More than 36 million Americans can’t read or write at the most basic level, while 60 million lack basic math skills, as well as the credentials and skills necessary to succeed in post-secondary education.
As part of the effort to address these issues in Alabama, Sept. 19-25 has been proclaimed Adult Education & Family Literacy Week.
Jefferson State will offer numerous opportunities during this week and in the following weeks and months to help this demographic attain their professional and personal goals.
“The need for a highly literate citizenry increases as Alabama moves toward an increasingly technological future,” read a proclamation from Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. “Without Adult Education, low-skilled adults are more likely to be unemployed, in poverty, in poor health or incarcerated.”
JSCC will partner with the Jefferson County Alumnae Chapter and Delta Sigma Theta sorority to provide free Grow with Google workshops, all of which will be held from 5-6 p.m. on the days listed:
- Digital Skills for Everyday Tasks: Google Slides and Docs, Sept. 21. Learn how to manage work and life tasks more effectively using Google tools. Whether you want to create a meeting agenda or presentation, these best practices will boost your productivity. Register here
- Digital Skills for Everyday Tasks: Google Drive and Sheets, Sept. 23. Whether you want to build a budget or organize your documents, these best practices will boost your productivity. Register here
- Power Your Job Search with Google Tools, Sept. 30. Discover new job opportunities using Google Search, and learn how to organize and enhance your job search experience using Google Workspace tools. Register here
- Improve Your Professional Resume with Practical Strategies, Oct. 7. Create a resume that will attract hiring managers’ attention and set you up for an interview. In this workshop, you will begin a resume in a digital document; list your work, volunteer and educational experience; and polish your resume with editing and formatting tips. Register here
- Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs, Oct. 14. Discover how to create a collaborative environment where everyone is responsible for design. You will go through design challenges and sprints that can be incorporated into any workplace or startup, to unlock creativity and innovative thinking. Register here
- Digital Skills for Everyday Tasks: Google Slides and Docs, Oct. 21. Whether you want to create a meeting agenda or presentation, these best practices will boost your productivity. Register here
Adult Education programs are a key aspect of reaching Alabama’s attainment goal of adding 500,000 credentialed, high skilled employees to the state’s workforce by 2025; and Adult Education programs are cost effective, smart investments that upgrade the skill set of our citizens, according to David Walters, executive director of Adult Education, Special Projects and System Initiatives for the Alabama Community College System.
“Adult Education programs help parents become the best first teachers for their children so that all Alabama’s children attain grade-level reading proficiency before the end of the third grade,” Walters said in the proclamation.