Businesses, residents, parolees, veterans and high school students have the opportunity to benefit from job training through West Hills Community College District. West Hills officials were informed in recent weeks that the college will be a recipient of more than $2.2 million in grants for job training. The four grants have the potential to get 1,500 to 2,000 people ready to go to work over the next five years -- essentially free of charge, because grant funds will allow West Hills to waive tuition -- said Cathy Barabe, director of grants for West Hills.

West Hills has received two of the grants previously, and put them to work in Coalinga and Huron. But officials desired to expand the services the grants could provide to other areas including Corcoran, Firebaugh, Laton and Mendota, Barabe said.

The first of the two grants that West Hills has been awarded previously is $845,000 from the Fresno County Workforce Adult/Dislocated Worker Program that will train workers over the next four or five years in high demand careers including psychiatric technician, registered nurse and maintenance mechanics. The grant stipulates that 25 veterans and 25 parolees be included in the pool of people to be trained. Barabe said West Hills has had an increase in veterans and parolees among its student population and believes it important to provide services to them.

The second grant that West Hills has previously received and will now expand services through, is $530,000 over five years from the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board to advance the All Youth One System services to students 14 to 21 years old. The money will be used to support academic and leadership development, career exploration, job attainment and retention and skill acquisition.

New grants that West Hills will receive that will be presented in above locations as well as in Lemoore are:

$350,000 from the California Community Colleges Systems Office to create and offer a series of workshops during the next two years for about 300 people. The workshops will teach the operation of equipment that is being employed by construction companies to meet increasing air quality standards.

$500,000 over two years from the state community college systems office to train workers for high wage, high growth skills in agri-business, including manufacturing and distribution logistics, as well as the newly emerging technology requiring solar technicians. Clean Tech America is contracted with PG&E to start a solar energy "farm" in Mendota and has requested the college provide solar technician training. West Hills' officials cited a 2006 Employment Gap Study that indicated a shortage of industrial electricians, truck drivers, forklift operators and industrial maintenance mechanics, which jobs this grant will train for.

West Hills Chancellor, Frank Gornick, said the grants are a continuation of West Hills' aggressive approach to seeking and state and federal dollars.

"These grants were specifically tailored toward clusters of occupations that are working well in our communities," Gornick said, adding that job training ensures prepared potential employees. "It is a way for us to help to retain businesses in our counties. We're there as a support role, to make sure we don't forget about the businesses we already have here."

Barabe said that these grants are unique.

"The best part of these funds is that they will assist rural areas who often don't get these opportunities," Barabe said.

As times, dates and locations are scheduled for each of the free job training opportunities, West Hills will put information in places like the county welfare department, West Hills facilities or residential water bills. If you don't see more information come available on an above mentioned opportunity you may be interested in, contact Gerry Escalante at 630-3662 or Leonard Bass at 630-1983 to find out more.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2424.

(April 9, 2008)