Foundation Hosts Picnic For Volunteers
The A-B Tech Foundation held a 'Thank You' picnic for all of the volunteers who assisted with the Foundation's second annual golf tournament in June. The festivity was held July 27 at the Governor's Western Residence picnic pavilion.
Fall Semester Rush
The Transfer Advising Center was packed and hopping on the first day of classes for the fall semester. According to Center Coordinator Kenet Adamson, 1,186 students were advised from July 5 to Aug. 12.
Dislocated Workers Finding Assistance At A-B Tech
A-B Tech prepares not only students entering their first career, but those who decide to change their careers, and those who find they had no choice.
With the loss of local manufacturing jobs at Square D, Lustar, Honeywell and TDP, many workers are finding themselves in need of a whole new career path.
Those attending A-B Tech have found many faculty and staff members are making it a little easier to go back to school through online offerings, convenient schedules and academic support. These workers have enrolled in GED programs and curriculum programs such as Allied Health, Automotive Technology, Office Systems Technology and Early Childhood Education.
Sue Olesiuk, instructor of Social/Behavioral Sciences and Developmental Studies, had several students come by and share their stories from years at working at the factories.
Both classes she taught over the summer offered online and web-supported sections. "Online is a great way to support the worker," she said. "It gives them flexibility when out looking for jobs."
"ACA 115 (First Year Seminar) is a non-threatening course to learn Blackboard. It is an invaluable course for students coming to college from the workplace for the very first time. "
One student wrote the following in the online discussion board in First Year Seminar.
"One thing that I learned this week that amazed me is how many dislocated workers are coming back to school. I, myself, being one of them. In my Professional Development class our teacher asked if any one had attendance sheets for her to sign and half of the class got up and took them to her! The best thing that has happened to many of us since loosing our jobs is that we have been given the opportunity to get an education. Good luck to everyone who is starting all over."
Students also have the opportunity to work with the Mountain Area JobLink Center to take classes on resume writing.
"On one hand I think it's sad they've lost their jobs, but with NAFTA, students get two years tuition. They are brave to step up to the plate and go back to school. They are really embracing the chance to come to college - something they thought they would never do," Olesiuk said.
David Walker, chair of Transportation Technologies said he allowed students to start Automotive Technology out of cycle in order to get them started right away. "Normally we start in the fall, but we had such an inflow of displaced workers we started them in after Christmas, and in the summer. We want to get them through and back to the workforce."
Phil Leftwich, interim dean of Business and Hospitality Education, said his division runs day and evening programs to accommodate all schedules. "We are set up to service displaced workers," he said.
"I really think the critical story comes from the students and what we have been able to do to serve them," said Barbara Brownsmith, coordinator of Adult Basic Skills. She mentioned a group of workers from Lustar who recently received GEDs and went on to curriculum programs at A-B Tech.
"We owe them a huge thank you. They were an inspiration to the younger people," Brownsmith said. "They were a fabulous group. Students have said there was never a minute that they needed help and that they didn't get it."
Eric Greene worked at Lustar in the dyeing and finishing department. Now he has been working up to four hours a day to pass his GED. "I have been working hard on math and the essay," he said. "I wish I had these teachers when I was in high school. They understand you as a person, whether they are younger or older than I am."
Fran Clark is a 51-year-old displaced worker taking early childhood education courses. She has taken classes on the Asheville and Madison campuses after being of out school for 32 years.
"I have always worked in factories," she said. "The first semester I was here, I didn't think I would make it." She felt as though her instructors saved her from dropping out.
Clark didn't do well on a test and was worried that she couldn't make it. Early Childhood Education Instructor Pam Kirby let her know that not everybody testes well, but Clark was doing well on projects and class work and she should stick with it.
Clark has formed a bond with Kirby; Cathy Pollock, Early Childhood Education chair; Melba Hawkins, Early Childhood Education/Smart Start Instructor; and even instructors not in her program area.
"I think the world of them. I will be a better teacher because of them. I want to be the type of teacher they are. They believed in me, when Fran did not believe in herself," Clark said.
"I feel like that's my job. That's why I'm here. My job is to help them believe in themselves. They are going to succeed if they know we believe in them, and they believe in themselves. When you give them the time, it makes a difference. I'm a firm believer in treating others the way I would want to be treated," Kirby said.