Vietnamese fishermen facing employment woes after the BP oil spill are learning new trades, thanks to Asian Americans for Change, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and a grant from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
In October 2010, MDES formed partnerships with Asian Americans for Change and Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi to work out of the Biloxi WIN Job Center and help residents affected by the oil spill find jobs. MDES received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to fulfill that mission.
Through local outreach, Asian Americans for Change made the recommendation to offer training in electrical wiring, HVAC, welding and pipefitting, said Kaitlin Truong, chair of Asian Americans for Change.
I think it creates doors of opportunity to face the challenges of joblessness following the BP oil spill, she said.
Our goal is to address the workforce needs of all individuals adversely impacted by the oil spill, said Shelia King, MDES national emergency grant project manager.
The first group of 10 students to be certified through the 12-week electrical wiring program at MGCCC finish classes today.
Michael Nguyen, 28, starting shrimping at age 16. A loss of income hit him after the oil spill.
We couldn’t go fishing for I don’t know how long, he said.
A friend told him about the program teaching trades at the Jefferson Davis campus of MGCCC.
It’s been great, Nguyen said of the electrical wiring program.
He said he knew a little about wiring but had never received formal training in a classroom setting.
The program at MGCCC is a mix of classroom lessons and hands-on training, said electrical instructor Brent Bond.
The hands-on training is critical, because students won’t be reading from a book when they get on the job site, he said.
Language barriers
Mastering the English language is also important.
It’s a big challenge for them, said interpreter Tuan Dang, also a student in the program.
Some are among the first generations of their families to live in the United States, he said. Being able to read and speak English is imperative to stay safe on a job site, Dang said.
McClatchy Company