WHEELING - West Virginians who have lost their jobs have a chance to gain the knowledge and skills to begin a new career through free classes at West Virginia Northern Community College.

Three open houses are scheduled next month to discuss the program. The dates are May 5, Wheeling campus; May 6, Weirton campus; and May 11, New Martinsville campus.

"We want to get them in, get them through and get them out," Janet Fike, Northern's dean of enrollment management, said of the dislocated workers who could benefit from the available programs.

Fike said the initiative was prompted by a need college officials have seen in the community. The idea is to help Mountain State residents who might need new training or re-training to find employment without leaving the local area.

West Virginia Northern will waive tuition and fees for state residents who have been laid off or dislocated in the past 180 days and who wish to register for classes in one of a variety of selected programs.

Participants should begin their studies by the summer term, which begins May 26, or the fall term, which begins Aug. 22.

Most of the programs can be completed in one year with full-time enrollment. Fike said the programs were selected because those who complete them likely will be able to find employment locally.

"Dislocated workers often find the job market is closed to them because of a lack of education; they are forced to re-invent themselves," Northern President Martin J. Olshinsky said. "This tuition-free program is a viable and valuable option for them."

Fike said anyone who begins but does not finish a program will not be required to repay the school for the classes taken. She also noted enrollees will be permitted to take one term off, if necessary.

According to Fike, the college will cover tuition and fees for any required courses in the available programs, including developmental courses, to students who want to begin one of the following:

Degree-seeking certificate programs in appliance repair, business career studies, computer information technology, culinary arts, health care, industrial maintenance, medical assisting or paralegal

Continuing education online programs of study in home inspector career skill-set, real estate online, medical transcription, office administrator training, office specialist certification training, and medical billing career skill-set.

Fike said many of the certificate program classes are offered on WVNCC campuses at Wheeling, Weirton and New Martinsville; some programs, such as appliance repair and culinary arts, have classes that only are available in Wheeling.

She also said everyone who enrolls for the classes will be asked to apply for federal and state financial aid.

"This program is not designed for students who will be receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance or Workforce Investment Act funds, which would affect their eligibility for those programs," Fike added.

Funding for the program is substantial but limited, and college officials urge those interested to act quickly. Fike said the college is re-allocating some funds, including scholarship and state money, in order to cover the costs of offering free tuition and fees.

Those who are interested but are not able to attend one of the three open house events should call their nearest campus at (304) 233-5900, Wheeling; (304) 455-4684, New Martinsville; or (304) 23-2210, Weirton, extensions 8838/8848.