HAMLET — Richmond Community College and the Coalition on Adult Basic Education want everyone to join them in honoring National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, which runs from September 16th to the 20th.
Monday, September 16, at 10 a.m., RichmondCC will hold a free information session and registration event at the Cole Auditorium to honor the successes of adult education and family literacy students, faculty, and staff. The event will also celebrate how adult education changes the lives of families and businesses.
Nicole Worley, Dean of Adult Education, said, “This event is called ‘Adult Education for the Future: Understanding the Need, the Impact, and YOU.'”
“People are welcome to come learn about the differences between an Adult High School diploma and a High School Equivalency diploma, how to get a GED or HiSET diploma, and why adult education programs need to be supported.” There are also part-time teaching jobs available for people who want to work in adult education.
Donations to the “Sponsor a Graduate” program at RichmondCC are also being asked for to help pay for adult education students’ High School Equivalency test fees.
One out of every ten Americans over the age of 25 does not have a high school education. That’s more than 30 million people. The number is more like one in five in Richmond and Scotland counties. The Adult Education department at RichmondCC is trying to make that happen.
Last year, RichmondCC’s adult education division helped more than 700 people in Richmond and Scotland counties. Eighty percent of the students who started the program were not working at the high school level.
Worley said, “The need for a high school diploma and English as a Second Language for adults who don’t speak English continues to grow.”
Family literacy and adult education programs help people who need to get a high school equivalency degree, improve their reading and math skills, learn how to speak and write English better, or get ready for college or training after high school. The goal of these programs is to break the cycles of poverty, lack of schooling, and poor reading and writing skills.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that the job market isn’t growing at all for people who don’t have a high school diploma or some college training. About 48% of job openings need middle-skilled workers and 32% need high-skilled workers. That’s almost 80% of all job openings that need more than a high school diploma.
Adults who take part in RichmondCC’s Adult Education program can learn about different job paths and improve their skills so that they can move up in their careers by going to college or training after high school.
The Finish for Your Future Scholarship is also open to people who have completed High School Equivalency or Adult High School. This grant will pay up to $1,000 for college or continuing education classes for adults who have already finished high school.
Everyone is welcome to attend “Adult Education for the Future: Understanding the Need, the Impact, and YOU” on September 17. Anyone who wants to get engaged, finish their high school diploma, or improve their English language skills is welcome to come. Call 910-410-1700 to find out more.