HAZLETON, PA, June 24, 2011) – The Pennsylvania CareerLink® center in Hazleton has completed its second installment of a successful employment program.
On Friday, nine people graduated from the center’s ESL Warehouse program, which prepares participants for jobs in the warehouse industry. The 285-hour course focuses on topics specific to warehouse employment in addition to teaching English communication skills. On Friday, the graduates of the program earned their completion certificates.
The program’s first graduates received their certificates at a ceremony in March, after which they participated in a job fair with several local employers.“Several of the participants were hired by the companies that participated in the job fair, and those employers have told us how happy they are with the quality of the employees and the ESL Warehouse program,” said Elaine Stalfa, site administrator for the CareerLink center in Hazleton.
The program is funded through a grant procured by the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board, which oversees the programs administered through the PA CareerLink centers in Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre and Pottsville. Training for the ESL Warehouse program was provided by Luzerne County Community College and the Northeast PA Manufacturers and Employers Association.
Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Lucyann Vierling said, “As we met with business and industry leaders throughout the region, it became apparent that the ESL Warehouse program was something that was needed. The topics covered in the course were developed specifically to meet the needs of local employers and to help residents find employment.”
Topics covered in the ESL Warehouse course included: principles and methods for moving, receiving, storing, labeling, handling and shipping goods; best practices for facility and personal safety; processes and procedures for taking physical and computerized stock counts and recording shortages, damage or defective product; data recording, communication, active listening and time management. The CareerLink center is considering offering the ESL Warehouse course again in the future.
L/S WIB Board Chair Martha Herron said the program is an example of one way the WIB and CareerLink centers work to meet the needs of job seekers as well as companies who want to hire qualified employees.
“We received more interest in the course after the first program participants graduated. Local employers are realizing the many benefits the program can bring to their industry,” she said.
After Friday’s graduation ceremony, ESL Warehouse graduates were interviewed by local employers interested in hiring those who have successfully completed the program.
For more information on the ESL Warehouse program, contact the Hazleton CareerLink center at (570) 459-3895.
