REWARD Comes to Clarendon County
Annie Osteen
"I got up this morning wondering what everyone was doing since we didn't have class anymore. Thanks for getting me in the REWARD program. It kept me a bit stressed as I was trying to learn and relearn things I haven't used in awhile, but it truly was worth it.
I feel better about having to start over at this time in my life. I still have a long way to go, but the class made me proud to see where I was at the start and how I did at the end. Just knowing that I have all the support of all the staff and teachers if I need them is a great relief. I will be getting back with you about maybe retesting one of the WorkKeys and the [Central Carolina Technical College] entrance exam.
Please tell everyone that had anything to do with REWARD that I appreciate everything they did for our class and that, even if no one else got anything out of it, it sure made a difference to me....THE PROGRAM MUST GO ON! I'm sure there are a lot more like me out there that need this in their life, too.
It is very scary to be in a situation with no confidence in yourself and have nowhere to turn for help. I hope to now get more education and a great job. THANKS again to everyone for helping with the REWARD Program."
Training Program Pays Off for Local Woman Seeking Financial Independence
“The program was a great help to me because is prepared me for the workplace,” she said. “I
hadn’t been in a job environment in a long time and the things I learned helped me settle into my
new job a little better. In fact, the things I learned helped me so much, I’ve been able to help
people who have worked in the plant long before I came.”
Not long after Thomas graduated from the REWARD Program, she was accepted into a Mohawk Industries-sponsored class which eventually prepared her for the job she holds today as a yarn spinner at the company’s location in Marlboro County. She credits the REWARD program as the tool that guided her to recondition her observation, keyboarding, communication and workplace safety skills in a way that helped her successfully transition from being unemployed to holding a full time job.
“This program helped me in more ways then preparing me for a job,” she said. “In fact, no matter what track you take, this program can help people. It’s a chance to better yourself, the classes are close by, and it’s free. What more could you ask for?”
REWARD Program pays off for Employee, Employer
“I enjoyed going through the program and working with the people,” Stacy Evans said, citing the “great
instruction” and the job coaching he received during the nine week program. Evans also said
the program helped him to achieve the aptitude he needed to find a good job.
Shortly after his graduation, Evans was hired by Screwmatics, a Pageland manufacturing
company.
“I have probably hired 30 people in the last year,” said Tom Hogge, founder and owner of
Screwmatics, “Stacy has been on of the most productive from day one and he has sustained that
level of productivity.”
From an employer’s point of view, Hogge added a REWARD graduate is a smart move. “It (REWARD program) is the kind of thing you would like for all employees to do,” explained Mr. Hogge, who is so satisfied with the performance of his REWARD graduates that he plans to look to the program for future hiring opportunities.
Training Program Helps Clio Man Find Employment
Reggie Deviner visited Northeastern
Technical College’s campus in downtown Bennettsville and enrolled in the program. Nine weeks later he knew he had made the right choice. “It wasn’t long after I graduated the program that I got a job at Mohawk Industries,” said
Deviner. “And I’m still working there in shipping and receiving. This program helped me to get this job.”
Deviner credits the program with helping him to brush up some skills he had not used since his days in school. He explained that the program helped him to recondition his math, observation and communication skills while at the same time helping to prepare him for job interviews and the job application process. He feels this training helped him to get the job at Mohawk.
“This is a good program because it can really help you better yourself to get a job,” said Deviner. “The teachers are really good because they make things interesting and keep you talking plus, I learned a lot about job relations that help me get the job and keep it. “I definitely recommend this program to anyone who is thinking about it,” said Deviner.
Training Program Helps Local Woman Find a Career
“I wanted to find work with a progressive, results oriented company that offered me the
opportunity for a long term career,” Stacy 
McKiver explained. “And thanks to the local One-Stop office,
NETC and REWARD, I was able to obtain a
job at Mohawk Industries.”
“The program helped me prepare in ways I hadn’t been trained before,” said McKiver. “I learned CPR and received some other first aid training that is very important to my work at Mohawk. The program also offered some financial training which I found to be very interesting and helpful in my personal life.”
When asked if she would recommend the program to anyone considering applying for the RWDT program, she doesn’t hesitate. “Most definitely. In fact, I’ve sent a lot of my friends to sign up for the program,” she said. “If you want a career, and you are willing to commit to the program, then it’s well worth your effort. Four hours a day for nine weeks takes dedication, but it’s worth your time if you’re looking for a job. Otherwise, you might be just sitting at home doing nothing.”