Project Self-Sufficiency announces that the next session of its popular employment skills training program, Higher Opportunities for Women (HOW), will launch October 11th. The 16-week HOW Program combines intensive computer skills training with classroom instruction and on-the-job experience. Curriculum prepares women who have been out of the work force or underemployed to seek entry-level office administrative positions. Classes will operate Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the agency’s campus, located at 127 Mill Street in Newton. Interested participants are invited to call 973-940-3500 or visit https://www.projectselfsufficiency.org/higher-opportunities-for-women to enroll.

Women who take part in the agency’s HOW program can expect 80 hours of computer skills training, including instruction in Microsoft Word, Excel, and other applications. The HOW program also includes 40 hours of classroom instruction and 120 hours at an unpaid externship at a community employment site, which further prepares participants to successfully venture into the job market. Additional coursework focuses on workplace navigation, life skills training, resume preparation, and interviewing strategies.

Since the HOW program’s inception, more than 1,000 women have gained self-confidence and learned marketable skills which placed them on the path to economic self-sufficiency. Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency explains that the HOW program is more than just a job-skills program. “The job market is constantly evolving, and the Higher Opportunities for Women program gives participants the skills and confidence they need for success.”