Region 9 adult ed enrollment climbs 84 percent

MEXICO — Jonathan Downs of Andover is among a dozen adult students taking a course to become a certified nursing assistant through the Region 9 School of Applied Technology adult education program. He was recently laid off from his mill job at NewPage Corp.

The program has seen an 84 percent increase in enrollment since the fall of 2008, from 70 to 129. Director Nancy Allen said the biggest reason is the number of layoffs. Another is that some unemployed people realize they need a general educational development certificate.

"People who have always been able to get some kind of job are not. They need that (high school equivalency) diploma," she said.

According to unemployment figures provided by the Maine Department of Labor, Rumford, at 15.1 percent, is second to Millinocket, which is at 15.2 percent, the highest in the state. Millinocket also has a paper mill.

 NewPage Corp., however, is only one area company that has laid off employees. Marlene Gile, an employment counselor with Western Maine Community Action who works at the Rumford Career Center, said she has sent jobless people to the Region 9 adult education program from Sunday River ski resort, Ethan Allen furniture company, Saunders Brothers wood mill and other businesses.

Allen said her staff, which remains at the same level now as a year ago, has had to make some changes to meet the needs of the growing number of people using the program.

Among them is a curtailment in the number of hours a student may use the adult education program. Time is limited to 15 hours per week. Another is offering classes rather than one-to-one tutoring.

"Eight years ago when I started working here, we never would have considered holding classes," she said. Now, eight-session classes are offered in math and/or English every few weeks with the number of students in each class ranging from six to 10.

Many, such as Downs, have enrolled in the certified nursing assistant program. Some, such as Jessica Thurston of Rumford, and David Bumby of Rumford Center, are using the course to upgrade their current certifications — Thurston has a personal care assistant and Bumby, a certified residential medication aide.

Dalene Pulk of Carthage is hoping to launch a career, just in case her husband loses his job at NewPage.

"It's shaky," she said.

The CNA course has a huge waiting list, Allen said.

Other programs that could lead to new careers offered in the adult program include truck driving, which also enrolls large numbers of adult students, and basic automotive and welding courses.

Gile said the Rumford Career Center had guided between 500 and 600 people in June compared to between 200 and 300 in June 2008.

She said the local paper union plans to offer job search workshops for its unemployed workers.

"Even before the NewPage layoffs, people were coming in constantly," she said.

Allen has seen a significant surge in GED completions, along with plans by some to attend college.

Downs is one of those people.

Once he completes the CNA course, he plans to further his education in the medical field.

eadams@sunjournal.com