Story provided by Stillwater Public Library
Meridian Technology Center is hosting three free classes at the Stillwater Public Library in March and April. The classes cover topics on fraud awareness, resume writing and applying for jobs online. Space is limited and registration is required.
The first class, “Understanding Spam and Fraud Schemes” will take place Thursday, March 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Participants will learn how to tell the difference between real messages, and those that are trying to trick people into giving out personal information. Best practices for double checking contacts will also be covered.
Justin Smola, project manager for Meridian’s Center for Workforce and Economic Development, thinks that the timing for a class on spam and fraud is perfect.
“During COVID-19, we’ve seen an increase in spam across all media platforms,” Smola said. “It can be very confusing and difficult to tell what you should do.”
According to a recent article from NPR, spam by text message rose by 55 percent in 2021. Spam texts, like emails and phone calls, can seem legitimate and imitate businesses such as Amazon, Walmart or PayPal.
Meridian is also providing classes to address some of the changes that COVID-19 has brought to the job market.
“Creating a resume and searching for a job can be stressful enough,” Smola said. “But, navigating recent shakeups in the service sector, remote work, etc. only adds to the challenge. Hopefully, our classes can help take some of the pressure off and provide a little bit of direction.”
Meridian will off two classes in April to assist job seekers. “Resume Writing” will take place on Thursday, April 7, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and “Searching and Applying for Jobs Online” will be on Thursday, April 21, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Attendees will learn to promote themselves in the resume class, and discover ways to turn weak spots into learning opportunities. The job search class will recommend strategies to narrow search results and discuss best practices for completing job applications online. Virtual and in-person interview tips will also be covered.
To register for one or more of the classes, visit tinyurl.com/MeridianTechSPL or call (405) 377-3333. More training opportunities can be found in Meridian’s short course catalog at www.meridiantech.edu/catalog.
