Overview

In the Fall of 1996, staff from the North Carolina Department of Human Resources and the North Carolina Community College System came together for discussions aimed at developing ways to support the Work First effort by enhancing coordination of workforce training for Work First participants.  One outcome of these planning discussions is a training plan which includes elements deemed essential by those involved in providing services to Work First participants.   This plan places emphasis on:

• short-term training (job skills, workplace skills, and occupational basic skills) which is tied directly to employment outcomes;
• training components which are integrated; and
• training flexibility which allows Work First participants to move in and out of training streams as needed.

Key elements of this "model" include offering integrated training in the following areas in four-, eight-, and twelve-week segments.

• Human Resources Development (self-directed or classroom pre-employment training)
• Basic Skills (family/workplace/employment related literacy)
• Occupational Extension (short-term skills geared to identified job markets)

Training components can be structured as concurrent rather than sequential in order for individual Work First participants to receive pre-employment, basic skills, and skills training in an integrated training system.  All training in this effort will focus on employment outcomes for the students.

To obtain a copy of the Pathways to Employment Training Model, click here "Pathways Model."  The document is in *.pdf format and requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader.