Standing, from left to right, are James Bates (Cleveland), Michael Curbow (Ocoee), Justin Underwood (Old Fort), Jeffrey Faggard (Englewood), Andru Alfonso (Sweetwater), Tyler Bryson (Madisonville), John Wallace (Madisonville), Alex Ingram (Etowah), Michael Betancourt (Cleveland), and Brandon Ledford (Madisonville). Seated, from left, are Kevin Rougeau - Instructor, Alex Foster (Sweetwater), Sean Patton (Vonore)
The first dozen graduates of the debut class from Cleveland State Community College’s Quick Job Recovery Bootcamp are headed to the job market. Just a month ago, these newly certified HVAC Technicians were looking for answers for their careers and their future. COVID-19 had played at least a part in their search for a new career. This week, they became certified HVAC Technicians.
With the help of the Tennessee Department of Human Services, more than $300,000 in Tennessee Community CARES Program funding to the Cleveland State Community College Foundation has paid for Cleveland State’s new Quick Job Recovery Bootcamps.
This new venture is providing free workforce training to lead to gainful employment of those within the college’s service area who lost their source of income and economic security due to COVID-19.
“This is really starting to come together for everyone,” said Dr. Patty Weaver, Cleveland State Community College vice president of Economic and Workforce Development. “When we embarked on this, we wanted to help our neighbors in need. That’s those who were looking for work, as well as the companies needing a trained and certified workforce. Seeing this first class graduate is exciting! This is life-changing training they have received. This is what the CARES funding was intended to do.”
Each one of the graduates of this first bootcamp have earned their HVAC Certification; the EPA section 608 Technician Certification. In addition to the free training, the funding has additionally helped each one of these newly-certified technicians with a tool kit valued at over $600. “The most exciting piece of all is that five of the grads already have interviews with companies needing certified technicians,” added Weaver. “The Quick Job Recovery Bootcamps are truly helping find ways to meet the demands of our communities.”
This Monday, a second HVAC Quick Job Recovery Bootcamp begins at Cleveland State’s Monroe County Center in Vonore, Tennessee. These courses consist of 13 days of training to help earn their certifications so they can begin their new careers. Other Quick Job Recovery Bootcamp classes also taking place as we close out October are Microsoft Office Specialist (Online) and Entry-Level and Refresher MIG Welding (Main Campus, Cleveland).
This project is funded under a grant contract with the Tennessee Department of Human Services through the TN Community CARES Program.