Local Job Seeker Earns High Honors and New Position
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Chris Elkins, center, receives his Platinum NCRC at SAWDC Board Meeting. |
Chris Elkins was a manager in the construction field when the recession hit. He opted to return to school to study IT network administration at Spokane Community College. In April of 2010, he qualified through our funding for tuition assistance to complete his program. Additionally, Chris took the WorkKeys assessments and scored the highest in all three tests, earning a platinum level National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). Out of approximately 700 certificates awarded in the last year, only 7 have earned the NCRC at this level. Staff also determined that he was eligible for an On-the-Job Training (OJT) grant designed to serve long-term unemployed workers. He went to work at Cerium Networks, which was able to hire Chris on at a higher wage because of the OJT. They have been so pleased with his performance, he is now being trained to head the internal IT department. |
Spokane Area Workforce Development Council Travels to National Association of Workforce Boards Forum
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SAWDC board and staff attend a reception at Microsoft while in Washington D.C. |
Several board members and staff of the SAWDC traveled to Washington D.C. this month for the National Association of Workforce Boards' annual forum. The forum brings together stakeholders, businesses and political leaders in discussions to find solutions to workforce challenges.
Over the course of five days, the group from Spokane participated in targeted workshops, industry briefings and issue forums. All workforce board members and staff from Washington State were also able to connect at a reception hosted by Microsoft at the company's D.C. office. The final day of the trip included visiting with Senator Patty Murray and her staff at the Capitol.
Learn more about the National Association of Workforce Boards and the association's effort to promote the public workforce system with Workforce Investment Works. |
