Putting seniors back to work - and footing the bill

Julie Yates

Pryor Creek Recreation Center is hosting a participant in the ExperienceWorks program.

Bettie Armontrout, Pryor, started working at PCRC Monday. Armontrout is working to acquire more office skills so she can find a job after completing the program.

The training program works with rural counties. ExperienceWorks helps senior citizens gain new job skills so they can seek work outside the program. The program is solely for residents ages 55 and up with limited income.

Mary Meriwether, Employment and Training Coordinator for Northeast Oklahoma, handles 11 counties in northeast Oklahoma. Meriwether specified that ExperienceWorks is not a job placement program.

“It’s a work site training program for seniors to get them job ready,” said Meriwether.

The program is funded through the Oklahoma Department of Labor. Training lasts from six to nine months.

Meriwether said the program is geared to offer seniors training in new skills. She said most seniors need keyboard and computer

experience.

Participants are able to work at host sites as they train. The required work time is 21 hours a week.

“We give free labor to a place in exchange for a training site,” said Meriwether.

ExperienceWorks pays the participant’s labor and workman’s compensation. The program requires a safety check on all host sites.

Host sites must be government agencies such as schools, fire departments or city and county offices. Certain charitable organizations also apply. The organization must have a governmental letter designating them as a true

charitable organization.

Organizations such as Community Action Resource & Development (C.A.R.D.), Salvation Army, American Red Cross and United Way can be host sites. Meriwether said supervisors with charitable organizations get value time for hosting participants. The organizations can record the time and use it for grant requests.

“Sometimes it’s a win-win situation and the host site will hire the participant,” said Meriwether. “We have had wonderful success stories.”

Seniors in the program may possibly be sent to training at technology centers. Any further training is given in addition to the required 21 hours of work at a host site.

“Mayes County is very under served,” said Meriwether. She said not many in the county meet the program requirements.

“We sit down and do an extensive interview and see what they would like to do,” said Meriwether.

The application includes a background check. Seniors drawing unemployment are not eligible for the program.

“We try to keep congressmen and senators aware of the program,” said Meriwether.

To apply for ExperienceWorks, potential participants can contact Meriwether at (918) 462-0867.

Armontrout is one of two participants in Mayes County. If all goes as planned, she will work 21-hour weeks at PCRC until May.

Armontrout said she worked at Mayes County Nutrition Center for two

years through the American Association of Retired Persons. She transferred

to PCRC under ExperienceWorks.

“It’s a very good program,” said Armontrout.

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