JAY — The Franklin County Community College Network held its inaugural dinner event at LaFleur’s Restaurant in Jay, with private businesses, community partners, students and institutions of higher learning to celebrate and recognize the past accomplishments of the Network as well as creating a vision for the future.

After 10 years of quietly developing positive economic impact in greater Franklin County through partnerships spurring educational opportunities and career pathway trainings offered in local communities throughout greater Franklin County, organizers felt it was time to step back, take a breath and recognize people and partners for their efforts and re-energize the Network looking to the future.

Highlights celebrated were 163 college classes, offered locally throughout the county at Mt. Abram High School, Foster Tech Center and Mt. Blue Campus, Franklin County Adult Education, Franklin Memorial Hospital, Wilton Career Center, Spruce Mountain High School and Adult Education, and in the Rangeley area. Over 1700 people have enrolled in classes since June 2005 and $72,832 in scholarships to help pay for classes has been awarded.

The next scholarship deadline is Dec. 19.

Specific career trainings have been offered to 445 people in areas such as energy, call centers, manufacturing and businesses. Currently in progress is a partnership with CMCC to offer a Business Certificate Program at Franklin Savings Bank as part of a succession plan to prepare employees for potential upcoming positions. People have been trained as welders for Cianbro and other construction trades, call center operators, EMT’s, truck drivers, CADD and customer service and hospitality industries as well as others.

Looking forward, the FCCCN is planning new initiatives connected to high demand job sectors and the needs of local manufacturing and businesses throughout greater Franklin County as it continues to seek new partnerships and opportunities with area businesses, institutions of post-secondary education and local learners alike. The greatest challenge moving forward is recruitment of new membership and sustainability of such an important organization to the area. To offer support, Tom Saviello and his family have made a $5,000 donation to the Network.

To learn more about potential opportunities, upcoming classes, career training and scholarships, contact Betty Gensel at 207-491-2752, Glenn Kapiloff at 207-778-3562 or [email protected] or 800-517-2859.

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