News in Brief: A Relay, Trail Tending and Free Online Training

Relay for Life Monroe/Trumbull: The date for this annual event has been for June 10 at 6 p.m. through 8 a.m. June 11 at Masuk High School in Monroe.

Walkers will go around the clock in the battle against cancer. Relay For Life events are held overnight as teams camp out at an athletic track, park or other gathering area, keeping at least one team member on the track or pathway at all times throughout the event.

There will be a team member meeting May 4.  Team meetings will begin at 7 p.m. at the Helen Plumb building, 571 Church Hill Road.

For more information about the relay or to register to participate in the event, please visit the Relay For Life Monroe/Trumbull website: www.relayforlife.org/monroetrumbullct  or e-mail the planning committee at RelayForLifeMT@gmail.com.

Free Labor Department Online: About 1,000 residents currently using employment services offered at the state’s CTWorks Career Centers can take online courses at no charge, thanks to a partnership between the Connecticut Department of Labor and the Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board.

“Getting our residents back to work is a priority for this state, and by providing education and skills-based learning, our goal is to help job seekers increase their marketability to potential employers,” Department of Labor Commissioner Glenn Marshall said.

The plan is to offer 1,000 “study licenses” that will be valid for 90 days. The license allows job seekers to go on-line to a learning portal that offers more than 5,000 courses of study, free of charge.

The courses, available through Metrix Learning, are provided by Skillsoft and Medcom Trainex, and include studies in Microsoft Office, Adobe, Photoshop, business skills, information technology and healthcare education.

Classes are also available in Spanish and Chinese, and offer assessments, job listings and certification and skill track programs.

"Each license is designed to be used on a self-directed basis which allows participants to study and advance at their own individual pace. The licenses, which will be made available to residents throughout the state, can lead to certifications and in some cases are eligible for college credits," according to a press release. 

The Labor Department plans to contact job seekers using CTWorks services and have demonstrated difficulty in finding employment. A valid email address and access to a computer are required. Classes can also be taken on computers in local CTWorks Career centers or public libraries.

Questions about the free on-line courses or the Metrix Learning system can be emailed to Metrix@etiworks.com while further help can visit or contact their nearest CTWorks Career Center.

Pequonnock Valley Trail Work: Hit the trails April 16 and help enhance them. Volunteers will meet at the North End - Whitney Avenue parking lot on at 9:15 a.m. and the work will take about three hours.

Bring along sturdy shoes, work gloves and water. Assorted tools will be provided but additional shovels and rakes are always welcome. The area near the North Bridge will be fixed.

For more information, contact the Trumbull Trails Coalition, or log onto
http://www.vizettes.com/ttc/.