The current economic slowdown has displaced many American workers, but that doesn't mean there are not any jobs available today. In fact, numerous industries are hard-pressed to find employees who are trained and ready to work in their fields. The solution has been presented by many community colleges across the country: accelerated job training programs that get displaced workers off the unemployment line and back to work in new industries with better potential for stability and job growth.
Program Cost and Requirements
Some of the programs charge a nominal fee to complete, while others are completely free to participants because they are supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The ARRA is the stimulus package signed by President Obama, designed to combat the effects of the current recession. Part of the ARRA budget is used to retrain workers for other fields when they have lost their jobs because of the economic slowdown. If a program falls into the guidelines of the ARRA, the courses may be offered free of charge to the student, since the federal government picks up the tab.
This video explains how the ARRA works.
Courses not covered by the ARRA may also be offered for a nominal fee. Depending on the program and the community college in question, costs may range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Some programs are completed in
