Displaced workers will continue to have educational and training opportunities at no cost at Harrisburg Area Community College. HACC's Board of Trustees voted to continue tuition assistance for displaced workers until the end of 2004.

"In the first year of the program, we've been able to assist more than 200 unemployed people at all four campuses," said HACC President Dr. Edna V. Baehre. "Most have come to update their job skills, improve their resumés, and successfully jump back into the workforce. A good number of others have used the opportunity to finish an associate's degree or work toward transferring and obtaining a bachelor's degree. By continuing the program, we can help even more displaced workers and equip them with the necessary job skills to stay competitive."

HACC's Tuition Assistance for Displaced Workers enables displaced workers to register on a space-available basis for the upcoming spring semester. The spring semester begins January 16. Tuition assistance for displaced workers will continue through the spring, summer, and fall terms through 2004, and is available at all of HACC's four campuses, in Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Lancaster, and Lebanon.

To be eligible for tuition assistance, displaced workers must be:

• Residents of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill, or York counties
• Employed full-time for minimum of 12 consecutive months with the same employer over the last two calendar years as a non-seasonal, permanent employee
• Laid off indefinitely on or after 9/1/2001 due to economic climate of the business/company (such as permanent closure, reduction in labor force, liquidation, merger, bankruptcy, etc.)
• Currently unemployed and not receiving any alternative tuition assistance
• Applying for credit courses.
• Within a maximum of 30 credit hours per year on a space available basis.

To assist qualifying students, HACC is waiving the admission application fee. Students will be responsible for other course fees, books and supplies.

Harrisburg Area Community College is a two-year college with nearly 12,000 students. The college serves a ten county region in South Central Pennsylvania from it's campuses in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and Gettysburg and from a number of off-campus community sites. Harrisburg Area Community College provides degree and diploma programs in more than 154 fields as well as technical training and workforce development services. The college is proud of the educational opportunities it offers to an increasing number of students from throughout Central Pennsylvania and from nearly 30 different countries.

For more information about credit programs, potential participants can contact the admissions office of HACC at (717) 780-2574 or 1-800-222-4222, ext. 2574, or send an e-mail inquiry to the address below.