FINGER LAKES WORKS ANNOUNCES “SKILLUP® FINGER LAKES”, A FREE PROGRAM PROVIDING OVER 5,000 ONLINE JOB SKILLS COURSES TO LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN ONTARIO, SENECA, WAYNE AND YATES COUNTIES

In an effort to both increase the skills of the region’s workforce and provide residents with tools to train for new job opportunities, Finger Lakes Works has initiated its “SkillUp® Finger Lakes” program. All eligible residents can take classes, explore career pathways and even prepare for various industry-recognized certifications, all for free and all from home.

Through an online portal, Finger Lakes Works is providing free access to over 5,000 courses from Skillsoft, a nationally recognized training provider of workplace, business, technical and IT courses.

Whether they are looking for a first job, a new job or to advance in their chosen field, residents can take advantage of this career enhancing training. SkillUp® Finger Lakes delivers flexible, self-paced learning that can be accessed from anywhere with a high-speed internet connection, 24/7. Users will complete a self-assessment of their skills, identify any skill gaps, and automatically receive recommended courses to remediate those gaps. Job-seekers can train in essential workplace skills, study job interview talking points and search for employment opportunities nationwide.

Available topics include Microsoft Office, Effective Customer Service, Project Management, Leadership, Critical Thinking, CompTIA, and many more.

To enroll online, learners can visit http://fingerlakes.skillupamerica.org/.

For those who need assistance, or if you are interested in additional career services, please visit one of the Finger Lakes Works Career Centers.

Local businesses can take advantage of SkillUp® Finger Lakes for new hire training. Custom curricula can be developed pertinent to a particular employer or industry. Businesses can also access the platform’s employer portal to identify skilled candidates or list their job openings. Interested employers can contact Michael Woloson at Finger Lakes Works Business Services at mwoloson@fingerlakesworks.com or 315-789-3131 ext. 103.

“Through SkillUp® Finger Lakes, our workforce board can serve a significantly larger portion of our community and enhance our overall career services offering,” said Executive Director of Finger Lakes Workforce Investment Board Karen A. Springmeier. “In addition, we are providing the tools necessary to upskill our local workforce and increase the pool of qualified candidates to support our existing and potential local businesses.”