Columbus State Community College is responding to a recent spike in retail store closures by offering to train laid-off employees for new jobs. The school has created a Retail Rapid Response Team to develop programs to help more than one thousand laid-off retail workers. The goal is to provide training options for new careers in high-demand fields. 500 dollar scholarships will also be made available. Further details about the project are on the school's website. A public presentation will be held April 6th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Columbus State's East Livingston Avenue facility. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says retail was the only major sector in February to show significant layoffs.