A program at Parkland College will offer area youth who have dropped out of school the opportunity to obtain their high school diploma and gain valuable job skills.
The Early School Leaver Transition Program (ESLTP) is run by Parkland’s Department of Adult Education and will begin in January with a class of 35 students.
“What our program does is it works with GED students to give them a wide variety of skills to either enter the work force or go and pursue a secondary education degree,” said Jamie Baird, workplace developer of ESLTP.
Baird said the program is currently in its second year of a three-year grant.
According to a press release, ESLTP targets at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 21 who are committed to achieving their educational and career goals.
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Baird said the program will give students valuable job skills, build community relations and provide character and networking skills.
“It’s an amazing program that gives students the vast opportunity to take a chance on possible careers they never knew were available to them,” Baird said.
Baird said there is no deadline to the program, but space is limited.
“We like to provide our students with as many resources as possible outside of getting their GED,” Baird said.
More information can be obtained by contacting Jason Keist at (217) 351-2580 or [email protected].
