SALEM, Ohio – In an effort to meet the needs of the area workforce, the Sustainable Opportunity Development, or SOD, Center in Salem has opened a new computer lab with 15 laptops at its work stations.
New computer-aided courses and classes are now being scheduled. The computer lab will allow the center at 440 Pennsylvania Ave. to expand its efforts in connecting businesses to needed resources and training Salem’s workforce to earn certifications.
Built into the expansion grant the SOD Center received this year, the computer lab was prompted by the need of employers for more transportable technology, says Julie Needs, executive director.
“If a business has 10 employees to train on Office 365 by a certain deadline, but only has two laptops, they can now schedule time with us here at the center,” Needs says. “And those 10 employees can be certified at the same time.”
In addition to saving employers time and money, the computer lab enables the center to service almost every aspect of the local workforce, she notes. That includes reaching unemployed and underemployed residents with training services that would enable them to advance their careers or go to college.
To learn more about training and classes, visit SODCenter.com or call 330 337 7669.