A graduation ceremony was held fpr people who completed occupational training programs — from certified nurse aide to pastry to CDL — offered through Tec Centro Berks, also known as the Berks Latino Workforce Development Corp.
Tec Centro Berks, also known as the Berks County Latino Workforce Development Corp., held graduation ceremonies Friday for about 40 women and men who recently completed the requirements of its growing list of job-training and/or certification programs.
The ceremonies were held at Tec Centro’s home at 450 S. Sixth St. in Reading.
The graduates included participants in the pastry, certified nurse aid, medical records billing specialist and commercial driver’s license programs. Also, several people received their high school diplomas via a bilingual program offered by Tec Centro called HiSET.
Tec Centro also has a phlebotomist class, but there were no graduates because the most recent class was canceled due to the lack of availability of an instructor.
The allied health programs are conducted in partnership with Reading Area Community College. The medical billing specialist is one of the most recently added programs.
The Tec Centro model provides no-tuition bilingual adult basic education and occupational training in careers that are in high demand in the communities.
There are waiting lists for all of the programs, said Violet Emory, Berks Tec Centro executive director.
An overarching goal of the programs is for students to obtain a specific certification or licensure, a stamp on their diplomas that tells a prospective employer that they have the skills to do the job, Emory said.
The CDL program, one of the newest additions, is an example. Tec Centro contracts with Optimist CDL Coaching School, Wernersville, for the instruction.
Every student who completed the program was able to get their CDL license except one who wasn’t able to take the exam due to an emergency, Emory said.
“We have really motivated students,” Emory said.
Another CDL class begins in two weeks.
The pastry program is part of the culinary arts programs. The classes have been meeting evenings in the kitchen of Daniel Torres Hispanic Center since the program was launched about a year ago.
Michael Toledo, Hispanic Center president, who offered use of the organization’s kitchen to Tec Centro, was one of the guest speakers along with representatives from the RACC allied health program.
“We’re fortunate that our local legislators and government leaders really believe in the work that we’re doing here,” Emory said.
