5 Steps to Job Retraining on the Cheap

With unemployment rates still in double digits in many parts of the country, you might be thinking about a career change. Going back to school for a degree might be beyond your means, but there are low-cost or free job training opportunities out there. Unemployment offices can be a goldmine of information, but with overloaded caseworkers, getting an appointment or call back is tough. Brian Roccapriore, the Executive Director of Strive-New Haven, a non-profit that provides job training in the Northeast and is one of our Pepsi Refresh grantees, has some creative tips for finding out about job training opportunities

1) Call 211. It depends on your region, but in most places the United Way helps operate a 211 information line. Anybody can call up and say, “Hey, I’m a 50 year-old female who worked for 30 years in manufacturing and I need some job training.” Most 211 lines are also staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

2) Get thee to a library. Librarians don’t just recommend books these days. Your local librarian is an excellent resource for the unemployed worker in search of new skill-building opportunities. “Librarians are used to referring people to nonprofits, so if someone comes in and talks to them, they’re usually able to refer them where they need to go and tell them who to call,” says Brian. Many libraries even host job training workshops onsite.

3) Call non-profits. Brian says most non-profits network with each other, so if you reach out to one that does job training for a specific population- like Strive – the staff there may know of another organization that may be a better fit for your needs. “You need to do a little research,” he says. “But pick up the phone and call them.”

4) Go to college. You don’t have to enroll in a class, but your local community college is another great hub of information. “Check the community services office or just call the operator and ask if there are any job training workshops going on,” says Brian.

5) Don’t sell yourself short. Above all, when looking for job training opportunities, Brian suggests you do your homework so you know what kind of job you want and what skills you already have. You might not need as much training as you think. “If you’re switching industries, come up with a list of skills that are transferable. Ten years of assembly line work isn’t just working with machinery. You also had to work with other people and quality control,” he says. “We run into people saying they have no skills because they were incarcerated or they’ve been stay-at-home moms. You’ve got skills. You just may not know how to bring them out. Write down all the things you know how to do. Then head out and look for training.

Photo (cc) by Flickr user Office of Governor Patrick

This post originally appeared on http://www.refresheverything.com, as part of the Pepsi Refresh Project, a catalyst for world-changing ideas. Find out more about the Refresh campaign, or to submit your own idea today.