Fiscal Agent/Staff To The Board

HIGHLIGHTS:

· Nov. 17th – Our Audit for PY14 began, it will be final by mid January and a copy will be distributed to you at the next WDB meeting on February 23rd.

· Dec. 4th – Submitted second response to Department of Labor and Industry regarding final determination.

· Dec. 6th – Dec. 8th – Attended the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association symposium in Penn State- Sat in on roundtable discussions about, collaboration, integration, innovation opportunities and performance measures. This symposium was attended by Department of Human Services, Department of Corrections, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture.

· Dec. 7th – Mark Giovanelli, WDB Chairman and Robbie Matesic, WDB Secretary, attended a strategic doing seminar/workshop with me at the PWDA symposium.

· Dec. 10th -Fiscal Agent agreement was signed by all parties.

· Dec. 14th – Met with Title I providers and Careerlink Site Administrators to get our Building and Construction Industry Partnership off the ground in January.

· Dec. 18th – Met with the Web designer to do a once over on our updated website. It will be up and running by the end of January. We will welcome and encourage your thoughts/change/feedback about the site and the information available on it. I will send out the address as soon as it is up and running.

· I spoke with all commissioners and they are very open to a joint meet and greet breakfast with the WDB and the newly elected commissioners. I am planning to address the board at the public meeting to get a solid date. I will be scheduling an education meeting immediately following the meet and greet breakfast for anyone that is interested, and will send more information as soon as I have it.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

CLEO public meeting January 11, 2016 at 10:00AM

· WDB meeting February 23, 2016 at 8:00AM

This news blast is available on twitter @SCWDB15

******Have a safe and peaceful holiday!!******

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Beaver County

HIGHLIGHTS:

· We have formed a new partnership with Neighborhood Legal Services Association, Ed Stevenson, Attorney at Law. He is now a presenter at our monthly Re-Entry workshops held the last Tuesday of each month.

· PA CareerLink staff facilitated group Enrollment and Assessment Sessions November 30th for thirty (30) displaced workers from QBE Americas. These sessions are designed to assess the reemployment needs of each worker and guide them through the process of enrolling in the services available through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. BWPO, JTBC and ALA also participated in the process.

· PA CareerLink hosted an OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Study on Policy Responses to Job Displacement, Pennsylvania Itinerary for U.S. Study Tour on 11/09 at Beaver County CareerLink office. We provided an overview of how Rapid Response, PA CareerLink and the Unions worked together during closure in our area. Specifically some of the processes we set up that were highly successful and duplicated across the state. Some of the presenters included representatives from Layoff Aversion, Rapid Response, Economic Development, Steel Valley Authority and Keystone Community Education Council.

Dianne Funkhouser, Rich Strother and Job Postich hosted a meeting with David Harpham on November 20th. Mr. Harpham is the Organizational Development Strategist / Midwest HR Manager for Team Fishel. They have a location in Beaver Falls, and have several positions they are hiring for. We discussed our recruitment/referral assistance and opportunities to train current and new hires through our skills training programs as well as industry partnership programs. We also learned a great deal about the company’s processes and what they are looking for in qualified applicants.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

· PA CareerLinks Employer Advisory Committee will be welcoming new Advisory Committee member from Bee Mac Trucking at our next quarterly meeting in January, 2016.

· We received notification that the Trade Petition was approved for TMK IPSCO Ambridge Plant and Koppel Plant. Rapid Response staff Chester Lampman will be facilitating Benefits, Rights and Information sessions and PA CareerLink staff offering group Enrollment and Assessment Sessions in December.

· Staff will be hosting 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.

Greene County

HIGHLIGHTS:

· Three Rapid Response meetings for laid-off workers from Emerald Coal Resources, Maxxim Energy and Pennsylvania Services were held at the Greene County Fairgrounds on November 16th. 212 workers were present. Presenting at the meetings were: Pennsylvania’s Rapid Response Team, PA Unemployment Compensation, Bureau of Workforce Development Partnership, Southwest Training Services, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Community Action Southwest, Intermediate Unit 1, Westmoreland County Community College-Greene County Education Center, Penn Commercial, Rosedale Technical School, Douglas School of Education, UMWA Health and Welfare, UMWA Workers Compensation Attorney, Food Share and Cornerstone Care.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

· A Rapid Response meeting for laid-off management employees of Alpha Natural Resources to be held at the PA CareerLink® Greene County on December 2, 2015.

· A Ribbon Cutting for our new Mobile Computer Lab gifted by United Health Care (UHC) will be held on December 9th. UHC donated six laptops and a printer to our CareerLink® office for use by job seekers.

Mon Valley

HIGHLIGHTS:

· Gillman Services Hire Event – Recruiting for Carpenters, Cement Workers, and Journeyman Electricians & Apprentices, and Skilled & Semi-Skilled Painters

· PA CareerLink Mon Valley Operator Meeting held on November 5th.

· Spherion Hire Event – Recruiting for General Laborers

· Lioness Hire Event – Recruiting for Direct Care Workers

· Business Start-up Basics Workshop Part 2 – Overview of business/marketing plans, basic contracts, projected sales and expenses.

· Washington Greene Job Training Agency donated 5 laptops to our computer lab and for workshops.

· Proficiency Testing for RTS Packaging ‘s Utility Set-Up Worker position

· United Healthcare donated 10 laptops to update our computer lab.

· Caremaxx Hire Event – Recruitment for Personal Care Assistants, Certified Nursing Assistants, and Home Health Aides

· Our office is a Training site for Transitional Employment Consultant’s (TEC) Community Based Assessment (2-week work assessment/readiness program)

· November Workshops – 88 individuals participated in the various workshops offered onsite.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

· PA CareerLink Mon Valley quarterly partner meeting will be held on December 15th.

· United Healthcare media event for computer donation will be held on December 17th

Washington County

HIGHLIGHTS:

· Site Staff are participating on the Bureau of Workforce Development Partnership’s Case Management Advisory Committee. Two online meetings were held in November. Committee members were selected to participate and given an update on CWDS changes following compliance with the new WIOA guidelines. Carl North and Trish Brickner participated on this committee.

· PA CareerLink Washington County Operator Meeting held on November 5th.

· Mancan Staffing Hire Event (onsite) occurred 4 times during November seeking to fill various positions.

· Valley National Security (onsite) Tuesdays and Thursdays for regularly scheduled hiring events.

· There were 69 individuals that participated in job seeker workshops this month.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

CRC (Our site’s Computer Resource Center) software is scheduled to be updated.

· A Veterans Benefits Workshop is scheduled for December 14th.

· Mancan Staffing will be onsite every Monday for a recruitment

· Valley National Security will be onsite every Tuesday accepting applications.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

· Rich Strother participated in a meeting with an international team from theOrganization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) November 9th. This team is conducting a review of issues relating to job displacement in nine member countries including the United States. The purpose of the meeting was to gather information on how dislocated worker services are delivered through PA CareerLink® Beaver County and surrounding areas.

· Rich Strother appeared as a live guest on WBVP/WMBA radio November 12th as part of Huntington Bank’s “Hunting Helps” series designed to highlight local community service organizations.

· JTBC staff participated in a Job Fair at Penn State Beaver November 13th sponsored by State Representative Jim Christiana.

· JTBC staff participated in a webinar training session on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and Federal Bonding Programs November 13th. These programs provide employers who hire an ex-offender or other at risk job seeker with a tax incentive and protect them against employee dishonesty.

· JTBC staff helped facilitate group Enrollment and Assessment Sessions November 30th for thirty (30) displaced workers from QBE Americas. These sessions are designed to assess the reemployment needs of each worker and guide them through the process of enrolling in the services available through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program.

· JTBC added an additional Eligibility/Case Manager on November 23rd to work with the WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker population.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
  • JTBC Youth Staff will be conducting the following classes for December: Budgeting, Compute-A-Match and a Job Search Assistance Class. These subjects have been touched upon in our Work Readiness class and we feel expanded sessions in these areas would be beneficial to our clients.
  • Transition Coordinator Ellen Hill of Freedom High School, requested the assistance of the JTBC Youth Staff to create curriculum for a budgeting workshop to be presented at the school for youth in our program. Staff will be meeting with Ms. Hill this month to create this curriculum.
  • Youth Staff will be meeting with Ms. Jean Boelky of Beaver County Career Technology Center (BCCTC) to enhance our demographic of students and continue our partnership with the BCCTC.
  • The Youth Staff will continue to discuss strategies of how funding will be spent once the budget is finally passed. 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.
  • JTBC Youth Staff would like to remind all businesses and non-profits that we are accepting donations of used computers for our Demanufacturing Program through Goodwill Industries. If you know anyone who would like to donate please contact JTBC. The more donations we receive creates more opportunities for paid work experiences we can offer once the budget finally passes.
  • · JTBC staff will help facilitate group Enrollment and Assessment Sessions for approximately 50 displaced workers from TMK IPSCO Koppel Tubulars December 4th and 18th.· JTBC’s Entrepreneurship Education Program will conduct its 2nd Annual Alumni Event December 16th at the Center at the Mall. The event will include a panel discussion comprised of local business professionals and an awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements of program graduates.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

New Hire: Filled our vacant Job Developer position. Jack Burt was hired and began working November 16th. He will conduct job development activities in our 3 PA CareerLink offices in Greene and Washington counties.

· PA CareerLink® Operator meetings for Washington and Mon Valley offices. November 5th 1:30pm – PA CareerLink® Washington office location.

· Pennsylvania – West Virginia POWER Roundtable “Integrating Economic and Workforce for Coalfields Diversification in Energy and Manufacturing” November 12, 2015 – Johnstown, PA. This “POWER Roundtable” was held to connect federal agency representatives with regional government, labor, and economic and workforce development leaders.

· Greene Co. Reentry meeting: A meeting was held on October 28th to discuss collaborative efforts among the PA CareerLink®, Southwest Training, OVR, Greene Co. Courts, Greene Co. Domestic Relations and Greene Co. Probation departments regarding supportive services available to the individuals they all serve. Lisa Neil discussed the Washington Co. Re-Entry Conference held in October, and all in attendance were interested in replicating it in Greene County. Follow Up meetings will be held to plan a proposed Spring 2016 event.

· SWTS, Inc.’s Workplace Safety Committee completed their recertification process on November 24th.

· Rapid Response meetings – for Emerald Mine, PA Services and Maxxim Energy were held at the Greene County Fairgrounds on November 16th. 212 laid-off individuals attended.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

· Rapid Response meeting for management layoffs from Emerald Mine, PA Services, and Maxxim Energy. Location: PA CareerLink Greene® County Date: December 2nd 9.30am