Change lives, build careers: Central Nine celebrates 50 years of adult education

As the day of classes ends and the sun begins to set, the Central Nine Career Center offers everything from where high school students gain expertise in career and technical education to the extra boost adults at all stages of life need to achieve. Move to where you can get it. their goal.

Like our high school programs, Central Nine’s adult education program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The program has served nearly 1,000 students since his COVID year, when enrollment bottomed out at her just over 800. Some of our most popular programs include Welding, English Learner Classes, or ELL, which adults use to earn industry certifications and advance their careers. , along with HiSET exam preparation, classes to help students achieve high school equivalency levels.

Last week, the Adult Education Program celebrated National Adult Education Week. Adult education can help transform the lives of those looking to expand their career opportunities, said Michelle Davis, director of adult education at Central Nine.

“Adult education programs, like high school programs, have an impact on entire communities,” says Davis. “Anytime an adult learns a new skill, upskills, passes a high school equivalence level, or learns English, it’s a win-win. , when you start learning English, you can be more active in your child’s education.Let’s say you are working with Endress+Hauser on welding technology.If you already employ that person, you may want to learn welding. Send them to us so they can come back and possibly get a promotion.

Indianapolis resident Smithson Charitable found Central Nine while searching online for English programming. Her Charitable from Haiti hopes to advance her lifeguard career by attending her ELL class in the Adult Education Program.

“This is my first class and I am very excited. My teacher, we talk to each other. She is very nice. I think we can improve our English in this class,” said Charitable. said. “By improving her language skills and becoming a lifeguard supervisor, a lifeguard manager, or she could be a CNA, I think she could have a better life.”

Mercedes Jarquin from Nicaragua wants to learn English in order to get a high school equivalent.

“I can help my daughter at school, if she needs help explaining something with her homework or work. rice field. “I want to get (equivalent) qualifications because there are more jobs. If my team wants something, I want to improve everything. , they say I’m not qualified, but I trust myself and I know I can do it. That’s why I keep going.”

Steven Vittato’s Welding class has 12 students looking to get certified and advance their careers.

“For the people it directly helps, it’s invaluable,” Vitato said. “It can be life-changing, career-changing, ensuring jobs are filled all around us and helping people get into higher income brackets.”

A student in our class, Jim Henry, has had nearly 20 years of career maintenance. Henley said that getting certified will allow him to complete tasks he couldn’t do before.

“The industry is currently suffering across the board when it comes to skilled workers, and the people I work with are having trouble finding people who can do my job,” Henry said. “I want to be able to work safely and efficiently, so that the work I do will not cause any problems in the future.”

Christa Brahunka, a Greenwood resident, decided to take this class after hearing about it in high school, and said her main goal in the class was to learn the basics of welding.

Eric Veal of Indianapolis said he would like to pursue a career in this field.

“You can learn something new every day that you can work on yourself or with a group,” says Veal. “I want to come out of my class and be one of the top guys who can work as a welding expert.”