Augusta-based education program to offer online classes in October

New Ventures Maine plans to hold tuition-free online workshops and classes in October.

Those classes include self-paced and interactive online workshops designed to help Maine people gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to start a business, build a career, and manage money, according to a news release from Jennifer DeJoy, communications and development manager with New Ventures Maine.

The full class schedule of daytime and evening classes for October and beyond is accessible at newventuresmaine.org/class-schedules.

Online classes include single- and multi-session workshops in three areas:

Manage Your Money

• My Money Works: Tuesdays, Oct. 4-Nov. 1, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Gain the skills and confidence needed to stretch money, pay bills, reduce debt, find money for savings, plan for retirement, and set personal financial goals with a plan to achieve greater financial stability (also offered in November on Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m.)

• Managing Your Money: Thursdays, Oct. 13-27, 10-11 a.m. Learn to budget, repair credit, and create a savings plan. Join for one, two, or all three workshops. Oct. 13: Budgeting Basics; Oct. 20: Let’s Talk About Credit; Oct. 27: Build Your Savings.

Build Your Career

• Making Career Choices: Tuesday, Oct. 4, 10-11 a.m. For people ready for a career change but don’t know where to start, this workshop will cover what to consider when making a career choice and resources to help succeed. (Also offered Wednesday, Oct. 5, 6:30-7:30 p.m.)

• Building Confidence: Wednesdays, Oct. 5-19, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Whether navigating recent changes, looking for a job, starting a business, or simply want to be more confident, join this class to assess confidence and learn concrete tools to help build confidence and keep it strong.

• Job Search Workshops: Thursdays, Oct. 6-20, 10-11 a.m. People ready for a new job or a career change can join one, two, or all three of these workshops. Oct. 6: Job Search Strategies; Oct. 13: Resume Strategies; Oct. 20: Interview Strategies.

• Connecting Women to ConstructionCareers: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 6-7:30 p.m. This 90-minute virtual session is designed for women and underrepresented workers to explore high-wage careers within the construction trades as well as low-cost or no-cost training programs and job opportunities.

• Building a Strong Future in Lewiston/Auburn: Wednesdays, Oct. 19-Nov. 2, 6-7:30 p.m. Take steps toward work that aligns with values and skills while also meeting needs, such as desired salary and benefits. In three, 90-minute class sessions, people can begin to build a plan for the strong future they envision.

Start a Business

• Business Basics: Thursdays, Oct. 6-20, 6-7 p.m. This class covers the basics of a business plan, marketing, and cash planning. It will help assess the feasibility, desirability, and viability of business idea and get started with plan.

• Business Success Series: Wednesdays, Oct. 5-19, noon-1 p.m. Business Success is a series of online dynamic workshops, created to help understand and manage the many components of starting and growing business successfully. Register for one or more workshops in the series. (This is a continuation of the series that began in September.)

• Tax Readiness for the Self-Employed: Thursday, Oct. 27, 6-7 p.m. Learn how to organize financial records, understand tax responsibilities, become familiar with tax forms, and file taxes with confidence. This workshop is designed for sole-proprietors.

• Introduction to Self-Employment: Tuesday, Nov. 1, noon-1 p.m.
The class covers the pros and cons of owning own business, steps needed for start-up, major elements of a business plan, and resources to help succeed.

Self-paced classes:

• Grow Your Business Online: Gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to create a compelling web presence and website for a small business. Made possible by Empower by GoDaddy in partnership with New Ventures Maine. Enroll anytime. Work at one’s own pace. Complete by Dec. 31.

• My Next Career Move: Assess skills, interests and experiences and relate them to career options. Identify high-growth job fields, explore education and training options. Strengthen one’s resume for a targeted job search. Enroll by Nov. 18. Work at one’s own pace. Complete by Dec. 31, 2022.

To sign up for any of the above classes, visit its website or call 207-621-3440.