Many of those taking part in the MIG Welding graduation involving Cleveland State Community College and students from The Refuge/City Fields stopped and posed for a picture Friday morning from the welding facilities on the main campus of Cleveland State
A brand new set of graduates from Cleveland State Community College’s MIG Welding program Friday marks the sixth year of a special partnership with “The Refuge,” a charitable non-profit group which helps find opportunities and education for many in need.
After 40 hours of welding training, which includes instruction in industry math, safety, classroom training, practical hands-on education, and certification testing, these graduates are headed for a new career. However, as proud as these organizations are of this 2020 graduating class, there is a new venture on the horizon that will broaden their coverage when it comes to caring about career and community.
The community development corporation, City Fields, is now joining The Refuge. City Fields is at the middle of a revitalization effort for the Blythe Oldfield community of Cleveland. By developing and cultivating housing and opportunities for the residents, City Fields is helping make more promising futures for people in need, a reality. The Refuge provides assistance with job searching, education in life and job skills, literacy, and identification of available community resources to those who find themselves in difficult economic or social situations.
This new enterprise with The Refuge, which is known for successfully working with unemployed or under-employed people in need of a career and a living wage, is truly a huge win for everyone. “The Refuge joining forces with City Fields will help us have an even greater impact,” said Dustin Tommey, executive director of City Fields. “We want to see twice as many classes. We want to offer more advanced options. And, ultimately, build a pipeline for people to go from unemployment… to a life of sustainability.”
The annual training that Cleveland State Community College provides to enrollees from The Refuge is something that also involves partnerships that are invested in growing our community. The Department of Human Resources, the Career Center, UT Family Extension, Norfolk Southern, as well as friends and family of the graduates truly come together each year to support and help grow the next generation of our workforce and our neighbors. The Welding training that the college has provided for the past six years provides nationally-recognized training and industry certifications, and ultimately careers, to each graduate.
“Cleveland State is excited about the merger between The Refuge and City Fields,” said Dr. Patty Weaver, Cleveland State Community College vice president of Workforce and Economic Development. “Economic stability, eliminating barriers, and transforming communities into thriving neighborhoods are part of each organization's mission. These combined efforts to educate and empower more individuals in our community will allow for the expansion of more programming. Cleveland State has already developed a strong partnership with The Refuge in helping address issues that are fundamental to economic stability and social progress in our community.”
For more information on Cleveland State Community College, call 472-7141 or visit the college at ClevelandStateCC.edu. Students are currently enrolled online and on-campus through the CSCC main campus in Cleveland, as well as CSCC’s Athens Center in Athens, Tn. and Monroe County Center in Vonore, Tn.