HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — A unique job training program is taking the community back by removing barriers. The What's Next Program is offering free trade classes, setting hundreds of people up for the future.
"A lot of people don’t fulfill their true destiny because of funds," said Courtney Talbon, who recently completed the program. "It’s a great opportunity for people. Now, we have this program where they are actually putting it out there, and giving it to us for free."
Talbon says after she completed the What’s Next program at the Virginia Peninsula Community College, she is a certified phlebotomy technician.
"I took up phlebotomy trade," Talbon said. "That’s doing labs and urinalysis, taking blood. I really enjoyed it."
The program offers free trade classes and certification in areas such as healthcare, HVAC, cybersecurity, welding and a commercial driver's license program.
"Our goal is to make workforce development available, accessible and have folks in our organization help people go back to school," said Dr. Ashley Kilgore who sits on the Virginia Community Colleges State Board. "Going back to school is a very difficult thing to do."
More than 100 people came to this session in Hampton. There were long lines as people signed up to take a free trade class.
Dr. Kilgore said she and Newport news councilman John Eley started the program two years ago. Kilgore said it is a part of the Fast Forward Program, which has been in community colleges for a few years.
"There are 23 community colleges in Virginia and they all offer the Fast Forward program," Kilgore said. "It’s funded through the community college system and General Assembly funding. We hope that the funding continues so this program can continue."
Newport News Councilman John Eley says job accessibility has a direct correlation to crime.
"When you give people good opportunities for job training and workforce, crime goes down," Kilgrove said.
Talbon said she doesn’t know where she would be had she not taken up a trade, free of charge to her.
"I don’t think I would have went for it," Talbon said. "I did start school when I first got out of high school and I didn’t finish college. That was something weighing on me."
If you are interested in taking free trade classes or getting a certification, there will be another session next Monday in Newport News at the Brooks Crossing Center.
