UA joins Workforce Training Program to help Ohioans recover from COVID-19 job loss

Since March, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the devastation of lost lives, lost time—and lost jobs. According to Cleveland.com, Ohio’s unemployment rate is double from where it was this time last year. With so many people out of work and job hunting, application pools have gotten larger and ostensibly more competitive. That’s why The University of Akron, along with 11 other institutions including Baldwin Wallace and Lorain Community College, have decided to take part in the new state workforce training program called the Individual Microcredential Assistance Program, or IMAP for short.

IMAP offers six-week, noncredit courses in microcredentials that include introductions to Java programming, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Windows 10 and web page creation. Those eligible for the courses are Ohioans who are low-income, partially or completely unemployed, or underemployed. There is no deadline to apply for the program, which makes it a special opportunity for participants looking for new training in a pinch.

Rose Withem, UA’s Manager of Workforce Training Solutions, shared, “My hope for the participants is first that they get the position or positions they want because they have something on their resume now that excites employers; and second, that the courses can offer some confidence to participants, especially those that have not completed or attended college.”

IMAP may have specific eligibility requirements, but UA has long offered other workforce training programs beyond IMAP. UA’s Workforce Training Solutions offers courses to employers and employees alike. The courses and programs range from computer training to fire and hazard courses.

Companies can even receive specialized guidance under the Customized Corporate Training program, where expert program coordinators will walk company teams through a training process that will lead teams to success with reduced turnover, increased company productivity, and employee advancement.

For more information, visit the IMAP webpage by clicking here. Eligible individuals who wish to participate in the program should fill out the application by clicking here.

Story by: Madeline Myers

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu