Submitted by Janis R. Trueblood
The Employment & Training Center
1905 E. Main Street, Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-1606
www.aworkforce.org
"The mission of the Employment & Training Center is to provide a comprehensive array of quality employment services, job-related education, and training opportunities to job seekers, business, and the community."
BUSINESS SERVICES |
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Increase Your Business Bottom Line! By Doing Business with the Government, #1 purchaser of goods and services in the country! Have you signed up to be a Certified Small Business? Do you have a product or service that one of our state or federal agencies might be interested in purchasing? The type of products and services that are needed by these agencies range from heavy equipment to paper towels and all things in between. At a May 13 seminar, Mary Wolleson from the Small Business Development Center introduced Jim O'Neal, Deputy Director of the Small Business Administration in California. O'Neal provided all the information small business owners need to get registered to do business with the federal government and talked about the importance of being prepared. O'Neal who has operated many of his own small businesses, was very refreshing in his realistic and unbureaucratic approach to explaining how the process works. The upside includes many opportunities for increasing your cash flow. The government also helps market your business within their network. The downside is that government agencies are the slowest payers (next to non-payment) and this can be a serious problem if you are not prepared. O'Neal recommends that anyone interested in doing business with the federal government visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov. Click on PRO-Net to register as a small business. This registration does not guarantee a contract, but businesses can't receive a contract without Small Business Certification. The process is free. You also need a Dun and Bradstreet Registration number and that takes 30 days if you want it free. Access their website from the same place. Other speakers at the workshop included Tom Wright with CalTRANS who stated that "Certified businesses are granted many benefits including a 5% price preference, prompt payment guarantee and a state-certified listing which is great for marketing purposes". Check it out at www.dgs.ca.gov. Miley Sutherland with the USDA Forest Service offered the FedBizOpps website at www.fedbizopps.gov. Business owners were encouraged to think about whether or not it made sense to incorporate these expanded procurement opportunities into their business plan. This education opportunity was offered by the Plumas Workforce Development Team!
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| "Sexual Harassment Prevention in the Workplace" Chapter 27 in the California Chamber of Commerce Labor Law Digest is solely dedicated to the subject of Sexual Harassment. As more and more women have entered the workforce in the last several decades, there has been a heightened awareness of the problem of sexual harassment. Successful employee litigation in this area, combined with an extension of the employer's liability for acts of their supervisors and often their rank-in-file employees, has created an area of serious concern. Millions of dollars in the court systems are being won by claimants! The Plumas Workforce Development Team brought in guest speaker, Anne Gaudet to speak to our local employers on June 5 and 6 to discuss the importance of having systems in place to protect themselves from costly litigation. AFWD Executive Director, Gary Corderman provided preventative training to the entire staff of the Plumas Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative during the months of May and June. Gary spoke to 49 employees about "what" sexual harassment is and "how" to avoid and/or deal with these issues if they occur. |
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AFWD
EXPANDS BUSINESS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES |
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In keeping with the "Business Services First" philosophy, AFWD recently purchased a guest service curriculum to offer to their tri-county business community (and beyond, if requested). This 3-hour jam-packed workshop offers the tools to employees to assure their customers get their best while also giving them permission to make their job fun! This program was offered during the AFWD All Staff Training this year and staff loved it! Lassen Community Coordinator Traci Holt has already struck a deal with the Diamond Mountain Casino in Susanville to pilot the program with their management staff this September. If all goes well, they are interested in it being offered to their entire staff (over 100 employees) as a "fee for service". We will keep you posted in the next CC Report on how it went!
"WEBSITE DESIGN TRAINING WILL FORGE ON" Due to the support of the NoRTEC WIB & Governing Board and Charles Brown, the local programs will be picking up the Website Initiative 2003 and continue to offer training to local business this next fiscal year. On June 24, staff from throughout NoRTEC attended a "hands-on, one-day" training at the Shasta PIC computer lab in a train-the-trainer format presented by John & Wes. Staff throughout the AFWD region who attended included Cliff Bannister, Nancy Gregg, Traci Holt, Wendy Luna, Laurie Wann, and me. We already scheduled our first class in late August at the Lassen Career Network. This is an exciting training opportunity for business and a way to utilize our state-of-the-art computer labs.
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"GUEST
SERVICE SPECTACULAR"
WIA YOUTH DEVELOP RECRUITMENT POSTER
WIA YOUTH SUCCESS STORY! Each one of the youth that AFWD services have a unique story of their own, but one young lady's story seems appropriate to share which reflects many of our youth's personal situations. When Tia approached our youth program, she was 20 years old and homeless, she lacked communication skills, was basic skills deficient and computer illiterate, plus her self-esteem needed tremendous encouragement. Tia came to us for a job like most all of our youth applicants; however, AFWD offers much more than just a job and we begin with career development. During program participation many considerations were identified and a realistic plan was developed unique to Tia's needs. Tia needed stability and a road map to overcome all the obstacles she was facing. Through the program Tia received basic skills and computer training. She participated in work readiness workshops that gave her the self confidence she needed to take those major steps for life long learning. She was placed in a work experience position where she learned job skills that provided her the competitive edge needed in today's labor market. Tia also learned the resources in the community that she needed to become independent. Through some of those resources she improved her personal health, secured stable housing, and corrected back taxes owed. Tia has come a long way since that first day she came into the program. She now has full-time employment as an accounting clerk for Plumas County Mental Health earning $9.38/hr. She has completed her first year of general education courses through Feather River College where she is working towards a degree in business. According to Tia, "Without the WIA assistance from AFWD, I would never be where I am now. The staff was amazing, they helped me get a car, a place to live, and financial assistance. They helped me get my confidence back and taught me how to network and be resourceful. On top of everything, they helped me learn the skills I needed to get my new job, which is awesome. I could never have done it on my own." |
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ANOTHER BUSINESS TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE ULTIMATE EMPLOYER! Bruce Homme, owner of Homme's Landscape in Chester spent 3-hours with his Office Manager, Diana setting up his Personnel Policies with this Community Coordinator. The best part about it was we did it right in his place of operations, his home! |
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| FUN! FUN! FUN! IN THE WORKPLACE This year at the AFWD All Staff Training, one of the presenters had us brainstorm ideas to create more fun in the workplace. Although some of the ideas were a little unrealistic, i.e. work six hours but get paid for 8 (wait a minute that's what most of the staff do anyway! haha), some of the ideas were worth consideration for incorporation into our operations. In Plumas County, we had a fabulous "Cinco de Mayo" celebration potluck led by EDD staff Joyce Dryer. In Lassen County they had a "Luau" and all came dressed for the occasion on a friday. Simple ideas that bring smiles tothe faces of our staff is well worth it! Here is the list of ideas for your perusal "Fun Ideas In The Workplace"and remember as they say at Pike Place Fish Market: 1.
PLAY! 2.
MAKE THEIR DAY! 3
BE THERE!
4. CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE!
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ANOTHER FISCAL YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE BYE BYE, FY '02-'03 HELLO, FY '03-'04 |
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