Dr. Lori A. Fair, dean of adult basic education and developmental studies, will present HACC's "Adults Working to Acquire and Retain Employment" program during the National Council for Workforce Education's annual conference at the Wyndham-Inner Harbor Hotel, Baltimore, Md, October 16 - 19.

Better known as AWARE, the program teaches individuals from the central Pennsylvania community college's surrounding area the skills necessary to obtain employment, retain employment and enhance upward mobility.

"We've partnered with several local companies that provide mock interviews and job postings. We provide the instructional piece, teaching the Microsoft Word Office Suite, email, written and oral communication skills, and other soft skills necessary in the workplace," said Fair.

HACC trains more than 52,000 students in its noncredit and Workforce and Economic Development division, making the AWARE program's inclusion in the conference a significant accomplishment, according to Fair.

"It is a sign for the institution that we know what we are doing," she said, adding that the program helps combat what is often referred to as the "brain drain," when young people move to other states in search of new opportunities. "If you give people the necessary skills, they will remain in Pennsylvania. We will have a skilled workforce."

Fair was also selected to participate in the Noel-Levitz Symposium for Senior Administrators at the National Conference on Student Retention, which was held in New Orleans this summer. Unable to accommodate the many professionals interested in participating, organizers selected only 45 individuals from a variety of institutions to participate in this first-ever event.