Workforce partnership wins state award
The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board chose the Workforce Investment Partnership of Clark County as one of six statewide winners of the 2007 Governor’s Award for Best Practices in Workforce Development.
The partnership, led by the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council, is a collaborative of state, community and private organizations that resulted in 445 percent increase in the number of job orders generated by Vancouver WorkSource and filled by persons with disabilities over a two-year period. Partners include the Washington Employment Security Dept., Columbia River Mental Health, the Dept. of Social and Health Services’ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and other community organizations.
Winners were selected for innovation in problem solving, collaboration with other partners and for their results in improving the lives and businesses of participants.
Funding helps student parents
Clark College’s Child and Family Studies department received nearly $60,000 in renewed Child Care Access Means Parents In School funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education.
The grant allows the college to offer a sliding fee scale to low-income student parents who are enrolled for six credits or more.
The goals of the project are to increase the student persistence rate and increase the percentage of students who complete three out of four successive terms. Student persistence is defined as adults staying in programs for as long as possible, engaging in self-directed study when they must drop out and returning to a program as soon as they’re able.
As of this winter, the persistence rate of Clark students in the CCAMPIS program for at least four terms is 83 percent, and the overall persistence rate for student parents at the college is 71 percent.
Workforce grant to train SWMC leaders
Clark College’s Corporate Education unit has been awarded a $31,000 Job Skill Program grant to provide customized training for 25 Southwest Washington Medical Center directors, managers and supervisors on lean health care practices, training the trainer and leading change.
The college is making an effort to expand its training and instructional programs available to support the workforce development needs of regional health care organizations.
Justice center benefits from local workers
The longshoremen of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 4 added a bit of competition to their holiday giving and together donated 64 new bikes and helmets to the Arthur D. Curtis Children’s Justice Center. Local firefighters also pitched in for some of the bike helmets.
The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters also benefited the justice center with bags and boxes of toys.
Kelso WorkSource opens its doors
The newly renovated 13,000-square-foot WorkSource Cowlitz/Wahkiakum facility is up and running at 305 S. Pacific Ave. in downtown Kelso.
The workforce development center provides information and services to individuals looking for training and employment, and to businesses wanting help finding qualified workers.
Apprenticeship tours available for workforce counselors
The Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council has coordinated tours to provide information to those who counsel job seekers about the trade occupations and apprenticeship training programs. The three tours that have taken place to date have been well attended.
The goal is to guide counselors and business representatives in providing accurate information to students and job seekers and to ensure they can make quality candidate referrals to local apprenticeship training programs.
The SWWDC is working with trade groups to coordinate additional tours throughout 2008, including:
•Painters, Drywall Finishers and Highway Stripers Tour, Jan. 22 and Feb. 7
•Plumbers and Steamfitters Tour, Feb. 13 and March 19
• Cement Masons Tour, March 17
Space is limited and registration is required. More information is available at www.swwdc.org/serviceproviders/index.html.
SWWDC to join national initiative, adds new board members
The Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council will join four Oregon Workforce Investment Boards as a partner in a national initiative called Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development.
In other news, eight new members have been elected to the SWWDC board of directors. They are: Linda Beck, president of Vancouver-based New Edge Networks; Karen Diller, assistant vice-chancellor of academic affairs at Washington State University Vancouver; Phil Dines, business agent for the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 26 in Lacey; Debbie Iverson, plant manager of Vancouver-based Tensolite Co.; Kathy Kniep, executive director of the YWCA Clark County; Loren Lee of Longview-based Longview Fibre Co.; Dan Story of the Vancouver Community Services Office of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services; and Lydia Work, CEO of Woodland-based American Paper Converting.
The board adopted its five-year strategic plan at the Jan. 9 board meeting.
PIC votes in new board members
Partners in Careers has elected Mike Phillips chairman of its all-volunteer board of directors. Phillips is a firefighter and paramedic for the city of Vancouver and secretary-treasurer of Central Labor Council. Richard High, Riverview Community Bank vice-president, continues as vice-chairman. Jo Jones, visitor information center coordinator for the Southwest Washington Convention and Visitors Bureau, has been elected secretary.
Iloba Odum, Jackie Parker and Sue Vanlaanen have been elected to serve on the PIC Board of Directors. Odum is the Vancouver field office director for the Washington State Department of Ecology. Parker recently retired from Clark County Corrections Department, where she coordinated Women Offender Services. Vanlaanen is the communications director for the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District.
