Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio Partners with Connect Ohio to Offer Computer Training to Area Adults

For Immediate Release

March 19, 2013 

 Contact: Lyndsey Kleven

614-313-6951 or lkleven@connectohio.org

The free training is now offered to adults in Carroll, Stark, and Cuyahoga counties, participants eligible for discounted computers

CANTON – Connect Ohio and Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio have partnered to offer the Every Citizen Online (ECO) free basic computer and Internet training program. Through this collaborative effort, area adults are learning how to connect in ways many of us take for granted. Participants of the program are also eligible to take advantage of discounted Internet service and computer purchases.

“At Goodwill we are always looking for ways to improve employment opportunities and overall quality of life for the people in our community,” said Tyler Drake, supervisor of mission services at Goodwill. “We firmly believe that teaching computer skills does both, whether it is teaching an unemployed individual how to look for work online, or a grandma how to use Facebook to keep up with her grandkids. We are delighted to be partnering with like-minded organizations in Connect Ohio and Carroll County Jobs and Family Services to make these classes possible.”

The computer and Internet basic training is a natural fit for the organization’s community and education services, with coursework that includes 6 hours of training covering computer basics, an introduction to the Internet, and an overview of the many benefits of using the Internet. Goodwill has partnered with Carroll County Jobs and Family Services (JFS) to hold the training in Carrollton, the first ECO training location in the county.

“It is growing more and more difficult to find employment without computer skills and we see our new partnership as an important step to helping people from Carroll County become employed or to find better employment,” said Debra Knight, assistant director at Carroll County JFS. “Carroll County Job and Family Services and Connections One Stop are happy for this partnership and to provide the first ECO computer training classes in Carroll County.”

As an ECO partner organization, Goodwill received 15 new laptop computers in order to create a mobile computer lab, which will equip several training locations and allow for training expansion at additional sites.

Area adults taking advantage of the ECO training are eligible to receive home broadband service specials and discounts toward computer purchases (starting at $182) from partner companies supporting the broadband training initiative.

Participants can register by calling 330-445-1101. Classes are forming now and take place at the following locations:

Carroll County Connections

55 East Main Street Rear, Carrollton

Goodwill Community Campus

408 9^th Street SW, Canton

Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio

2295 55^th Street, Cleveland

Any Ohio adult is eligible to complete the free training.

“We are privileged to partner with Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio and Carroll County JFS to fulfill the vital need of basic computer training in areas we haven’t yet been able to service,” said Stu Johnson, executive director of Connect Ohio. “Partnering with this well-established community organization is extending ECO training to Ohioans who want to improve their computer skills and advance their education and job-readiness.”

More than 35,000 adults have already participated in the Every Citizen Online training since it launched. The training is offered at 250 locations throughout the state. A full list of training locations can be found at http://connectohio.org/training-facilities or by calling 1-855-NOW-I-CAN (669-4226).

View videos of ECO trainings and interviews with participants

Additional information on Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio

Additional information on Carroll County Jobs and Family Services

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Connect Ohio, a division of Connected Nation, is a leading technology organization committed to bringing affordable high-speed Internet and broadband-enabled resources to all Ohioans. Connect Ohio effectively raises the awareness of the value of broadband and works to improve technology access, adoption, and use through its programs. Connect Ohio is a nonprofit, technology-neutral public-private partnership. For more information about what Connect Ohio is doing to accelerate technology in Ohio's communities, visit http://www.connectohio.org. Follow Connect Ohio on Facebook and Twitter.