NEWS
Dads Program Graduates Successes
CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services honored its second Dads Making a Difference graduating class with a ceremony on December 16th at the Cheyenne-Kiwanis Community House in Lion's Park.
Dads Making a Difference began its 14-week program in September and graduated 11 students from Laramie County Community College's Integrated Systems Training Center. In addition, there are plans to implement an alumni component to assist graduates as they move out into the workforce and continue their journey as parents.
Joan Evans, Director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, said, "The Dads Program has been an amazing pilot project for the Department. We, alongside our partners at Laramie County Community College, have been able to create an avenue for this untapped workforce to access the necessary training that not only benefits the graduates and their families, but also businesses."
The program teaches integrated systems technology, one of the newest high-demand career opportunities in American industry. The are nine different areas of training in the program, including electrical, electrical motor control, hydraulics, pneumatics, mechanical systems, basic power distribution, industrial piping, programmable logic controls and HVAC systems.
"We are very proud of the successes that these men have attained," Evans added.
Some graduates of the program have already found work, and the Department is working to set up on-the-job training experiences for other graduates.
One new feature to this class was a mentoring component. The Department was able to team up the dads with retired professionals that helped the dads with job and life skills.
To qualify for the program applicants must be a custodial or noncustodial parent, 18 years of age or older, below federal poverty guidelines, able to commit to a comprehensive training program, interested in contributing more to their child's welfare and drug free.
The program is built to help empower either custodial or non-custodial dads by providing them with job training and placement so they can better support their children. The Dads Making a Difference program also teaches life skills for success at work and in relationships as well as providing parent training opportunities and counseling for additional support.
For more information about the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services or to get involved with DADS Making a Difference visit www.wyomingworkforce.org/dads or call 777-3700.
