The Missouri Job Center currently offers several career training opportunities for those who have experienced job loss. Training dollars and career services are available for the Green for Greene and Missouri Works Together grants, as well as the Dislocated Worker Program for those who have been recently laid off due to the coronavirus. These trainings are at no cost to those who qualify.
Applications are currently being accepted for the Green for Greene program, where participants earn 13 certifications for environmental-related careers. Green for Greene is funded by a $200,000 grant from the EPA. Classes begin July 13, and are held daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m. for a five-week period. To register, visit www.springfieldmo.gov/greenforgreene or call Cindy Bennett at 417-841-1890.
The Missouri Works Together Grant addresses the opioid crisis in Missouri by offering free training and paid work experience to become a Certified Peer Specialist and work with those currently battling addiction. For more information on the program, contact Tasha Cook at 417-841-3382 or email acook@springfieldmo.gov.
If you have received unemployment benefits or experienced a lay off, you may qualify for paid tuition for short-term training as well as employment assistance through the dislocated worker program. Training is provided in one of five high growth career fields including healthcare, manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics, or IT. It is important to note that you can attend these trainings while collecting unemployment benefits.
“These training opportunities can help workers in the Ozark Region get back on their feet after experiencing the loss of a job and provide a pathway back to employment,” said Sally Payne, interim director of Workforce Development for the City of Springfield. “We are pleased to offer these programs and encourage anyone who is out of work to contact us and see if we can help,” she said.