Need workers? Almost 1000 per month at WorkPlus.

I attended the WorkPlus board meeting this month, as I usually do.  For those of you not familiar with it, WorkPlus is the workforce development arm of the Clark County Dept. of Job + Family Services.  It has three key arms – employer services, job seeker service, and youth.  WorkPlus is housed in its own facility at 1345 Lagonda Ave., Springfield, and people looking for work visit the center every day.

80% with HS Diplomas, 10% with degrees

What I found surprising, in addition to the fact that they have almost 1000 people going through their doors every month averaging about 2-3 visits per month, is the profile of the population.  As you can see from the July Update below,  about 80% have at least a high school diploma, and 10% have associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees.  When I talk to companies, oftentimes the impression is that WorkPlus is the welfare office, and they only have unqualified people using their services.  The data confirms that this is no the case.

Accessing this workforce  

There is no cost to accessing these workers.  The Chamber has a full-time person on staff to assist you in connecting to this and other hiring/recruiting resources.  Her name is Amy Donahoe, and she is our Director of Hiring & Employer Services.  She has a large amount of experience in both the private and public sectors and a degree in HR as well as serving on the local HR managers board (SHRMA).  Amy can be reached by email at adonahoe@greaterspringfield.com or by phone at 937.325.7621.

The July 2009 WorkPlus update

Here is the PowerPoint WorkPlus Director Lehan Peters made to the board.

Video – WorkPlus Director Lehan Peters on WIA training grants for business

Lehan Peters, Executive Director of the WorkPlus Center, discusses some of the parameters of the On The Job Training (OJT) and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) programs at the 2009 Training Grant Seminar.

>> Training Grant Seminar 2009 – http://bit.ly/setgs09

>> Lehan’s slides here – http://bit.ly/setgs09petersp

Training Grant Seminar 2009 – Clark State, WorkPlus, ODOD

Clark State, WorkPlus & The Chamber's Manufacturers' Council are sponsoring this event

Updated 8/5/2009 with excerpts from all three video presentations.

Great seminar, PowerPoint presentations + video excerpts now online

About 27 businesspeople attended this Chamber/Clark State event, and the reviews were very positive.  The slideshows are now online and videos are soon to come.

>> Jim Franks’s PowerPoint (Clark State) – http://bit.ly/setgs09franksp
>> Lehan Peters’s PowerPoint (WorkPlus) – http://bit.ly/setgs09petersp
>> Mary Benedict’s PowerPoint (ODOD) – http://bit.ly/setgs09benedictp

>> Jim Frank Video (Clark State) – http://bit.ly/setgs09franksv
>> Lehan Peters Video (WorkPlus) – http://bit.ly/setgs09petersv
>> Mary Benedict Video (ODOD) – http://bit.ly/setgs09benedictv

TITG, IWT, OJT, OWG – learn about the latest training grant developments

There are hundreds of thousands of dollars available for training.  Some are short-term, made possible by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka stimulus).  Some are part of longer-term programs.  Some may be funds that will soon go away as state budget challenges continue.  Some existing programs you may have used have changed their criteria or administrative process.  In light of the huge number of changes afoot and the fact that some of the money may go away in the next couple of months, we wanted to bring some of the big training players and resources to update you on the latest developments.

The Manufacturer’s Advocacy & Growth Network is putting on a similar event in Cleveland but is only covering one program–http://bit.ly/ebckK.  We are covering at least 4 different types of grants. 

Agenda

• 7:30 am – Registration
• 8:00 am – Why Train + Targeted Industry Training Grant Funds / Jim Franks, Dean of Corp. + Public Svc., Clark State
• 8:30 am – WIA/JFS Training Funds / Lehan Peters, Director, WorkPlus
• 9:00 am – Ohio Workforce Guarantee Funds / Mary Benedict, Regional Training Coordinator, ODOD
• 9:30 am – Breakout + Individual One-On-One Counseling
• 10:00 am – Conclude

Location, Time, Cost – limited to 50

The event will be held on the 4th floor of the Brinkman Center, 100 S. Limestone, Springfield, OH, 45002.  It is open to Chamber members only and will be at no cost, but will be limited to the first 50 who sign up.  Please RSVP to Pam Johnson at the Greater Springfield Chamber, 937.325.7621 or pjohnson@greaterspringfield.com.

Informational Links

>> Clark State Corporate Training – www.clarkstate.edu/corporate_training.php
>> Manufacturers’ Council of Chamber – http://bit.ly/secouncil
>> WorkPlus Center – www.workplus.cc
>> ODOD Workforce & Talent Division – http://development.ohio.gov/OITP.htm 

>> Incumbent Worker Training Program – http://bit.ly/UHU9u
>> Article on creation of Incumbent Worker Training Program – http://bit.ly/iDTZh
>> Info on IWT Program (Erie County, Ohio) – http://bit.ly/tm5nn
>> Ohio Workforce Guarantee (ODOD site) – http://bit.ly/5uOto
>> Governor’s press release on major changes that started July 2008 – http://bit.ly/a5Y2Q
>> Community Research analysis of budget + effect on training funds – http://bit.ly/wT4kx