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Skills for Success brings training to businesses and workers across Alabama

By Jennifer Williams Nov 5, 2024 Orignal Article Link

Businesses across Alabama have found it increasingly difficult to find and retain skilled workers, a challenge expected to grow even more as older, experienced employees leave the workforce.

But one statewide initiative, part of the state community college system, wants to change that, removing barriers to help match willing workers with companies ready to fill their labor needs.

“The skills gap is here, and it’s nasty,” says Houston Blackwood, workforce director with Skills for Success, a rapid workforce training program launched through the Innovation Center, a division of the Alabama Community College System that brings together community colleges, business and industry, and community partners.

“When I was in school, everyone was pushed to go to a four-year college. … We just weren’t really even aware of the trade opportunities available,” he says. “So, nobody went into the trades, and here we are 20 years later, with this huge gap.”

And while the Skills for Success program is facilitated through the state community college system, Blackwood says it is open to anyone across the state, from high-school students to older workers wanting to change careers or who simply want to improve their skills for advancement with their current employer.

“We work with industries across the state and ask: What’s your need? What are the skills involved? What do people need to know?” Blackwood explains. “Then we work with those industries and companies, and we build each course that we then give to community colleges around the state, and they deliver them in the way it best fits for their particular area. And that’s what makes it magic: we can reach every community, every high school, every person in Alabama — and they all have access to this no-cost training that is built by the very industries that need the workers.”

Yep. No-cost.

The program started just four years ago, thanks to state legislative appropriations, and already offers 27 courses with another 13-14 in the works. Current offerings range from fiber optics installers and meat cutters to heavy equipment operators and school bus drivers. “There’s really not a sector of the workplace that we don’t touch,” says Blackwood.

Courses are designed to be completed in two parts. After a self-directed, interactive online segment, students then complete a hands-on portion with instructors at any of the 24 community colleges and technical centers in the state. Courses can be completed in a few days or a few weeks, depending on the skill requirements involved, and graduates receive a statewide credential.

And this rapid training is a godsend for many businesses that need workers “yesterday” and workers who may not have the time or resources to complete a degree or certification that takes months or years. “We saw after COVID that the industry can’t wait, people can’t wait for that long to get a job,” says Blackwood. “So, we created something that’s quick, relevant, accurate and cheap.”

Chad Sutton, director of workforce development for Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in Opp, says the program has been pivotal for rural communities where many residents may not have the awareness about or access to job opportunities.

“A lot of people are just not aware of everything that’s available out there,” he says. “And now we have the opportunity to train people in our community and teach them about these careers by doing hands-on skills. Anytime you can start to develop skills in your community, that’s huge for everybody because that’s really how people become economically free — because of skill development and the opportunities that come from that.”

And the training opportunities being offered were built by industry people, adds Sutton, stressing the importance of that for businesses. “These courses weren’t built by somebody sitting in the office — they were built by people in these industries based on what they need. So, now you have these trainings that get right to the point. They don’t skip anything important, but they make it really relevant for exactly what is needed.”

During the 2023-2024 school year, LBW issues 1,443 workforce training certificates, a 324% increase compared to the previous year. For the Alabama Community College System, a record 1,452 students participated in workforce development training programs.

Businesses across the state are just tuning in to the benefits of the program, and organizers say they are ready to expand into whatever fields need skilled workers. “It really just starts with that idea,” says Blackwood. “A business can come to us and tell us what skills they really need and we can tailor a program for that business or industry.”

Burleson Pool Co., a company that will celebrate its 60th year in Huntsville in 2025, went from struggling to replace two retiring CDL drivers to increasing their productivity in less than two years because of Skills for Success.

“We found this program online through Northeast Alabama Community College in Rainsville and we were just amazed at what it offered,” says Allison Burleson, the company’s human resources director. “We ended up sending five of our employees over the past year or year and a half and they all got their CDL licenses.”

Burleson says the employees who went through the program really found it to be effective. In particular, they said they appreciated that the course wasn’t too long or drawn-out, which minimized their absence from work, and “they also really liked how immersive the course was and how they got a lot of really good on-the-road experience all throughout North Alabama,” she says.

“Being able to have multiple guys on the road has been a game changer,” she says. “We’ve already seen an increase in the number of pools we’ve been able to finish at one time over the last six months or so — and we can really tell an increase in our efficiency being able to work across several states. It’s a big deal for our small company.”

Jennifer Williams is a Hartselle-based freelance contributor to Business Alabama.