Project HOPE

Project HOPE (Helping Others Pursue Employment) assists persons as they prepare for full-time employment. Clients of the Department of Human Services who receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) are referred to Project HOPE for career services including vocational training. This program, which operates out of Northwest Technology Center, Alva and Fairview and High Plains Institute of Technology, Woodward, serves clients in Alfalfa, Ellis, Grant, Harper, Major, Woods, and Woodward Counties. Sharon Corder is the Coordinator of Project HOPE, while Robin Ross serves as the Career Specialists/Job Developer. Clients are assessed to determine their interest, aptitude and work values as well as academic skills. From this information, an individualized vocational education plan is developed as an outline to help each participant achieve personal vocational career goals. In addition to vocational training, clients also receive instruction in life development skills, personal development skills, and workplace basic skills. Employability skills are critical to the long-term employment of each client. This component of the program stresses skills needed to seek, maintain and change jobs. Resume writing, interview skills, workplace behaviors, appropriate dress, understanding changes in employment roles and working well with others are examples of skills taught to help clients become successful.

Links:

Project HOPE Website

Career Center

Contact Information:

For more information about Project HOPE, contact Sharon Corder at 580-327-0375.

ABE/GED

The ABE/GED class serves a diverse population. Students must be at least 16 years of age and not enrolled in public school. There is no upper age limit for students. The fall semester generally begins in August and ends in November. Spring classes generally begin in January and end in April. Enrollment is conducted at the time of class. There is no charge for the class, the materials, nor the practice tests.

The GED portion of the class is dedicated to preparing the student who did not finish high school to successfully complete the GED test. Students are given instruction in the basic areas of the test including Interpreting Literature and the Arts-Reading, Writing Skills, Math, Social Studies, and Science. At the end of the semester arrangements are made for the students to take the GED test. At the end of the semester arrangements are made for those students who wish to take the GED test.

The Adult Basic Education (ABE) portion of the class addresses the needs of the students who did finish high school, but who may have gotten "rusty" in some of their skills or feel they didn't acquire certain skills. Examples would be people who want to know how to keyboard or "type" before they enroll in a computer class, people who have forgotten how to work certain types of math, or people who want to advance on the job, but realize that they lack certain basic skills.

Employability skills are included in this course. Resume development, application completion, interview skills are some of the skills offered.

Instruction is presented in a variety of ways, including individual instruction, group or class instruction, computer enhanced instruction, group interaction, etc. GED test is given in the classroom at the end of the semester. Those choosing to take the test must pay the $50 state testing fee. The classes, the materials, and the practice tests are free.

For more information on Adult Education and Literacy or GED testing, contact Glenace Habbershaw at (580) 227-3708.

Tech Prep

What is Tech Prep? Tech Prep is a transition plan for secondary students who desire a postsecondary outcome in a technical field of study. Tech Prep is designed to connect the last two years of high school career and technology education with postsecondary education. Tech prep is intended to improve technical and academic preparation of students. The pathways provided by Tech Prep Career Clusters lead to an associate or baccalaureate degree or a postsecondary certificate in a specific career field. The instruction provided with Tech Prep leads students to placement in appropriate employment or to further education. Tech Prep provides technical preparation. The State has 22 consortia that represent the 11 School-to-Work Regions. Each consortia has a coordinator that works to coordinate their Tech Prep consortia development and activities. Oklahoma has adopted the definition of Tech Prep found in federal legislation, The Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998.

For more information about Oklahoma Tech Prep Region 1, please contact:

Mrs. Jane Bowen
Northwest Technology Center
801 Tech Drive Box 250
Fairview, OK 73737
Phone: 580-227-3708
Fax: 580-227-2651