Quarterly Community Coordination Report

July - September 2001

 

Submitted by 

Janis R. Trueblood

Manager of One-Stop Operations & Employer Services

Community Coordinator - Plumas

 

Employment & Training Center, 1905 E. Main St., Quincy, CA 95971

(530) 283-1606

 

 

Employer Services Training - Patent To Profit, August 2001
The Patent To Profit Seminar offered in Quincy on August 8th was a unique opportunity for local inventors and entrepreneurs to learn about the patenting and licensing processes and ways to bring their product to the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution phases.  
Presenter Bob DeMatteis was well received by the 35 attendees at Moon's Restaurant in Quincy.  Mr. DeMatteis pursued an idea fourteen years ago and today he has 14 U.S. Patents with sales of over 150 million to firms like Sears, HomeBase, and Wal-Mart.  

Comments from participant evaluation forms included:
  • "Gives me the confidence to do this process."
  • "I really liked it.  The best type of lecture on this subject matter I have every been to.  Thanks!"
  • "I learned quite a bit about the whole process although I feel I need to read the book and learn more."
  • "The value today was meeting other inventors and cultivating ideas."
  • "I'm going to do this -- What FUN!"
  • "Very informative, comprehensive, well worth the trip."
    •
    Through partnerships with the Sierra College Small Business Development Center, Plumas Corporation, AFWD, and the Workforce Development Team, all individuals with the entrepreneurial spirit can receive valuable training on an ongoing basis in Plumas County.  

    More training is slated for the upcoming months through the AFWD tri-county service area.

     

    Announcement

    Small Business Development Center Counseling Services are available at all 

    AFWD One-Stop locations effective October 1, 2001.

    Job Seeker Services

    Job Club is an ongoing program offered within the Employment and Training Center to all job seekers.  

    EDD Employee, Cathy Wilburn leads participants through a job search training from "A to Z" to assure participants put their best everything forward to potential employers.

    Job Club success has been an integral part of helping both CalWORKs participants and universal customers get to work.

    Cathy also leads the "Workforce Development Team" promoting employer services for the Employment & Training Center.

    ** Special Congratulations to Cathy and Tracy on their marriage September 8, 2001!**
     

    Computer Training is now available in the Employment & Training Center Computer Lab.  Greg Norton teaches courses ongoing in the areas of:

    • Introduction to Computers, 
    • Microsoft Programs including Excel, Word, and Access, 
    • Internet and E-Mail.  

    The purpose of these courses are to assist job seekers in the new world of "computerized job search", needs of employers and employees with basic computer skills training, and preparing students for progression into Community College courses.

    During the month of September, classes were full with multiple requests for evening courses.  Greg will be expanding offerings to the evening beginning in October.  

    Click here to see the upcoming fall schedule >ComputerClassesFall.xls

    We welcome new employee, Jeff Finch to the Plumas AFWD team!  Jeff is an Employment Specialist out of the Employment & Training Center office assisting universal and WIA customers with matching to local businesses successfully.  

    We asked Jeff what he thought of his first 45 days on the job and he said, "It is a privilege to work with such a professional staff and I look forward to the upcoming challenges and rewards of helping people."

    Partnerships that Work!

    Feather River College and Alliance for Workforce Development have partnered to provide Life Skills courses at the Plumas Employment & Training Center.  Program Coordinator, Athea Anderson initiated the contract with the College by working with FRC representatives on curriculum development and class scheduling.  

    The course includes five modules accessible to the universal customer at no cost.  At the completion of each module, class participants receive 1/2 a unit from FRC.  Through this win-win agreement, Feather River College pays for the instructor costs and enrolls all students receiving FTE for the courses offered.  This has been so successful the College Administration has a strong interest in expanding it's offerings at the One-Stop by providing similar opportunities to the community through the currently offered basic computer training program.  

    To learn about the fall semester offerings through this partnership click FRC_AFWD_Class_Flyer.pub.  

     
    The Plumas Employment & Training Committee met in mid-September to review goals and strategies outlined in the Plumas Workforce Employment Plan.  During the meeting, committee members were extremely pleased with the many successes already achieved within the Plan and outlined future commitment to goals for the next year.

    Updates to the Workforce Employment Plan will be completed by the next Community Coordination Report for review.

    Rapid Response ALERT

    Plumas Employment & Training Center has been notified by Collins Pines of Chester of short-term lay offs that will be occurring over the next six months.  Due to restricted USFS harvesting policies, a sluggish market, and other economic competition factors, Collins Pines has laid off their workforce for two non-consecutive weeks in the last quarter with anticipation of additional lay-off periods.  

    No concrete decisions have been made but with Collins being one of Plumas Counties largest private sector employers it does draw great concern to the community of Chester, population 2,500.  Many residents of the Lake Almanor community work in the Collins Pines Mill as well as for logging operations and timber harvesters in the community.  

    There is no indication of a permanent closure however, the Employment & Training Center Rapid Response Team will be watching this one closely and hope for the best for the future of Collins Pines in Plumas County. 

     

     

    All Staff Training and FUN!

    Greenhorn Guest Ranch was the Beautiful Setting for AFWD All Staff Training
    AFWD staff is spread out across an 11,000 square mile area making "meeting and learning" a challenge for the management staff.  On September 12-14, AFWD held a three day training on various topics where all staff throughout the AFWD service area came together to learn common practices,  WIA updates, and most importantly connected with their peers.

    The following agenda was "jam packed" with quality information and training including a very nice visit from our NoRTEC staff Charles and Terrianne Brown.  Click here to review the All Staff Agenda > All Staff Training Final Agenda.doc

    Program & One-Stop Management Staff present a "united" front to staff and discuss challenges and successes of client flow.

    Staff take a break from the non-stop action of presentations.
     

    During the late afternoon after the "Team Building" activities with the ranch hands, some AFWD staff took advantage of the opportunity to go on a trail ride!

     

     

    Plumas County Fair - August 8-12

    The Workforce Development Team worked hard on this year's booth which focused on "Ladders to Success".

    Cathy & Dan get ready to strategically place the ladders.

    Fair Goers who stopped by the Plumas ETC booth had the opportunity to surf the net on our fully connected PC.

    Meetings

    • AFWD Program Manager Nancy Gregg and One-Stop Manager Janis Trueblood had the opportunity to travel to Sacramento with NoRTEC Director Charles Brown to present information about Rapid Response and Re-Employment Activities to State of California EDD Director Michael Bernick in early August.

    • Feather River Inn out of Blairsden was the site of the NoRTEC Program Directors Meeting held during August.  The beautiful setting was hard to work in but we found a way to move through the Agenda.

    • Yuba One-Stop Employment Center in Marysville was the location for the NCEN Community Coordination Meeting in late August.  The impressive facility was a treat for the rural Community Coordinators of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas to visit and tour.

    UPCOMING EVENTS

    • Career Day 2001 - October 18

    • SBDC Counselor now in Plumas Employment & Training Center, October 2

    • NCEN Konocti Conference 2001, October 23 - 26

    • Plumas Workforce Employment Plan Revision