Job seekers beef up computer skills with training

Company layoffs and the economic slowdown mean job seekers need an edge to come out on top in the job market. That can mean upgrading or learning new computer skills.

In the past 18 months, the local Bryan Career College campus has experienced a 120 percent increase in students seeking computer training, said Brian Stewart, president.

"Due to the downsizing or closures of various companies leaving the area, (Bryan College is) seeing an increase in displaced workers among our students," Stewart said.

Demographics have changed, too.

"The age group is wide open, with people directly out of high school and career changers in their 40s and 50s. The average age now is around 30 to 33; in past years it was 25 to 30. The average age is moving up probably due to the need to find different ways of making a living," Stewart said.

Daphne Press, division chair of computer systems at Ozarks Technical Community College, also has seen increases.

"We have steadily increased in the area of computer applications, which is a general course taken by almost everyone at the college. I would say a 10 to 15 percent increase per year on those courses," Press said.

The Edge Community Technology Center at Midtown Carnegie Branch Library, which offers training in computer usage and self-paced tutorials on software like PowerPoint, is meeting part of the demand.

Edge Project Director Jazy Mihalik said since the training center officially opened in May 2002, they've had about 750 people registered for sessions. To date the total attendance has been 2,000 for the 350 free training sessions.

"We are definitely serving a need," Mihalik said.

Necessary skills

Patrick Planer, work force development supervisor at the Missouri Career Center OneStop, said most restaurants have computer touch screens, cashiers have computer-operated checkouts and truck drivers have global positioning systems. "It seems like everything is operated, one way or another, by computer," he said.

Press agrees. "Computer training is essential for computer programmers, network technicians, Web programmers and Web administrators. However, in almost any job, computer training is a plus if not a necessity. This includes clerical and other office work, teaching and managerial jobs," she said.

What computer programs to learn can be just as important as general training.

"When a person finds himself or herself without a job, he or she can get some computer training, especially in the area of Microsoft Word, Excel and Access, and can almost immediately make himself or herself more employable," Press said.

The Missouri Career Center OneStop has a dislocated worker's program.

"We have a basic computer lab here that will teach them some Microsoft Office products, such as how to use the Internet, Word, PowerPoint, Excel," Planer said. "We guide them into the area they seem most interested in and help them develop a plan of action to achieve their goal."

In search of training

Bryan College sees students transitioning from one career to another to better their lives, Stewart said.

"The days of people going to work for a company and spending 30 years there, then retiring, are gone for the most part," Stewart said. "The employee is really a product now. They have to equip themselves with skills to use with any company, not one specific type of organization."

Many companies are placing emphasis on advanced training for employees, said Dena Lewis, branch manager with The Computer Training Center. The company works with all levels of employees and management.

OTC has many students returning to school for additional training, said Cindy Hinds, director of public relations.

"We have a lot of students who already have a bachelor's degree and are coming back to school to learn computer skills, because that's one of the top job areas," Hinds said.

The fastest-growing occupations in the Ozarks Region are computer scientist, systems analyst and credit analyst, according to the Department of Economic Development.

"After 9-11, we did see a short period where everybody froze their hiring. It's opened up. Companies are growing and planning on growing," Stewart said. "We have seen an increase in openings for programmers and computer networkers, and are filling those with our graduates. We believe in the next few years that the demand will continue to grow."