A generous $25,000 grant from Rose Community Foundation helped to expand the unique, successful Work-Intensive Skills Camp (WISC) program at Emily Griffith Technical College established in 2007 to train adult refugees and asylees who desire to work full-time.

 

In response to seeing refugee students from the English as a Second Language (ESL) classes return after getting their first job and saying “Job finished, Teacher,” instructors researched the skills and qualities needed by entry-level workers to be successful in the American workplace. The unique, three-week WISC program for small groups includes intensive instruction in six job skill areas. WISC focuses on today’s business culture and stresses the importance of reliability, promptness, teamwork, customer service and problem solving. During week three, WISC provides real work opportunities throughout the College for students to practice their newly acquired, hard and soft job skills. The final week of the WISC program offers participants one week of job shadowing with industry partners.

Emily Griffith Technical College houses the largest and oldest English as a Second Language program in Colorado, serving the immigrant population since 1916. Approximately 3,000 learners from 60 countries enroll each year in one or more of 46 ESL classes offered through the College.

After several years of negotiation, the Emily Griffith Technical College’s Aircraft Training Center (ATC) has a new home at Front Range Airport.  Fifty-two years of FAA approved training has been provided for the aviation industry through this program.  During that time, the ATC has been closely aligned with the airline industry and is responsible for providing the aviation industry with more than 1,500 highly qualified technicians.  These workers have been trained as airframe and powerplant mechanics and avionics technicians.  Professional pilot ground school and aircraft accident investigation training have also been provided through the ATC.