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Computer Classes Connect Woman with New Work Opportunities
Casey Long knew she needed computer skills to remain marketable. She had missed out on some jobs she wanted because she was, as she put it, computer illiterate. At age 60, Long was intimidated by the computer.
"The biggest deficit older workers have is computer savvy," says Patrick Hines, Community Options Program Manager with the Senior Employment Program in San Diego. OASIS has partnered with the Community Options Senior Community Service Employment Program to turn this deficit around by expanding OASIS Connections computer classes into underserved, low-income areas.
San Diego is one of fourteen OASIS cities participating in a national project for mature adults who want or need to continue working beyond the traditional retirement age. The project is funded by a $500,000 national AT&T Excelerator grant that was awarded to the OASIS Institute last summer.
Learning with a group of her peers at an OASIS Connections class, Long developed the skills and confidence to use the computer effectively in the workplace. The class provided her with plenty of hands-on practice time and individual help, and a course book with step-by-step instructions to help her practice on her own.
Now she has a new job in customer service using a computer, and she is also working as a computer instructor trainee where she can help people who are as afraid of computers as she used to be. She looks them in the eye and tells them, "you can do this."
"We hope to help low-income seniors who aren't working make the transition back into the labor force," says Hines. "The training is focused on the needs of older workers. The adult schools - technical colleges, for instance - are nice for younger people but don't work for older people, who may be intimidated in the setting. There's a big demand for this," Hines adds.
Senior Title V clients are trained to teach. Hines explains that the peer instruction using the OASIS Connections curriculum is what makes the program so attractive. Participants are comfortable learning with someone who may be going through the same life experiences and needing a slower classroom pace. Once they've completed the course, clients can use their training at internship-like worksites and receive a stipend. Then they may transition to unsubsidized employment.
Long emphasizes how much the program has raised her self-esteem. "Now I'm not afraid of the computer. I know that I can do this."
This spring San Diego OASIS and Community Options will introduce three new courses for people returning to the workforce: Career Exploration, Resume Workshop and Presenting Yourself to the Employer. Graduates of the courses will be invited to a Reverse Job Fair in the spring at Balboa Park where they will be set up in booths, ready to interview with local employers invited to the Fair.
For more information about OASIS Connections classes, click here.
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