Southwestern Community College (SWCC) expects to enroll a number of ex-Ferrara Candy Company employees during its upcoming spring semester, SWCC Vice President of Economic Development Tom Lesan and Dean of Student Services Beth Kulow told the college’s board of trustees Tuesday.
This week marks the last week of work the majority of the company’s Creston plant employees will be paid for before it closes Friday. About 215 employees will be left without a job.
“Beth [Kulow’s] staff has been up there (at the plant) almost daily,” said Lesan. “It’s going very well. We’ll pick up some students for the second semester definitely.”
“We’ve already started the process,” Kulow added. “There’s a good paperwork process that has to be completed for them (the employees) to get the TAA (Trade Adjustment Assistance) funds. Once they were approved for those funds, we’ve had admissions staff out there basically covering any shift. So they’re spending a significant amount of time out there.”
According to the United States Department of Labor, “The TAA Program is a federal program that provides a path for employment growth and opportunity through aid to U.S. workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade. The TAA program seeks to provide these trade-affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, resources, and support they need to become reemployed.”
“We’ve had [prospective] students come to campus as well,” said Kulow. “And on [Tuesday] Dec. 19, we’ll be inviting anyone who is interested to come and we’ll have a special campus tour, bring in financial aid and help them fill out the FAFSA and basically have an entire day for them.
“I do anticipate we’ll see a pretty large number of people enroll,” concluded Kulow.
SWCC’s spring semester begins Jan. 16, 2018.