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WASHINGTON, N.C.— Through a partnership with LifeQuest, Inc., Beaufort County Community College has expanded services to offer digital literacy classes at the psycho-social rehabilitative services facility. Ten students have already earned digital literacy badges as part of the program.

College and Career Readiness (CCR) instructor Belinda Edwards launched the digital literacy program as part of an expansion of basic skills instruction into the community. Currently, 16 students are enrolled. Students work at their own pace and earn certificates after they pass assessments. Through the program, they have as a class earned 27 certificates, including Basic Computer Skills, Internet Basics, Social Media, MS PowerPoint, MS Word, MS Excel. Mac OS, Email, and Window IO badges.

“It is very rewarding to hear the excitement from my students when they have passed a module. I am looking forward to seeing my students learn more about digital literacy and the gains they are making are remarkable,” said Edwards.

The digital literacy program prepares students in the CCR program for a modern workplace. Students earn badges as they complete computers skills, keyboarding, and internet skills, skills that they will need for navigating a job search or workplace.

The class had to start with basics such as how to power on a laptop, and now some students need no assistance and choose the next lesson they need to watch before they take their assessment.

“LifeQuest offers so much to their clients, and I am excited about being able to have new students enrolled in the digital literacy class,” she said. Some students are using the classes and certificates to prepare for employment.

The college offers CCR classes in Beaufort, Hyde, Washington, and Tyrrell Counties. Programs focus on developing academic competencies as well as the fundamental skills necessary for tomorrow’s jobs. Students acquire the reading, writing and mathematical skills needed to obtain or advance in a job, meet requirements for getting into vocational programs, study to pass a High School Equivalency test, gain basic skills for entry level employment, and/or learn the skills needed to become a productive member of society and a smarter consumer.

The program offers digital literacy to students on campus through high school equivalency classes, as well as English language acquisition (ELA) classes. ELA classes now require that students first attend an orientation, with upcoming orientations on April 13 and May 11. The college offers classes for both beginning and advanced English learners.