Work Opportunity Center opens Springfield site

Work Opportunity Center Inc., of 1094 Suffield St. in Agawam, announces the grand opening of their Employment Supports Program in Springfield.

Located at 1666 Main St., Suite D, in Springfield, the Employment Supports Program's primary focus is to assist individuals throughout Hampden County to find gainful and meaningful employment.

Since 1969, Work Opportunity Center has been assisting adults with developmental disabilities secure training and employment. In 2006 they began providing services to individuals from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). The success of these programs has allowed them to open the Springfield office and in particular provide additional training and support for transitional assistance consumers. This facility will allow them to provide a greater variety of computer skills training, especially Microsoft Word, Excel and Publishers as well as computer basics and internet navigation. They are also able to provide ESL (English Second Language) programs and enhance job seeking training and support by providing direct support for resume development, general skills assessment, career counseling and interview preparation and direct job developing support. The expansion of the Employment Supports Program will allow them to assist more people of all abilities as they seek to find good jobs in a difficult economic environment.

Consumers in the Employment Supports Program are referred primarily by the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR), the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC). The Springfield facility will serve as a central office for their work throughout Hampden County and provide more convenient accessibility to those most in need of their services. They also operate a satellite program in the Palmer Public Library for those in the Quaboag Valley who are unable to access services in Springfield.