Kevin Brown was a cook for 20 years. But the company he worked for had no growth potential.
Now Brown is working as a supervisor at Barber Foods in Portland.
“Barber Foods is a remarkable place with a lot of opportunities for advancement,” he said.
This summer, Barber Foods announced a new program that will help Brown climb even further.
Pathways to Higher Ed – a collaborative program between Barber, the University of Southern Maine and Southern Maine Technical College – is an effort to prepare workers for college-level jobs by starting them on their way to earning a degree.
“In this company, you’ll go as far as you take yourself,” Brown said. “The program requires a lot of motivation.”
For Debbie Dugal and many students like her, time management was the biggest problem. She always wanted to go back to school, and the program gave her a chance to achieve her goal.
The classes run from 2 to 4 p.m., and they consist of students who work first, second and third shifts. The students are paid for half the time they are in class, they carry their credits with them when leave the program and it is possible to earn between 20 and 30 credits.
“This is an excellent program,” Dugal said.
Wendy Blauvelt has a husband and two small children. She said she wouldn’t be able to pursue school right now if it wasn’t for Pathways.
“I want my children to see how important school is,” she said.
Program participants range from a single non-traditional male student to a woman who moved here from Bosnia.
Vanja Mulic moved to the United States from Bosnia five years ago. War in her country kept her from going to college. She has been with Barber Foods for almost five years, and learned to speak English through a program provided by her employer.
Many of the students participating in Pathways recommend it highly. Some said they have to make sacrifices, but it was definitely worth it.
“We are promoting the program to other employers,” said Steve McFarland, work site manager for the University’s Center for Workplace Learning.
The first class is made up of 25 students and started in May 2001. They will complete the program in two years.
To apply, students had to write an essay about why they wanted to be a part of Pathways. A high school diploma or GED is required, and applicants are rated on clear goals, academic readiness, work record and writing ability. The application review team includes five representatives from the Center for Workplace Learning, SMTC and two from area businesses.
In January the review team will begin accepting applications for the second group, which could be as large as 35 students. The program will start again around March 2002.
Barber Foods is funding the $225,000 two-year program with the help of a state grant that will cover a little less than half that cost.
Contributing Writer Missy Remillad can be contacted at: [email protected]