Getting Experience

Graduates seeking their first job often complain that a certificate, diploma or degree isn’t enough. Employers want to hire someone who also has work experience. The following methods can help you gain valuable experience while you complete your education.

• Jobs At A Glance
  Job experience in the “real world” certainly looks good on a resume. If you would like to work while completing your education, the Student Success Center maintains a current list of jobs at Jobs at a Glance. These jobs are listed by employers looking for workers who are current PTC students or recent graduates.
• Volunteer Work
  Can’t find a job, or can’t commit to a certain number of hours a week and keep your grades up? Volunteering at a local not-for-profit organization can give you valuable work experience, and you can usually set your own schedule as well as retain the flexibility you need while going to school full time. If you volunteer in a field that you plan to seek employment in, you also gain important references and contacts for the future.  Follow the link above for a list of local not-for-profit organizations.
• Student Life
  All experience does not have to be work-related. Being active in student clubs and organizations also gives you experience that can be transferred into work-related skills.
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (One Stop Workforce Center)
  On-the-job training is a WIA program which can reimburse a portion of the cost of training new employees. WIA is a federally funded program that assists job seekers to find employment.  WIA One-Stop Workforce Centers are open to any job seeker and are located in Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens, and Newberry County Employment Security Offices.  Area centers are funded by the South Carolina Employment Security Commission and the Upper Savannah Council of Governments Workforce Development Division.