Southwest Corner WDB
News Blast!
-HIGHLIGHTS-
· Dec. 18th – The communications Committee decided that pictures on the website for the members would be a great addition. I will have a photographer at the February meeting for head shots. If you have a head shot you would rather use, you can send it to me. (I will send a reminder email about this.)
· Dec. 31st – Received notification that both our Industry Partnership proposals were selected to be funded. There were 53 submitted only 15 awarded statewide and we were awarded 2 of the 15.
· Jan. 5th – Received response from L&I stating all items are resolved from the final determination. I will put a copy in the briefing book for February’s meeting.
· Jan. 5th- Deputy Secretary of L&I, Diane Bosak left the Bureau and Robert O’Brien was named interim Deputy Sec.
· Jan. 7th – Submitted the last of the information updates for the website. It will be ready to share with you very soon.
· Jan. 11th- I attended the CLEO meeting and will be getting some available dates for a breakfast meet and greet with the commissioners.
· Jan. 8th – Met with the Carpenters and Plumbers Training Center Directors. I will be meeting with the Cement masons and the Iron Workers this week and the Brick Masons and Operators later this month. They are the six trades/jatcs that submitted training plans for this round of both our Industry Partnership proposals for Building and Construction and Advanced Manufacturing were selected funding. We will host a meeting for all trade/jatcs in the months to come to encourage more participation.
· I recently joined the Beaver County Chamber and because we are a new member we get 10 thirty second radio advertisements. I am meeting with Mark Peterson from there on Jan. 20th at 9:00AM and would like anyone who is interested to join us for the discussion/ideas/format of these advertisements. From this meeting I am planning to do something similar with a station in both Washington and Greene Counties as well. I will keep you posted.
-UPCOMING EVENTS-
· Jan. 20th – Radio ad meeting- Beaver County CareerLink 9:00AM--- Everyone welcome to attend.
· Jan. 27th -Meeting with SimCoach to discuss an app/online tool for our youth programs.
· Jan.28th –Meeting with our identified regional partners to discuss regional planning as required under WIOA
· WDB meeting February 23, 2016 at 8:00AM-
· Breakfast meet and greet with commissioners- date pending
· Local Plan submission to the state for our area.
*Beaver County*
-HIGHLIGHTS-
· After we received notification that the Trade Petition was approved for TMK IPSCO Ambridge Plant and Koppel Plant. Rapid Response staff Chester Lampman and PA CareerLink staff offered group Enrollment and Assessment Sessions in December. We facilitate 3 group Enrollment and Assessment Sessions for 29 displaced workers from TMK IPSCO Koppel Tubulars in both Ambridge and Koppel locations on December 4th and 18th. We also partnered with Adult Literacy Action Penn State who scheduled those interested workers for TABE testing.
· Our Business Services Team hosted our year end Benefiting and Bettering Your Business (B3) Employer Workshop for on 12/10. To show our appreciation to our employers, we have scheduled a very special presenter. David Guido, ZLC is the Owner/CEO of DRG Performance Solutions, LLC. will be presenting – “Ziglar Performance Formula” Workshop. It was a great success and several employers and partners attended.
-UPCOMING EVENTS-
· Staff received a WARN notice for ATI Flat Rolled Products in Midland, PA. According to the notice the company intends to idle the plant in January resulting in the permanent separation of 264 employees. A list of job titles and employee numbers was included with the WARN. The separations are expected to begin on February 26, 2016 and be completed by March 10, 2016. Chester Lampman is in the process of gathering more information and will begin the rapid response process/fact finding in January.
· PA CareerLink will be hosting an employer focused workshop on 01/06 & 01/07. David Guido, ZLC is the Owner/CEO of DRG Performance Solutions, LLC. will be presenting – “Ziglar Goal Setting & Achievement Workshop.
· PA CareerLink will be hosting the Annual Collaborative Action Network Leadership Forum on 01/21. The group is made up of Leaders from the Non-Profit Organizations in Beaver County who work together to serve the community and share resources.
· As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe workplace PA CareerLink Beaver County office will be hosting “Active Shooter - Workplace Safety Training” on Tuesday January 26th from 8:30am to 10:30am on-site. We have a very distinguished trainer who is providing this training at no cost, Detective Captain Anthony Q. McClure, Narcotics Investigations, District Attorney’s Anti-Drug Task Force, Supervisor. Captain McClure commands the Beaver County Narcotics Unit within the Detective Bureau and is also responsible for the supervision of the District Attorney’s Anti-Drug Task Force comprised of selected municipal officers who are sworn as Special County Detectives with county-wide arrest powers. This training is free of charge an open to all PA CareerLink partners.
*Greene County*
-HIGHLIGHTS-
· Assessed and tested 30 laid-off coal miners for training for various schools in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
· Employer Recruitment for AM-Guard, security officers for the Washington Health Care-Greene County. December 14, 2015.
Nineteen individuals applied three pending hires.
· Murray Energy announced it would be laying-off 600 coal miners in the near future. 106 individuals were laid off January 1, 2016 from Monongalia County Mine and Ohio County Mine. Even though these mines are in West Virginia many of the workers live in Greene County and one of the portals for Monongalia County mine actually mines coal in Greene County.
-UPCOMING EVENTS-
· The Employment Service Supervisor for the Bureau of Workforce Development Partnership at our site will retire at the close of business January 15, 2016.
*Mon Valley*
-HIGHLIGHTS-
· Dec. 1st Welcome to our New Afternoon Greeter, Anthony Necciai (Title V Training Program with the SW PA Area Agency on Aging.
· Dec 3rd Express Employment Professionals Hire Event - Recruiting for General Laborers, Machine Operators, Heavy Equipment Operators, Material Handlers, Delivery Drivers, CDL Drivers/Class A & B, Housekeepers, Administrative Assistants, and Sandblaster/Painter.
· Dec. 7th Concluded 5-week Community Service Contract w/Employment, Retention, & Advancement Network (EARN). Client obtained successful employment on Dec 8th as an Intake Associate at a starting wage of $13.00/hour.
· Dec. 14th A Rapid Response meeting was held at The Valley Independent in Monessen for 30 workers. The newspaper’s last day of print was December 31st.
· December 15th We held a Quarterly Partner/Staff Meeting and networking breakfast on-site.
· Dec. 16th CWDS Business Services Workgroup Meeting
· December 17 Computer Lab Dedication - United Healthcare donated 10 laptops and a wireless printer to update the lab.
· December Workshops - There were 81 individuals who participated in various workshops that are offered on site.
*Washington County*
-HIGHLIGHTS-
· Mancan Staffing hiring event was offered onsite every Monday seeking to fill various positions. Mancan Staffing will be onsite every Monday for recruitments.· Valley National Security were onsite Tuesdays and Thursdays for regularly scheduled hiring events for Security Guards. The position is J.O. #9677010 on Job Gateway. They will continue to be onsite every Tuesday and Thursday.
· There were 42 individuals that participated in December on-site workshops.
· December 14th - A Veterans Benefits Workshop was offered on-site.
· December 14th –Planning team meeting was held for a Building & Construction Industry Partnership
December 28th - A BRI (Benefits & Rights Interview) meeting held for Caterpillar employees being furloughed. There are 36 workers affected and 30 attended this meeting.
-HIGHLIGHTS-
- JTBC participated in a “Moving Change Forward” event to discuss Beaver County economic development opportunities December 3rd sponsored by Leaders Serving Beaver County and the Center for Serving Leadership at CCBC.
- JTBC helped facilitate group Enrollment and Assessment Sessions for 29 displaced workers from TMK IPSCO Koppel Tubulars December 4th and 18th.
- Rapid Response meetings for Shenango Incorporated on Neville Island were held onsite December 30th in response to closure announcement affecting 168 workers.
- The JTBC ISY Case Manager will continue to visit local school districts and met with the Transition Coordinators, Guidance Counselors and current and perspective student clients. We will continue to discuss JTBC opportunities (tours, post-secondary school visits, resumes, interview tips) for their students but also reiterate we are at a stalemate until the current budget impasse has ended.
- The JTBC OSY and IL Case Managers will continue working with clients currently in GED (stipend paid via Giant Eagle Cards) and encourage them to participate in our Work Readiness classes (stipend paid via Giant Eagle Cards). However, we have no vouchers to continue our National Retail Certification Program or GED testing until the budget impasse is resolved and more vouchers are purchased.
- CYS At-Home IL Meeting/Christmas Party was held at JTBC. Participants played Christmas games, decorated the office for the holidays and were treated to a meal and gifts.
- Youth Staff met with Ms. Sue Chance of the Beaver County Career Technology Center (BCCTC) to enhance our demographic of students and continue our partnership with the BCCTC. Information and ideas were exchanged and both parties agreed that we could assist students more efficiently by working closely together.
-UPCOMING EVENTS-
- Youth Department meeting with Washington/Greene Youth Program and a group that works closely with the Benedum Center to discuss interesting programs available to our youth.
- JTBC Youth Staff will be conducting the following classes for January: Budgeting, Health & Wellness, Computer Basics and Work Readiness.
- The Youth Staff will continue to discuss strategies of how funding will be spent once the budget is finally passed and funds become available. We are evaluating participant files to see who the best candidates are for Education/Training, On-the-Job Training and Paid Work Experiences. We will also be ordering vouchers so we can continue with the National Retail Certification classes along with vouchers for GED testing for participants ready to take their PA Department of Education test.
- ATI Allegheny Ludlum announced December 10th that it plans to idle its Midland, PA plant in January, affecting approximately 259 workers, amid tough market conditions for its flat-rolled products. JTBC will partner with Rapid Response and PA CareeLink® to provide services to these workers.
-HIGHLIGHTS-
New Hire: Myresa Troiano was hired as a Records & Retention Specialist for Youth Programming effective December 14, 2015. This position was added due to the changes in Follow Up under WIOA and the need for more intensive tracking. Youth will now need to be employed and/or in post-secondary during the 2nd and 4th quarters after exit.
- SWTS, Inc.’s Workplace Safety Committee completed their recertification process.
- A follow up meeting regarding the October 2015 Reentry Conference was held with Commissioner Irey-Vaughan. As a result, plans are in place to hold two additional Reentry events this year (one in Washington and one in the Mon Valley)
- Rapid Response meeting for management layoffs from Emerald Mine, PA Services, and Maxxim Energy. Location: PA CareerLink Greene® County Date: December 2nd 9.30am. Lisa Neil and Cindy Derrico also met with Barbara Cole, Office Manager, to discuss applicant flow for all the newly laid off workers.
- A Ribbon Cutting for a new Mobile Computer Lab gifted by United Health Care (UHC) was held on December 9th at PA CareerLink Greene County. UHC donated six laptops and a printer to PA CareerLink® Greene County’s office for use by job seekers. A Ribbon Cutting for 10 newly donated laptops, gifted by United Health Care (UHC) was held on December 17th at PA CareerLink Mono Valley. UHC also donated a printer to PA CareerLink® Mon Valley office.
- SWTS, Inc. received a $500.00 grant for the PA CareerLink® Greene County’s computer lab project from the Community Foundation of Greene County.
- Meeting was held with Washington County Juvenile Probation at the Washington County Airport to discuss collaboration on work experiences and career development for youth-December 14th.
- All WIA/WIOA youth went through career related workshops. The workshops consisted of correctly completing job applications and also exploring their career options in the Labor & Industry’s Pennsylvania Career Guide. Each youth learned about the employment, wage, and job outlook on more than 100 occupations in PA in addition, all youth learned how to correctly complete job applications. Youth participants were given a“pre-test”prior to the workshops and “post-tests” at the end. Over 75% retained/increased knowledge levels.
-UPCOMING EVENTS-
- Open House for new hotel near California University of PA - Hampton Inn & Suites, Coal Center, PA – January 12th
Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board
Email: agatts@washingtongreene.org
Website: southwestcornerwdb.com
Location: 351 West Beau Street, Washington, PA 15301, United States
Phone: (724) 229-5083
Twitter: @SCWIB