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TownTalk 04/21/20: Registration Open for VGCC’s Fully Online Summer Semester

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Kali Brown, dean of Student Access and Support at Vance-Granville Community College, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Frequently known as the curriculum side of the house, Brown oversees an area that includes Admissions, Career Services, Financial Aid and the Registrar’s Office.

Brown said the main focus of the Student Access and Support Division is connecting students to the college experience. “We help them gain access, whether they want to complete a short-term degree, such as a certificate or a diploma, or they are interested in pursuing an associate degree leading to workforce opportunities or college transfer.”

With over 40 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, Brown said VGCC offers something for everyone. “There are so many opportunities for students. Within a year to a year-and-a-half, a student can complete a credential, move into the workforce and start earning a livable wage.”

While VGCC’s current spring semester wraps up on May 11, registration is open and ongoing for the summer semester, which begins May 16, and the fall semester, which begins August 17. For a list of available classes, please visit the “Class Schedules” section of VGCC’s website or click here.

Following adjustments made in the middle of the spring semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state-wide stay-at-home orders, VGCC will offer summer classes in an entirely online format for both current and new students.

Classes typically taught in the summer semester that are unable to be offered online will potentially be offered this fall, depending on the situation, stated Brown.

“Summer is a great opportunity for students to get started, and it’s a great opportunity to take a general education class that they need for their program of study,” Brown said.

Many of VGCC’s curriculum admission processes, including the admission application, Financial Aid application and scholarship application, can be completed online.

While applying online is part of the standard admissions process, Brown said changes have been made to placement testing requirements as a result of stay-at-home orders. Testing requirements have been temporarily waived, with students now required to provide their high school transcript for placement purposes.

For more information on VGCC’s programs, semester dates, class schedules and registration information, please visit www.vgcc.edu.

To hear the interview with Brown in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Also appearing on TownTalk Tuesday was Hal Muetzel, local owner-operator of Express Employment Professionals.

Express Employment Professionals: Muetzel Says ‘Essential Industries Hiring’

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Hal Muetzel, owner and operator of Express Employment Professionals, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Located at 124 Main Street in Oxford, Express Employment Professionals is a staffing company focused on helping people find jobs and providing workforce solutions to businesses. Services include a full range of employment solutions, including full-time, temporary and part-time employment in a wide range of industries.

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, Muetzel explained that those industries deemed “essential” by the government, including manufacturing, distribution, food, logistics, infrastructure and healthcare, are the ones hiring at present.

“We are busy here at Express,” Muetzel stated. “We are working with companies like essential businesses that are still looking for people, and many of these companies are starving for the type of laborers needed for these positions.”

Muetzel pointed out that many manufacturers, including the Oxford-based Home Care Products, LLC, have either switched to or have added assembly for goods needed during the pandemic, including masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Another local employer, Walmart Distribution Center in Vance County, has also been on an “aggressive hiring campaign to get supplies, mostly food supplies, shipped out and into stores,” said Muetzel.

While some companies have been in a holding pattern for the last few weeks, Muetzel said the movement he is starting to see gives him hope that the near future looks bright for the workforce.

“Some companies have stalled out for a little while but are coming back online as early as next week in the manufacturing sectors. There are a fair number of economists that say this will be short-lived and, as soon as we can start to get people back to work, we should start to see the economy creep up again.”

If you are currently seeking employment, Muetzel said the best bet is to target essential businesses. “Keep informed and stay focused on your job search because, eventually, we are going to all be back in a situation where we are looking for work again or are being recalled back to our previous employment.”

Express Employment Professionals is available to assist you in your job search and has the means to conduct the majority of the employment process, including an initial interview, remotely.

For more information, please visit www.expresspros.com/oxfordnc/ or call (919) 693-1730.

To hear the interview with Muetzel in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk. Muetzel’s segment of the interview begins at the 15:13 mark.

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