Sage Success

The Sage Group Graduate Receives Lifelong Learning Award

Valda Blanton, a graduate of The Sage Group's job skills courses, was one of six recipients nationwide of a Lifelong Learning Award from the Association of Joint Labor/Management Educational Programs.

The awards program celebrates individuals whose commitment to lifelong learning led to outstanding personal growth and satisfaction.

Before entering the job bank program created by the BellSouth Employment Security Partnership with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Valda Blanton was an office assistant in Columbia, S.C., whose job was being eliminated. Through the job bank, Blanton took advantage of instructor-led training courses provided by The Sage Group to prepare students for careers as electronic technicians.

After her training, Blanton took and passed four tests: General Qualification Test (basic skills test), Basic Electricity Test, Basic Electronics Test, and DCCL, (Digital Communications and Computer Literacy). She was then offered a position as an electronic technician, which not only allowed her to find a full-time position within the company, but also increased her rate of pay.

"CWA is very proud of members such as Valda who take advantage of the negotiated services of PARTNERSHIP to improve their work status," said Noah Savant, assistant to the vice president, CWA, District 3. "The training packages provided by The Sage Group have proven to be a valuable asset to the Employment Security PARTNERSHIP."

Rich Ford, president of The Sage Group, added, "We are very pleased that The Sage Group was able to help Valda not only keep her job, but find success. This is the kind of success we strive for with all our students."

The Association of Joint Labor/Management Educational Programs is a non-profit organization that addresses the needs of more than 1 million organized workers in 11 labor unions and more than 350 employers in a variety of industries. Union members participating in the association's programs seek a range of opportunities from basic skills to job training to post-secondary degrees. For more information on the association, visit www.workplacelearning.org.

A story about Valda Blanton by DeAnn Batson, vice president of The Sage Group, appeared in the third quarter issue of The Association of Joint Labor/Management Educational Programs' newsletter. To download a PDF of the newsletter, click here. (The story begins on page 3.)