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By RACHAEL BOSSOW, Times Staff Writer The Leavenworth County Workforce Development Center has recently undergone a change of focus as a way to bring together employers with job seekers. The organization is now called the Workforce Partnership. �It�s the same mission, just operated by new managers, not a non-profit organization,� Williams said. Williams has been on the job since June, serving Leavenworth, Johnson and Wyandotte counties. In his role as a business services representative, Williams works as a liaison with area businesses and the Workforce Partnership. �In the past, we saw clients as job seekers,� Williams said. �Now, we see both businesses and job seekers as equal customers.� According to Williams, the Workforce Partnership is the entity responsible for distributing grant funding that is available and for some on-the-job training. �We offer great services that employers can use,� Williams said. �The centers, salary, services and training are all paid with tax dollars.� Services offered for employers include initial applicant screenings, skill assessments, background checks and urinalysis. Job seekers can take aptitude tests, skill assessments and attend job-training programs from local technical institutions. �They can bring their job skill levels up to be employed at a higher rate � it�s a win-win situation,� Williams said. Williams said the difference with the Workforce Partnership is a new emphasis on training, from a job seeker to working with a business. New business models are used as ways to bring the business openings to job seekers. �Before, we weren�t as proactive in our approach and waited for people to come to us,� Williams said. �My job is easy. I meet and greet area businesses to find out who is hiring and introduce them to new and improved partnership programs.� Workforce Partnership works with businesses on a first-come, first-serve basis on ways to connect with job seekers as quickly as possible. Businesses of any size and industry can use the resources of the Workforce Partnership and its programs. Among the local businesses that are working with the Workforce Partnership is Hallmark, which is using the organization to assess applicants in reading, math and information-collecting skills. �There are a lot of job seekers without those skills, and we need a certain level of applicants that meet those requirements,� Williams said. Williams said there are several things job seekers can do before meeting with businesses, such as having a list of references available, the names and addresses of previous employers, skill sets and training. �We are a community-based service focused on getting people hired,� Williams said. �We are very proactive on making sure everybody gets what they are qualified for.� http://leavenworthtimes.com/articles/2007/07/25/news/news03.prt *Entrepreneurial Training & Development is also available by IBSA, Inc. for individuals eligible for Workforce Investment Act. (WIA) training and services if they reside in Leavenworth, Wyandotte or Johnson County. Included in this training program is business or feasibility plan development, referral to other resources for financing, mentors for successful graduates and vendor registration assistance for government and company supplier diversity directories. In addition to these core services, assistance in completing MBE/WBE/DBE Certification is provided and in some instances the training provider will provide a grant to pay for the W/MBE certification. IBSA is the only approved provider for this training in the three-county area. The agency is a nonprofit organization and does not discriminate against any eligible participant on the basis of race, gender, disability, and religeous or political affiliation. |
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