Piedmont Community College’s (PCC) Adult Basic Skills (ABS) Program is offering a second opportunity for adults who want to earn their high school equivalency degree, improve their basic skills (reading, writing, math), or learn English as their second language to be ready for work or college.
The next ABS mini-mester will start with a free orientation (several dates) in early October and full classes beginning Wednesday, October 18 at PCC’s Person County campus in Roxboro. Adults may choose a day, night, or online/hybrid class that meets their need. All ABS classes are free.
Any adult who has not completed high school or an adult who completed high school and needs to develop or expand their basic skills in reading, writing, and math are eligible to be considered for ABS enrollment.
“Sometimes adults need to review those basic skills before they take a college or employer’s test. So I say, ‘Before you test, come to ABS!’ We can help you to improve your basic skills for those tests and/or prepare you to pass your GED® or HiSET® test in order to earn your high school equivalency diploma,” Debra Harlow, Dean of the program, explained enthusiastically.
PCC offers free ABS classes; however, there is a fee for the official GED® test and HiSET® test. The GED® test fee is $80 and the HiSET® test fee is $50. Both measure the same skills and upon passing either, adults will be issued the same credential: a North Carolina Community College System High School Equivalency diploma. PCC is an official high school equivalency test center.
“An extra bonus for enrolling in PCC’s ABS classes to study for your GED® test or HiSET® test is that you are given an opportunity to reduce the cost of your test fee! This is possible through the generous support of the PCC Foundation. Of course, the way to earn this benefit is to go to class and do the work needed to be able to pass either high school equivalency (HSE) test. Students who are serious about their HSE studies have no problem earning this financial aid benefit,” according to Harlow.
Harlow continued, “The first step is to call PCC’s local ABS office to register for an ABS orientation class: ‘Orientation to Outcomes.’ That means we are going to help you get started to get the end results you want!”
Orientation to Outcomes (O2O) class is divided into two short sessions. Students choose to attend two days for a morning session or two evenings for an evening O2O class. This class is free, as well.
“In O2O, we get to know you and you get to know the ABS program, as well as other PCC programs. This course assists the ABS staff when creating a plan to meet each student’s needs,” Harlow shared.
The first O2O class is on October 2-3. The last orientation class is October 17. Seating is limited, so those interested are encouraged to contact Sylvia Gault at (336) 322-2155 or Sylvia.gault@piedmontcc.edu to enroll.
PCC’s ABS program is funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II, Adult Education, and Family Learning.
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