Newberry Department of Social Service Employment Preparation Program (EPP)
In the words of James Baldwin, world renowned playwright, poet and author, "Confidence and courage come through preparation and practice." This is one of the affirmations and principals of the Newberry Employment Preparation Program. The program is a 4 week, classroom setting curriculum that provides interactive job readiness training to Family Independence clients. It assists clients in achieving self sufficiency through employment and employment preparation. Their approach focuses on identifying and applying the participant's own job-related knowledge, skills, and attitudes within the local workforce. There are five areas of emphasizes the program aims to improve:
- Life and time management skills
- Knowledge of work culture
- Professional resumes, references, and career plans
- Basic computer skills
- Awareness of self-help and human service resources in neighboring communities
The Newberry Employment Preparation Program is lead by human services veterans, Gloria Glassco and Teresa Rutherford, who say they are having outstanding job placement results. A key to this success has much to do with the contract with Omni-Source Staffing, who assists in job placement for the program. One of the participants shared that in the four weeks she was there; she had seen improvement in her strengths and weaknesses. She states, "I can be successful at anything I do in my future. I realized that I didn’t have everything together, but I was encouraged by my instructors, classmates, and myself to press through difficult times, and now I’m working and like my career."
For more information about the Employment Preparation Program contact your local Department of Social Services and if you are in the Newberry area, contact the Department of Social Services at 803-321-2155.
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