Training Programs

Operation A.B.L.E. is committed to helping mature workers learn the skills they need for today’s job market. The following are A.B.L.E.’s current and upcoming retraining opportunities: 

Weatherization & Energy Audit Training (W.E.A.T.)

With funding from the Boston Mayor’s Department of Jobs and Community Services through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Operation A.B.L.E., in partnership with Green Beginnings, is offering an exciting new skills training program in Weatherization and Energy Auditing. 

The program will incorporate two components:  

14-week, classroom-based training program which incorporates components in weatherization and energy auditing with strong components in job search/job retention, presentation/ networking skills, computer skills, customer service skills, soft skills and an overview of the construction field especially as it relates to retrofitting, energy efficiency and weatherization

2-week employer-based externship which offering participants the opportunity to utilize their new skills while working with partner employers. 

Program Description

• 16 weeks (350 hours) of classroom and hands-on instruction leading to a rewarding position in weatherization and energy auditing.
• 80 hours of externship at partner employer worksites.
• Strong emphasis on development of strong job search and job retention skills.
• Components in computer and customer service skills
• Assistance in identifying potential employment opportunities with partner and other employers
• Classes meet Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Operation A.B.L.E. at 131 Tremont Street in Downtown Boston.

Program cycle dates 2010:

Eligibility

• Boston resident or laid off from a Boston-based company
• Low-income and/or receiving unemployment benefits
• Age 18 or older
• Authorization to work in the US
• Previous experience in construction, maintenance or the trades
• Score 6th grade or higher on TABE reading & 8th grade on math skills test
• Genuine interest in the field and in working in a full-time training-related job

For More Information
Contact: Rose Hom -- 617.542.4180 ext. 125 -- rhom@operationable.net

ABLE Skills2Work
Computer and Administrative/Office Skills Training

Many job seekers today are finding that their skills may have lost their relevance.  They are also discovering that job hunting has changed since the last time they looked for work.  For them, finding a job not only means developing new skills – it also means learning a new way of exploring the job market. ABLE Skills2Work addresses both requirements in a single program.

• 12  weeks (360 hours) to a rewarding position in various industries including Hospitality, Banking, Medical, Financial Services, Education and other general administration settings
• Instructor-led classes for one-on-one experience
• Training in MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook and Internet Navigation that meets employers’ technology requirements
• Supplemental training provided in skill areas most desired by employers, including Medical Terminology, QuickBooks, Office Specialist, or Customer Relations.
• Enhance your existing people skills to become a customer care expert
• Students work four days per week for six weeks at an employer site, applying their newly acquired skills in actual on-the-job situations.
• Participants return to Operation A.B.L.E. for Job Club, additional job search instruction, career counseling, and skills practice/reinforcement 
• Emphasis on job search methods for mature workers
• Learn to master online job hunting and application techniques
• Access to job search resources for each participant, including fast Internet/computer workstations, a full-service job listing and resource room, copier, and fax machine
• Students complete at least one screening interview with an employer for a current job opportunity before, during or after the internship.

Program cycle dates 2010:

Cost:

• $4,800 per student
• For More Information Contact Anne Chace at 617.542. 4180 Ext. 133 or achace@operationable.net

Eligibility

• Age 18 or older,  Citizenship or Green Card,  High school or GED education
• Score 7th grade or higher on TABE reading & math skills test,  Clerical 70 or higher
• ProveIt computer skills: Word 50%,  online  keyboard 25-30wpm
• Highly motivated towards re-employment
• MS Office knowledge, genuine interest/aptitude for customer service-related work

Tuition Funding

Mostly depends upon an assessment for employability and the lack skills for employment that make occupational training necessary to secure a reasonable job.

• Title 1 Workforce Investment Act voucher
• Food Stamps
• Co-pay           
• Self-pay in full
• Mass. Rehabilitation Commission  (MRC)    
• Veterans   
• National Emergency Grant  (NEG)  
• The Neighborhood Jobs Trust (NJT)             
• Workman’s Insurance Compensation
• Employer-sponsored severance                                  
• Other

Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)

Low-income job seekers over age 55 are in a very vulnerable situation.  In many cases a lack of job skills combined with advancing years leaves job seekers with a feeling of powerlessness and further plunges them into financial chaos and weakened self esteem.  The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) was developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to help job seekers over age 55 get the training they need in order to get back to work. 

The Senior Community Service Employment Program:

• Offers an opportunity to earn $8.00 per hour, 20 hours per week in a non-profit or government agency
• Provides “paid internship” experience
• Assists in the transition to a new “unsubsidized” employment opportunity
• Enables participants to work at training sites in or near their home communities.
• Provides ongoing job search assistance
• Recruits participants on an ongoing basis
  
  Eligibility Requirements
  
• Income at no more than 125% of poverty level (U.S. Dept. of Labor guideline) Contact Operation A.B.L.E. to determine income eligibility.
• Be age 55 or older
• Citizenship or Green Card
• Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, or Worcester County resident
  
  Cost
  
  No cost to the participant
  Funding provided by the U.S. Department of Labor 
  
  For More Information About SCSEP Contact One of the Following: