The community collaborative effort to help recent graduates, the unemployed and the underemployed find fresh employment opportunities and career pathways to better paying jobs launched its Kosciusko Kickstart your career website today.

“We want everyone in our community to let people looking for a full-time job and benefits know that the key is getting the right training for a manufacturing career” noted KEDCo President George Robertson.

Kosciusko Kickstart is a 12-week program. Students will learn skills that apply to the manufacturing industry, as well as “soft skills” like how to behave appropriately in a professional environment. “We want somebody who employers will be happy with long-term,” said Robertson (see related).

The program will partner with Ivy Tech, were students will be able to study part-time. “Students will attend Ivy Tech 3 days a week (4 hours per day) for 12 weeks,” said Ivy Tech’s Warsaw Campus President Seelpa Keshvala. “This allows them to study part-time while still working.”

“We have also developed a career pathways approach which shows students how experience and more training can lead them to even better paying careers,” she added.

Students completing the program can achieve a nationally recognized (MSSC) Certified Production Technician designation noted Greg Vollmer, Region 2 WorkOne President. “This national program was enhanced by the additions and suggestions of 16 Kosciusko County manufacturing employers who participated in the process.”

“Our goal now is to let everyone in our community who is looking for a career and a better standard of living know that there are opportunities to that right here in Kosciusko County, “commented Warsaw-Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce President Mark Dobson.

“Scholarships are available to cover student costs and participating employers have agreed to interview program graduates”, Robertson added. He urged everyone in the community to visit the website at Kosciusko Kickstart and to share the information throughout the community.

To view the website, visit http://kosciuskokickstart.com/.