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GTCC is doubling its short-form training program called Quick Jobs With a Future to respond to the rapidly increasing unemployment rate.

Guilford County's unemployment rate grew by nearly a percentage point to 7.7 percent in November, the state Employment Security Commission said Tuesday.

GTCC said the program, designed to help laid-off workers learn how to work in a new field in 90 days, will offer space for 320 students in 16 classes beginning this month.

GTCC said in a news release jobs in fast-growing fields such as health care, logistics and technology manufacturing require workers who are trained and ready on their first day at work.

Training in mental health and allied health areas will be available immediately. Current classes will be expanded and upgraded, GTCC said.

GTCC created the program in late 2003 with a coalition of community organizations to help displaced and dislocated workers in Guilford County.

At the time, rebuilding the Triad's economy for the Information Age was the goal. People had jobs, but not the skills to get better ones.

Now, the impetus is much more urgent. The Triad's economy has not completed the business of retraining its workers from low-skilled manufacturing jobs to service industries. Layoffs are undermining the progress of the past five years.

The expanded program will help accomplish the goals of helping people learn new skills quickly and find the jobs that do exist in a weak economy.

Since the program began, more than 2,300 students have attended 250 classes, the school said.

Contact Richard M. Barron at 373-7371 or richard.barron@news-record.com