We were pretty much getting settled into our responsibilities at the Employment Center when I heard that they were going to add another couple at the new Education Referral Center. I mentioned that Grandpa would love working close to Dixie College. Next thing I knew we were called into the Assistant Director's office and said that we were being transferred to the Educational Center. When it came down to it, I was kind of nervous. This new mission is a pilot program to help people who have been out of school and want to get back in to school, maybe they have lost their jobs and have decided to go to school, or in one of the cases that I am working on is a mother whose has three little girls and her husband has left her so she needs to get a occupation and wants to be a dental hygienist.
We went the next Monday to the Center which is located at the LDS Institute building next to the college. It is a gorgeous building. We are in room 224. The other couple that we are working with is Janet and Grant Cammack. I worked with Janet in the Relief Society Presidency and we are really good friends. When I went into the office, there were papers everywhere. Janet said she was so happy to have me there to organize the office. Now that is one thing I can do. It took me two days to do this. Janet worked for many years at the college over the Scholarship program so knows the ins and outs of obtaining scholarships and Pell grants. She also knows everyone in the college so that makes it a little easier for us to get the information that we need.
Our main responsibilities are to interview candidates and see what their needs are. The one young mother I mentioned wants to be a dental assistant before she goes to school so that she can make a little more money than she is making now. After much research, we find that we don't have any schools that provide schools for this. Plus there wouldn't be any federal funding for this. We found that dental offices do on the job training. The only thing is that it cost about $2500.00 for it. She was real discouraged when she heard this. I think that is the hardest thing we have run across. The church is helping these people with food and such and they don't want to ask for schooling. We have been discussing this with the higher ups and I think there will be some funding for them.
On Wednesday, Janet and I went around to all the beauty colleges and the skin institute. When we went to Paul Mitchell's school we learned about their program and the girl in charge offered Janet and I a free facial. We went Saturday, How much fun was that?
Grandpa has such a way of expressing himself. We had one man that came in and said that he was interested in the Medical field or maybe working with troubled kids or a few other things. Grandpa was able to say the things that he needed to hear. I think he wants to push ahead but doesn't have the self confidence to do it.
Grandpa is thinking of starting a class on succeeding in school. I think that this would really help the candidates get the motivation they need.
One thing I know for sure is that I love helping people get on with their lives and feel better about themselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment