Durham Technical Community College is hosting free orientation sessions for its new JobsNOW training that can be completed in six months or less. An orientation session is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Educational Resources Center on the college's Main Campus in Durham. Another session will be held on Thursday, Sept. 3, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Orange County Campus outside Hillsborough.

Those attending an orientation session will learn about the seven areas of training that JobsNOW now offers. A question and answer session will be included. Financial assistance is available for JobsNOW participants who qualify because of a job loss or other factors.

All of the training is targeted to high-demand occupational fields in Durham and Orange counties. The JobsNOW initiative, created by Gov. Beverly Perdue, is a collaborative effort by the state's community colleges and the N.C. Department of Commerce. Approximately $13.4 million of the state's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds have been set aside for JobsNOW.

Durham Tech will offer training in the following areas:

Nursing Assistant/Health Unit Coordinator
Nursing assistant instruction, technical and non-technical medical office training, and customer service skills development are combined in this training for work in hospitals and other health care facilities. Classes begin Sept. 8.

Green Landscape Designers/Solar Energy Technicians
In this Green Living Initiative program, learn about sustainable landscape designs and solar energy systems through classroom instruction. Apply the knowledge through a hands-on project that will hone the skills needed for employment in many sustainable industries. Classes begin Oct. 5.

Phlebotomist
Learn phlebotomy skills to work in hospitals, clinics, or other settings. This short-term training develops the skills for proper collection of blood and other specimens used for diagnostic laboratory testing. Classes begin Jan. 25.

Industrial Maintenance Technician
Learn general maintenance procedures as well as basic refrigeration and heating technology skills to qualify for entry-level heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) employment. Classes begin Sept. 28.

Medical Coder
Study medical terminology and other coding systems to sit for a credential to become an entry-level medical coder. Classes begin in the spring of 2010.

Under Car Care Technician
Learn about suspension, steering, brake, and emissions systems through a mix of functional and hands-on experiences in this short-term certificate training. Completers qualify for entry-level positions in the car care industry. Classes begin Sept. 28.

Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical Process Technician
This training is designed to provide industry-specific skills focused on maintaining a safe work environment; controlling, monitoring, and troubleshooting equipment; and analyzing, evaluating, and communicating about data to support the work of area biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Classes begin Oct. 5.

JobsNOW training also includes career readiness certification, workplace skills development, skills assessment, career exploration, and college placement testing. For more information about JobsNOW, contact Kelly King at 919-536-7222, ext. 4003, or click here.