Re-Entry Program 2008

The New Year is a great time for people to set new goals and take advantage of unique opportunities. And to help people in our region do just that, the Chamber is excited to announce the kick-off of our 2008 Advanced Re-Entry Modern Office Job Training program that begins on Thursday, February 7. We are very proud to be able to offer this program once again to our Middlesex County residents. There will be an orientation on Monday, February 4, at 3:30 p.m. in the Chamber of Commerce Education Center. This 15-week program is designed to assist those who are striving to get back into the workforce. Re-Entry is free of charge and available to anyone with basic keyboarding and typing skills who needs and wants training in modern office technology. Re-Entry is just one of the Chamber’s many Workforce Development programs that will once again be offered this year. Our Cook-Chef Training Program, funded through the Customized Job Training division of the State Labor Department, will be starting sometime in March. In addition, the Chamber has continued to implement successful workforce development programs. Working closely with the Workforce Alliance, Inc., the State Department of Labor, and the Office for Workforce Competitiveness, we have addressed the growing need of servicing dislocated workers. Along with programs funded by Workforce Alliance, the Chamber has continued to successfully work with the City of Middletown through the Community Development Bloc Grant to service clients throughout Middletown Since 1986, the Chamber’s Re-Entry program has been able to provide training and job counseling to more than 1,450 people and has assisted in placing more than 1,350 of them in unsubsidized employment. This program is truly a terrific opportunity for those seeking to upgrade and expand their skills and increase their marketability with such classes as Business Communications, Advanced Word Processing, Intermediate Excel, Microsoft Access and PowerPoint. The quality of these courses is top-notch as they are taught by the professional staff of Middlesex Community College and other certified teachers. Courses are held at both the college and the Chamber offices. I would like to praise the outstanding role that Anita Vallee, a professor at Middlesex College, has played in her position as Outreach and Job Placement Coordinator for the Re-Entry program ever since it was established 18 years ago. In addition to her duties as coordinator, Anita also teaches Advanced Word Processing. I would also like to thank the terrific teaching staff that we have this spring, which includes Ron Flash and Stuart Wood. Besides the wonderful support from Middlesex Community College and its teaching staff, the Re-Entry program is also assisted by the State Office of Workforce Competitiveness.  The generous grants and donations we have received from these organizations have allowed the Chamber’s Re-Entry program to continue through the years with great success. With an ever-increasing demand for skilled and able workers and with technology and the labor market changing at an ever-increasing pace, a highly effective and capable applicant pool is a necessity for Middlesex County employers to fill their needs. Matching qualified employees with employers will ensure the success of our local labor market and our economy. Training is an important factor for developing a strong and diversified workforce in our region and the Chamber takes pride in preparing our workers with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to compete in the 21st Century. Job seekers who are not prepared for a high-performance workplace will fall behind. The Chamber does not want to see that happen as we continue to move our region forward. For more information on the Re-Entry Modern Office Job Training orientation and classes, please contact Johanna Bond at the Chamber at (860) 347-6924 or email

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