VGCC recognizes adults for Summer Employment
Vance-Granville Community College’s Workforce Investment Act (WIA) department held a recognition ceremony and reception to honor 30 area adults who completed work experiences this summer. The summer adult employment program was made possible by Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, administered by the Kerr-Tar Workforce Development Board. The event was held on VGCC’s main campus on Sept. 24.
This summer, the seven-week program placed adults from Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties in jobs, where they worked for a total of 196 hours. They also took a course on job-seeking skills offered by the VGCC Human Resources Development (HRD) department, and many earned the nationally-recognized Career Readiness Certificate. “Many of our participants were recently laid off, some from jobs where they had worked for 20 years,” WIA director Sylvia Jones said. “Most gained work experience that was entirely new to them and different from what they had done before. Several became employed as a result of this program, and we are so excited about that.”
Participants received certificates from VGCC WIA Supervisor/Job Developer Blondelle Edgerton, WIA educational specialist Denise Davis, case manager Tiffany Jefferson, WIA administrative assistant Willie Mae Hill and HRD administrative assistant Teresa Ellis.
Among the participating Vance County adults recognized were Peggy Allen, who worked at Bill’s Flowers & Gifts; Chrashona Hargrove, Jerome Kearney, the late Charles Manson, Jr. and Sheila Sills, all Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity; Gwendolyn Baskerville and Sandra Thomas, both Guardian Care of Henderson; Carolyn Townes, New Beginnings Daycare; Keisha Alston, Shirlina Burwell and Crystal Jones; all Vance County Department of Social Services; Sheila Reid, United Way of Vance County; and Crystal Williams, Woodmont Truck Stop.
Participants from Granville County included Latasha Peace, Cornerstone Christian Community Church Childcare Center; Nikki Davis, Granville County Department of Social Services; Theodore Moody, Granville County Landfill; and Christy Alston and Bernice Altiner, both Oxford Group Home.
Participants from Franklin County included Yolanda Shird, Britthaven of Louisburg; Larraine Slate, Franklin County Volunteers in Medicine; Chase Silver and Joseph Wheless, both Franklinton Elementary School; Cheryl Taylor, Safe Space; and James Neal, The River Golf Course.
Participants from Warren County included Shandolyn Washington, CC’s Showers of Distinction; Latishia Watson, South Warren Elementary School; Crystal Watson, Warren County Health Department; Cherese Logan and Angela Moore-Witherspoon, both Warren County Memorial Library; and Jasmine Dunston, Warren County Senior Center.
Other participating employers included the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Jones said the success of the program depended on local employers, and she presented them with certificates of appreciation. Jones also recognized WIA advisory board members, who helped place both adults and youth in a similar summer employment program, and Kathy Strickland, the HRD instructor who worked with all the participants. In her remarks, Strickland expressed admiration for the participants’ determination and willingness to take risks. Finally, VGCC Vice President of Community & Economic Development Vanessa Jones congratulated participants and encouraged them to continue to pursue education.
Above: Successful participants in VGCC’s summer adult employment program included, seated from left, Chrashona Hargrove, Shirlina Burwell, Shandolyn Washington and Latasha Peace; standing from left, VGCC Workforce Investment Act case manager Tiffany Jefferson, with participants Angela Moore-Witherspoon, Sandra Thomas, Carolyn Townes and Peggy Allen. (VGCC photo)
