So you’ve been laid off.    Maybe now’s the time to consider a new position.

This is especially true for those of us who are on the wrong side of 50.  Because- despite the law (which is only as good as enforcement, which means nowadays not very good at all)- we know that hiring older folks, who were making more money than the younger folks is not going to be any better now that the situation has been in the past.

Or, you’re one of those kids who just graduated from college and can’t find a job right now, given the pandemic.

At least for the next 18 to 24 months, one of the hot jobs is going to be “contact tracers”.  Folks who track down who has crossed paths with someone now suffering from COVID-19.

How big is the need?    A good guess is that 100,000 folks will be hired as tracers.   (There are but 2000 or so of them right now.  So, the field is ripe for the taking.)

And, since you are probably still at home- now’s the time to undertake a training program.

Johns Hopkins, via it’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, is proffering a FREE course to enable us to become contract tracers.  It’s on Coursera.  And, it won’t take long- just six hours.

When you complete the courses covering medical ethics, virology, privacy, and interviewing, you will be granted a certificate of completion.  Proving you know at least enough to get started.

You will become a detective- seeking out folks who crossed paths with the affected one(s).  And a social worker and therapist as you advise the (unlucky) soul that s/he may be coming down with COVID-19 soon.  You also need to be able to provide support to the folks you are finding at risk.  Helping them isolate themselves, informing them how/where they can obtain their meals, getting PPE (personal protection equipment), and the like.

(The problem, as I see it, though,  is that these positions belong in the public health department and some cities and states are going to stick them with their public hospital staffs.  Not because those are the right vehicles, but because they are more likely to be able to absorb all the new hires.)

The 6 hour course is compliments of Mike Bloomberg.  Who is also funding the costs for something between 6000 and 17000 contact tracers to be hired in the State of New York alone.   You know every other state is going to need suchly trained folks, too.

The program is broken down into 6 modules.  The first module acquaints you with COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2- or at least as much as we know about the disease and the coronavirus.  You will need to pass 7 quizzes for this module, one for each of the videos.

The second module- basic contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine procedures- is also an hour-long portion.   Each of the videos in this section is accompanied by a practice session.

Once those basics are under your belt, the program amplifies your knowledge of contract tracing- including demonstrations of how it’s done.   While there are 3 videos in this module, there are only 2 practice sessions.

This is followed by a 1 hour module covering the ethics of the process, privacy issues, and the like. Each of the six videos in this section involves a practice session.

The next module covers communication issues.   How to talk with folks, how to effect active listening, and what sorts of questions you need to master.  A series of 11 videos exist in this module, along with 7 practice exercises.

And, then, you guessed it.  There’s a ‘final’ exam.  To prove you’ve mastered the subject material and to earn your certificate.

Remember, though, this 6 hour course is simply an introduction.  Whoever hires you is going to add additional training and requirements.

The course is in English and it’s available now.  Actually,  it’s been on line for a week already.

Go to it!