State workers can get trained with government funded program

More South Carolina workers can go through government-funded retraining programs to get basic skills needed for entry-level jobs. The South Carolina Department of Commerce said Thursday it is putting $4 million into the state technical college system’s Quick Jobs program.

The effort is supported through the federal Workforce Investment Act and the $787 billion federal stimulus law. People who lose their jobs to foreign competition are eligible as well as those who lack the skills needed to get existing jobs.

State employment offices will screen workers to see if they are eligible for the training. For example, people can get up to 240 hours in training for
energy-related jobs weatherizing homes that pay between $15 and $31 hourly.