taking the test that could lead to securing a high school equivalency degree.
A G-E-D resource fair designed to lay out the options and incentives for prospective program participants will be held Thursday, Jan. 19th from 1-7 at Gateway in Racine. The event is partially designed to alleviate fears that may exist, according to Cyndean Jennings, Dean of Developmental Education for Gateway Technical College. "When they see what the steps are and meet people that are caring and concerned about their well-being, often times it winds up being a really good experience for students and they're able to take the test and move on," she said.
The hope, Jennings said, is that they'll stick around to earn certificates or associate degrees to makes themselves even more valuable in the labor market.
The new initiative mirrors one that was launched several years ago in Rockford. That effort led to a couple thousand residents earning G-E-D's.
In addition to broadening the pool of skilled workers, the new push aims to reduce poverty by helping residents land higher-paying jobs.
65% of Racine County jobs pay less than $20 per hour, according to figures from a new study that were quoted by Racine School Board President Mike Frontier. A wage of actually $29.56 an hour is needed to support a family of four that includes an infant and a pre-schooler. The mythical family includes a single wage earner working a 40-hour week.
This Saturday’s Community Matters program on WGTD will focus on the new Racine G-E-D initiative. The 45-minute broadcast begins at 11:15, and will be available online after that.
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