The Training Resource Center at College of the Sequoias provides business skills training for local employers, among the college’s numerous Contract Education offerings.
For several years now, the center has provided workplace training for employees at Kings County’s Human Services Agency, providing instruction in business writing, communication skills, Excel (intermediate and advanced) and OneNote.
“Microsoft Excel – basic, intermediate and advanced – has truly helped our staff,” said Elaine Tinajero, staff support specialist for the Human Services Agency, which has about 400 employees. “It’s broadened their skill level. It’s paid off for us. We’re a fairly large agency with 400 employees and we’re constantly bringing on people who vary in their level of proficiency when it comes to Excel, so when you get a new employee who isn’t used to it, it’s nice to put them in the training”.
Tinajero points out that when the employees are more proficient in their skills, they are also more productive.
Among agency staff who have been trained are employment-training workers, eligibility workers, office assistants and department specialists.
Jay Wood, the agency’s staff support manager, said Laurel Garver, specialist for the Training Resource Center, and her team have been nimble in their response to the agency’s needs.
“They are able to adjust to some of our demands,” Wood said. “Things change for us, and they aren’t selling us a one-size-fits-all. They’re tailoring it and working with us.”
“In the central valley, we don’t have very many training organizations that are able to offer us what we need”, Tinajero states. “But with COS they are able to go one step further where they give us the basic outline of what the offer in a training and from there they allow us to run with it.”
Garver said training is delivered by the college’s adjunct faculty and other subject-matter experts and is customized to meet employers’ schedules, such as providing training on evenings and weekends. “Training strengthens our local economy. When you’re talking about contract ed units, we’re really down in the weeds with our local economy. We’re very receptive and trying to get in touch all the time with businesses to find out what they need and where their gaps are so we can try to close those skills gaps”.
If you are interested in training for your county employees, city employees or private employees, please contact the Training Resource Center at [email protected], (559) 688-3130 or www.cos.edu/trainingcenter.