QuickStart Your Career

Seven-week program at John Tyler Community College offers pathways to new careers

Applications are now being accepted for John Tyler Community College’s QuickStart program. QuickStart, a free, seven-week program taught at the College’s Chester Campus, prepares motivated men and women for entry-level jobs with area companies in manufacturing, construction and the skilled trades.

The part-time program is designed with working individuals in mind. Classes are held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. In addition, trainees are required to go on three plant tours at QuickStart partner work sites. Tours are generally held Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. During the program, students will learn about applied technology, safe practices in the workplace, and industry practices as they work toward earning an OSHA 10-Hour Industry Certification, a Commonwealth of Virginia Career Readiness Certificate (Silver Level), four college credits, and an Award of Completion as an entry-level manufacturing technician from John Tyler Community College. At the end of the program, QuickStart graduates will participate in a job fair featuring a wide-variety of well-paying, full-time positions with benefits and advancement opportunity.

The next QuickStart class begins on March 31, 2008. Those interested in being considered for the program must submit their applications by 5:00 p.m. on February 15, 2008. Applications and information about the admissions process may be found online at www.jtcc.edu/quickstart. Questions may also be directed to QuickStart Project Manager Jackie Anderson at 804-706-9800 or quickstart@jtcc.edu.

QuickStart is an initiative of John Tyler Community College, guided and supported by the John Tyler Community College Manufacturers’ Coalition, whose purpose is to unite local manufacturing, construction and skilled trades’ employers to address important industry issues.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College also has an outreach enrollment center located in Petersburg at 218 N. Sycamore Street. Each year, the College serves more than 10,000 students and offers 13 associate degrees, seven certificates and 29 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 14,000 non-credit students and more than 500 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.