Skills training center opens in Marshall

Members of the Marshall Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Club, Mayor Connie Latimer, Saline County Presiding Commissioner Becky Plattner, Marshall-Saline Development Corporation Executive Director Roy Hunter, Missouri Valley College President Chad Freeman and others were on hand Thursday for grand opening ceremonies at the Central Missouri Technology and Skills Training Center in Marshall. Also present were representatives of Teresis, the center's first client, which expects to create 40 local jobs providing transcription services for unscripted television shows.

Individuals looking to make themselves more marketable and industries wanting to increase staff members' skill level have a new resource with the opening of the Central Missouri Technology and Skills Training Center.

The center, which had its grand opening and ribbon cutting Thursday afternoon, is designed to provide basic and advanced computer skills training structured to meet the needs of area employers as well as increase the computer skills of members of the community.

However, the center also features a structured classroom environment for "soft" skills training and counseling. This training program will assist local business and industries with basic skills training and advanced skills training aimed at reducing employee turnover and increasing employee productivity.

For now, the training services are free to individuals, but industries will be asked to pitch in to help cover the cost of course instructors.

Roy Hunter, executive director of the Marshall-Saline Development Corporation, helped spearhead the effort to create the facility. At Thursday's ceremony, he said the effort was made possible through the combined efforts of his office, Missouri Valley Community Action Agency, Missouri Valley College and many others.

Among the speakers at Thursday's event were MVC President Chad Freeman, Marshall Mayor Connie Latimer and Saline County Presiding Commissioner Becky Plattner.

Freeman said the college is always excited when it can help provide new business opportunities for the community. He said MVC, which donated computers for the center, will continue to offer its support.

Latimer said the city will also continue to back the effort. She said the creation of the center gives the city a distinct advantage. "We now have something no one else has," Latimer said.

Plattner said the center shows just what Saline County residents are capable of. She said it is wonderful that those involved had the skills and resources to make the facility a reality.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony also served as an opportunity for Hunter to introduce the first client of the center, California-based technology company Teresis. Teresis, in association with RapidText of California, is creating 40 new jobs in the area immediately, with hopes to grow to over 100 jobs in the near future. Hunter said these "work at home" transcription jobs provide a unique employment opportunity for many Saline County residents and the Central Missouri Technology and Skills Training Center will assist Teresis with training for future employees.

Keri DeWitt, Teresis president and CEO, said she had been out-sourcing the transcription services overseas but wanted to bring them back to her native central Missouri. She said the creation of the training center helped make that possible and she hopes it will be an inspiration to other communities and industries.

"I hope that other companies will be creative in finding ways to bring outsourced work back to rural America," she said.

Individuals or industries wishing to take advantage of the center's services can call or stop by to schedule a time for the training. The center is located at 615 Navajo Drive Suite 3, adjacent to the Saline County High School and can be reached by phone at (660) 831-5006.

Contact Chris Post at

marshallhealth@socket.net