Job-training program offers adults second chances at careers

CONNIE SWINNEY• PICAYUNE STAFF

MARBLE FALLS — A jobs and career training program has launched in cooperation with Central Texas College and area businesses and will host its first orientation for potential participants.

Gail Davalos launched the Mickey West Career Assets Foundation, formerly the College to Careers program, a nonprofit organization that provides free resources for adults entering the work force or transitioning into new careers.

Davalos named the fundraising mechanism after her mother, the first female bank president in San Antonio in 1984 who eventually retired in Horseshoe Bay.

“We changed the name because, really, any kind of training after high school becomes an asset for people to get better-paying jobs, whether it’s a college degree, a certification program or an apprenticeship,” she said.

Components include identifying continuing education courses conducted with partnerships involving private industry and government entities.

“This has been a collaboration between leaders in the business field of our area, education, community nonprofits and civic leaders to design a workforce training program that matches what the employers need and what the people need to get those good-paying jobs,” she said. “We will be offering classes for the first time locally by Central Texas College for certified nurse aide, certified medical assistant, a patient service specialist and front desk agent, commercial housekeeping and basic culinary.”

The program, which will also link participants with financial assistance, is offered to adults from Burnet and Llano counties and Johnson City.

The Career Assets job-training class orientation for health care, hospitality and the culinary field is 6-8 p.m. April 13 in the cafeteria at Marble Falls High School, 2100 Mustang Drive.

To qualify, a resident must have either a high school diploma or a GED, be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident and agree to a background check.

For more information, call (830) 265-8024.

connie@thepicayune.com