Local News
Program stresses training
The last time Gary Brown had taken an in-depth test was in the 1990s.
So you could probably understand why Brown, the Whitfield County building and grounds director, was a bit nervous about the Georgia Work Ready assessment test.
“I was tickled with my results,” Brown said. “To be out of school for so long and to be able to remember the biggest majority of the information was nice.”
The state’s Georgia Work Ready program seeks to improve the skills of workers by gauging their acumen through reading and math tests. Workers are awarded certificates based on their achievement level. Free online training is available. The program can help refine your job skills, whether you’re jobless, want to improve your marketability to employers or are gunning for a promotion.
Whitfield County is trying to become certified by the state as a Work Ready community. Local officials say the designation signals to prospective businesses the community’s workers already have essential job skills. They consider the designation a key economic development tool.
“We want to send the message to the state, country and world that Georgia is serious about work force development,” said Brian Cooksey, manager of operations, training and development for Shaw Industries and chairman of the Whitfield County Workforce Development Committee.
Currently, 139 of 159 counties in the state are participating in the program. Nineteen counties, including Catoosa and Chattooga, have earned the designation. Statewide, Georgians have earned more than 81,000 Work Ready certificates.
For Whitfield County to become a Work Ready community, at least 1,075 residents must earn a certificate. That number must include a mixture of the existing work force, potential work force and unemployed. Also, the high schools must raise their graduation rates by a certain percentage.
Whitfield County has until May 31, 2010, to reach 1,075 residents receiving a certificate. As of last Monday, 222 residents had earned a certificate.
The test takes about four hours. In addition to a tutorial to familiarize you with the computer, there are three sections — applied mathematics, reading for information and locating information — that are 55 minutes each. Results are grouped into four categories: platinum (highest), gold, silver and bronze (lowest).
Brown, who described the test as “very challenging,” scored a silver and two gold levels. He was one point away from having all three gold levels. Brown took online training and a practice test. He plans to re-test to attain all gold levels. He recommends that any worker, no matter his or her job, take the test.
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Derby time
Owen Halman, 8, of Dalton, lines up his car “Fire Bullet” before a race during the Boy and Cub Scouts grand championship Pinewood Derby Saturday at First Presbyterian Church.
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Helpin’ and paintin’
With his bracket busted and interest in the men’s college basketball tournament waning, Pierce Montgomery spent Saturday re-painting the Dalton home of a Vietnam veteran who couldn’t do the work himself.
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DSC officials explain possible cuts
Dalton State College officials know the state budget cuts they planned for almost a month ago won’t be as deep as expected. What they don’t know is exactly which of the proposed cuts they’ll have to implement.
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Higher education funding is at center of debate
More than 4,000 students, including several at Dalton State College, have banded together to push back against proposed state cuts to higher education funding.
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Local officials view possible cuts at college with concern
Dalton State College plays a big part in plans by local leaders to grow and diversify the area’s economy, so they are viewing proposed cuts to the college with some concern.
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Young couple awaits Habitat for Humanity home
Luis Sanchez knows how the Gutierrez family feels as they watch their house being built by the Dalton-Whitfield Habitat For Humanity.
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Superintendent decision coming Monday night
The Richland 2 school board in Columbia, S.C., has chosen a superintendent — Whitfield County Schools superintendent Katie Brochu was one of three finalists — but won’t publicly say who it is until Monday, according to The State newspaper.
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Area arrests for March 21
Recent arrests from the Whitfield and Murray County jail reports.
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Marilyn Helms: Companies vary on correcting products, services
In the first half of my column on my Dalton State College quality management systems class quality “problems” project, I discussed the situations that companies did not resolve.
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“Do You Remember?” cast announced
Members of Dalton Dance Company will perform in Dalton Arts Project’s “Do You Remember?” spring concert — a look back at the music they grew up with as well as the music enjoyed by previous generations of teenagers (now parents and grandparents).
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