‘Schools To Careers’ Program Provides Job Skills Training

Mary Draper Maloney, wife of Congressman Jim Maloney, addressed Newtown Rotary last week on the “School to Careers” partnership program being conducted for the benefit of the seven communities in the Greater Danbury area.

WERACE (Western Connecticut Regional Adult and Continuing Education Program), located at the Danbury Community Resource Center, collaborated with the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA), Harambee Youth & Community Center, four area schools, and seven area organizations on a number of the programs.

The goal is to bring many of the area high school dropouts and lesser educated people back to school to earn their high school diploma and/or learn a job skill to enhance their future. Approximately 1,200 are currently enrolled with about 600 earning their high school diploma and the balance attending the ELS (English as a Second Language) program.

A grant was received to create a model site program which if successful could be the model for a nationwide program. A survey showed that there is a need for people in the health field so a curriculum was written to train people to enable them to enter the health field. Similar curriculums were then written for the banking and computer industries.

Word is getting out and interest is rapidly growing, Mrs Maloney said. The business community is very happy with the results as more trained people are becoming available for their critical fields.

Mrs Maloney cited an example of never starting too early to train young people on computers. Her young daughter announced one evening she had to get a map of Belgium and do a write up on it. She immediately got on the Internet and within 15 minutes had a map and complete report. Young (old, older) students without access to the computer and the Internet are at a big disadvantage, Mrs Maloney said.

Anyone who wants more information about this program should contact the Danbury Community resource Center at 1 School Ridge Road in Danbury.