Job seekers find need for new skills in struggling economy

States are anxiously waiting for federal stimulus money to arrive and the talk has been about shovel-ready projects.

The big question is: where will the trained skilled workers come from?

Kimberley Scott is reinventing herself at age 50.

“Up until six months ago, I had pretty steady employment. I was laid off,“ Scott said.

Now, she’s learning news skills at the Building Trades Institute in Lewis Center, Ohio.

“A lot of talk has been, ‘We don’t have a lot of people trained.‘ That is why we are trying to get them ready,“ BTI co-owner Arnold Tompkins said.

Not even one year old, the workforce development agency can get people work-ready in 12 short weeks-28 hours a week.

With stimulus money on the way, the race is on to get a trained working class ready for the call.

“The idea of stimulus package was definitely incentive for me. I always hoped there was money out there,“ Scott said.

Instructors are drilling down and giving people the chance to take a sense of pride in themselves and their community.

“We are getting more and more employers coming in to ask who is available,“ Tompkins said.