iCAN graduates and Hawai’i Island’s first NCRC recipients celebrate with DLIR and Hawai’i CC staff.
By Staff Reports
(HILO) — Three Hawai‘i Island residents were awarded National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRC) during a ceremony on Friday, February 7 in Hilo.
Hawai‘i CC Administrators and certificate recipients were joined at the ceremony by Dwight Takamine, Director of the Hawai’i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR), Elaine Young, Administrator of the Workforce Development Division within DLIR, Blayne Hanagami, Hawai‘i County Branch Manager and Charlie Kunz, Manager (Hilo) both of the Workforce Development Division, and Scott Murakami, UH Community Colleges’ Workforce Development Director.
The students received the certification after completing a series of free Individualized Career Achievement Network (iCAN) workshops to improve their reading, writing, math and workplace skills. The National Career Readiness Certificate has been recognized as the most effective strategy for certifying workplace skills and predicting workplace success. Over one million certificates have been issued and more than 40 states have statewide or regional certificate programs.
“As an employer, you know the importance of hiring the right person,” said Serrylee Kānaka’ole-Wong, a Student Career Specialist in Hawai’i CC’s Office of Continuing Education (OCET). “The success of your company hinges on the strength of the workforce you hire. This certificate demonstrates that these graduates have the necessary skills for successful job performance. Each student worked hard to earn their NCRC, and I’m incredibly proud of their efforts.”
The free iCAN workshops are open to anyone over 18, with or without a high school diploma. The classes will continue to be offered in Hilo and may also be offered soon in Kona and Ka’ū. Call Serrylee at 981-2860, ext. 232 for more information on this free program.
“My iCAN experience was amazing,” said iCAN trainee, Suzie M. “I thought it would be hard and boring, but it’s the total opposite. Learning and brushing up on my math and reading skills has improved a lot of qualities in me. I think this is a great opportunity for many and I would definitely advise anyone to take advantage of it.”
The iCAN program is a collaboration between Hawai‘i Community College and the State of Hawai‘i Workforce Development Division. It is funded under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants (C3T-1), as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.
Upcoming training under the grant will focus on Sustainable Agriculture. Courses include sustainable production practices, integrated pest management, farm management, irrigation repair & theory, food security, horticultural operations preparation and business plan development training for farmers. Future offerings will also include training related to healthcare and energy. Tuition fees apply. Call Serrylee at 981-2860, ext. 232 for more info about these courses.
C3T Hawai’i is a $24.6 million dollar grant awarded to the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges through the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. The grant will fuel the development of education and training curriculum and student academic/career coaching, which targets certificate and degree programs specific to the needs of agriculture, energy and health industries. These industry-focused, employer-driven programs are designed to increase college completion rates and provide job opportunities to the C3T participants.