Unfortunately this last
year many people lost their
jobs due to COVID-19 some have
returned to work of course,
but others still looking for
that new employment that's why
getting the training and
education you need is key to
getting back in to that new
physician there's a great
resource here in the
regional planning commission's
workforce development program
Shannon Roche joins me I
Shannon hello tell me, let's
start of the very beginning
what is this program and who
does that help.
We are a state and
federally funded program. Our
main goal is to assist
individuals to head back out
to the workforce, the way that
we do that is through
providing career services and
training services. We can
begin to work with individuals
as early as 14 years of age
but not only can we work
with our local area, employers
and businesses as well OK so.
There are lots of things
are going to getting a new
job, especially if you just
lost one everything from
resume creation to applying
for them to also getting the
skills you need to do certain
jobs. Where do you fit in on
that spectrum or or are you
the spectrum.
We pretty much are the
spectrum. We can assist
individuals with career
services and training services
so somebody may reach out to
skills, those soft job skills
looking to get back out into
the workforce, immediate where
maybe someone else is looking
for some training services and
we might be looking at going
to France since parkland our
local area Community College
and explain one of our high in
the end demand gross
there lpn or and. Computer
programs. We do a variety of
programs through
community schools, what
about the training side of
things are there certain
positions that you are helping
giving them general guidance
how does that piece work.
We really go case by as
individuals are job seekers
would be coming in. We look at
do. What kind of knowledge
they have and where they're
looking maybe to go to
specifically in career
services or training.
So if somebody is really
the job market immediately. We
would begin working towards
those but if someone's
interested in training and
maybe stuck between a couple
occupations we might look at
doing our career scope
assessment and that helps
gives interest and aptitudes
that would help us guide that
employment goals a little life
coaching, I guess yes plays
into Yes being that it's
funded program through the
state you said correct are
there things you have to do to
qualify and in order to
participate.
The really really neat
thing about our program is
there are various ways to be
eligible for services so the
biggest thing is I urge any
individual whether you're 14
years of age or on up please
reach out to us complete or
application process and let
least let us see if we can be
just one specific way of being
eligible for services with us.
Is that something that
they're able to do online and
then a lot of second part of
that question if they are
eligible. Does all this take
place online or their meetings
in person what does that
process look.
We are highly adaptable
right now. So we can do quite
a bit virtually as well as in
right now. You would need to
set up one on one appointment
out to us by a phone call
email or website. And we will
follow up with a call and get
it set up how best suits the
individual so this could be a
virtual if that's what helps
them best or if need be we'll
meet one on one and then
they're paired up with a new
and individual such as
yourself and yet another
the biggest thing is called
beforehand so we can get.
That appointment scheduled
to each respective offices,
they are not open to the
public just yet and I would
imagine it's pretty rewarding
and you see them finally get
that job and started a
paycheck it really is it
really is it's it definitely
feels good and to to help our
connection with those you know
those great job, seekers as
well hoping both sides, yes,
I'm well thank you for being
here for doing we're doing we
we appreciate it, thank you
we'll get you all the details
on how you can apply for the
workforce development program
you see all the details on the
screen right there. You can
get them at our website as