By LAURA HAMMACK, guest columnist
A few weeks ago, the Career Resource Center of Brown County hosted a Brown County Chamber of Commerce Connections event. Christy Wrightsman, our director of the Career Resource Center of Brown County, led participants on tours of the renovated facility and gave a presentation on all that the CRC offers to our community.
During this event, I was struck by two realities. First, there are many community members who have never been inside the Career Resource Center Brown County. Second, the perceptions of what the CRC provides to the community don’t necessarily match the reality. We intend to change both of these conditions!
When the schools were awarded placement in the first cohort of the Ready Schools grant through the Regional Opportunity Initiatives Inc., we were led through a yearlong design thinking process. During this work, one of the key discoveries was that the community ideated the CRC as an educational hub for community and regional engagement. The message was very clear: The community believes that the CRC is a fundamental component in an articulated preschool-through-adult system for lifelong learning.
During the chamber’s Connections event, we were struck that several of the participants did not know about the many offerings of the CRC and they also did not feel like the facility was a space where they could drop in and visit. To that end, we would like our community to know that the CRC is as much of a community space as is our treasured Brown County Public Library. The public is welcome to use the facility and take advantage of the services that are offered by their highly talented staff.
The programs and services that are provided by the Career Resource Center of Brown County are vast. One of the more commonly known services is the opportunity to earn a high school equivalency diploma by taking the high school equivalency (HSE) test, formerly known as the GED. Classes are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. These classes are FREE!
Additionally, the CRC offers a variety of classes to “skill up” and achieve industry recognized certifications and post-secondary college credits. In August, the CRC will be several unique ways to earn college credits and industry certifications. The CRC will host an Ivy Tech course on site as well as provide the opportunity to take “synchronous” Ivy Tech classes at the CRC that are live streamed from the Ivy Tech-Bloomington campus.
The certified nursing assistant (CNA) and certified clinical medical assistant certification (CCMA) programs will also convene at the CRC. These are two great ways to earn certification from jobs that are in high demand in our region. Additionally, the master electrician certification class will be offered to prepare participants with National Electric Code (NEC) review and block test preparation.
There are also lifelong learning opportunities to advance your own skill set on a variety of topics. In August, training will be offered for CPR/AED/first aid certification and a course cycle for the use of Quick Books. Mrs. Wrightsman is always looking for individuals who may have a unique talent or skill set and are willing to teach a course. If you are interested, please contact her at the CRC.
The CRC also hosts outside organizations for free service delivery. SCORE is a group of volunteers who provide small-business consulting services. Additionally, SCORE is holding a workshop at the CRC titled “Understanding and Using Financial Statements.”
WorkOne maintains office hours at the CRC on Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is also a free service.
The CRC also offers career planning and education services. The CRC maintains the Naviance software that allows individuals to take career interest inventories and engage in comprehensive career planning. The team of the CRC provides 1:1 coaching for individuals to better understand their education and career goals and develop and action plan for success.
The CRC maintains a computer lab that is open to the public for use during office hours. The CRC staff is available to assist with any needs that you might have during your time in the facility.
If you have never been to the CRC, we genuinely invite you to stop by to connect, as there are even more opportunities available to the community than those listed in this column. The CRC has an incredible team of staff members who would love to talk with you more about all that they provide. Please call or stop by today to learn more.
The Career Resource Center of Brown County is an absolute gem of opportunity for our community. We are excited about the future of the CRC as we plan for the realization of the space transforming into a thriving hub for educational and workforce preparation and development. Through this articulated preschool-through-adult system, we will be prepared to meet the needs of our community during their lifelong educational journey.
The CRC hours are: Mondays to Thursdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Phone number: 812-988-5880.
Laura Hammack is superintendent of Brown County schools. She can be reached at 812-988-6601 or [email protected].
