When people think of workforce training locally, what probably comes to mind is the Oregon Employment Department and MTC Works, in Astoria. Both agencies specialize in helping employers and workers handle changing needs in a challenging economy.

But the North Coast has another formidable resource that’s less well known, and can also provide powerful – and personalized – tools that businesses and individuals can use to enhance workforce skills.

It’s Clatsop Community College.

The college’s out-of-the-box training approach runs the gamut – from specialized onsite worker training, to the re-careering needs of individuals in the recession economy, not to mention courses for ambitious high schoolers who want to get a jump on college.

But entrepreneurs, especially, who stand to gain greatly from the college’s outreach programs, are generally unaware of the options available. That’s something administrators are looking to change.

Tailor-made business training onsite

What about small business owners whose employees need training in industry-specific subjects that aren’t available in a standard academic course curriculum?

Paula Duncan is the CCC community education coordinator. One of Duncan’s specialties is customized training – meaning business owners can contact her, describe their training needs, and the college will design a program to meet them.

“We might have a business call and say ‘customer service training would be good,'” said Duncan.

Part of Duncan’s role is to find instructors and build coursework. The curriculum comes from suggestions from local businesses.

Duncan said examples of possible courses tailored to individual business needs might include industrial safety, CPR, pool and spa safety, auto technician training, and how to supervise employees.

One company with a local presence that has benefited from CCC’s workforce assistance program is Weyerhaeuser. The company recently laid off 142 workers.

To assist these employees during their transition, the company called on CCC. The college in turn, partnered with the Oregon Employment Department and MTC to develop short term training to help the displaced workers.

“We let them know what their options were,” said Kristin Wilkin, CCC dean of workforce education and training. “Seventeen courses were developed out of the need for short- term training.”

The long-term results were impressive.

“Out of these 142 people, 31 became degree-seeking students at CCC, and another 30 to 40 were taking some kind of coursework,” she said.

When a business calls the college to explain their training needs, Duncan first looks to see if any existing training programs will do the trick.

“If not, Paula will customize,” Wilkin said. “We can go out to their business or they can go to the campus.”

Classes are generally non-credit offerings that may qualify as continuing education, filling professional requirements.

Wilkin said there are fees for training, which are paid either by employers or individual employees. And there are potential cost savings for business owners who opt to arrange training.

“We offer a bulk rate to employers who can guarantee a certain number of students,” she said.

CCC’s Workforce Education and Training program has assisted the federally funded Head Start program locally with training, along with the Northwest Senior and Disability Services agency in Warrenton.

But CCC President Larry Galizio said the program wants local small business owners to know that services are available to meet their training goals as well.

“Small businesses have needs,” he said. “We are finding them and they are finding us.”

Training is available to businesses and students around the region, in Clatsop and Columbia counties in Oregon, and in Washington counties across the Columbia River.

Individuals can train and re-career too

Many individuals these days are shifting gears to a new field of employment, or looking to gain further expertise in an established career.

The CCC MERTS (Marine and Environmental Research and Training Station) program and the newly established Historic Preservation program are among college options that offer “chunk curriculum” courses ranging from a weekend seminar in preservation construction to intensive maritime studies that run for 40 hours consecutively.

Unlike traditional semester-based college studies, these courses are geared to people with ongoing work and family commitments.

“They’re for those who want to take a weekend workshop or learn additional skills while taking a week off from work,” said Wilkin.

The MERTS maritime training curriculum offers a mastery approach to classwork, in which students pursue studies at their own pace.

“It allows students to come in and work on their own curriculum,” Wilkin said. “Every student may be working on a different schedule.”

Classes generally offer certificates of completion instead of credits toward graduation, unless participants choose to enroll as degree-seeking students.

“This can be great for someone who wants to take a class and show their employer some new skills,” Duncan said. “And transitional workers can start to get their feet wet in a new career.”

For high school kids with a hankering for an expanded and sometimes vocational approach to education, CCC offers its College Now program. Specially-vetted high school instructors can offer college- level courses for college credit to motivated students.

Consumer Seafood Center could figure into workforce training options

Duncan said the college is partnering with the Seafood Consumer Center in Astoria, Oregon State University and other local entities to reinvent programs at the center.

“We’re hoping to develop courses related to the seafood industry, in food safety and cooking,” she said.

Duncan said as that program and other workforce training options develop, the college is seeking input from the business community to find out what area employers need to be at the top of their game.

“When you think about it,” she said, “the sky’s the limit.”