Caterpillar Begins Hiring/Training with SAWDC Grant Funds
Caterpillar Inc. recently completed its 585,000-square foot warehouse in Spokane and hiring is well underway for the new distribution center. Hiring and training of more than 100 of the new employees will be assisted with a $100,000 grant awarded to the SAWDC from the Governor's Workforce Investment Act Discretionary Fund.
The grant funds will assist Caterpillar in providing training necessary for employees to meet business needs and support Caterpillar as productive workers. Caterpillar's new employees will be trained in a variety of areas including Six Sigma (quality/process improvement), safety, vehicle operation, warehouse systems and on-the-job training specific to the positions.
The majority of positions will be warehouse associates. These employees will handle customer-facing activities such as pick, pack, ship, load, unload, package, as well as other distribution activities. Other positions also include front-line supervisory, administrative support and quality personnel.
"We appreciate the assistance provided by the Spokane Area Workforce Development Council, as well as our other local and state partners," said Kelsey Vandike of Caterpillar Human Resources. "As we gear up to hire more than 100 new workers in Spokane, the training grant will help us train our workers in a variety of areas."
To learn more about available positions at the Spokane Distribution Center, as well as at other Caterpillar locations, please visit their website www.jointeamcaterpillar.com. Positions will be posted as they become available. |
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Presentation to Manufacturing Summit Garners Business Interest
At the recent Greater Spokane, Inc. Manufacturing Summit, Brian Burrow presented on new workforce initiatives to create a competitive workforce for area manufacturers. Burrow is working for the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing and is tasked with expanding the use of work readiness assessments throughout the state. Burrow spent the previous year with the SAWDC to launch a project, called Work Ready Spokane, which uses a national work readiness assessment to demonstrate a potential employee's workplace skills. It has proven to have application in secondary and post-secondary education as well as workforce and economic development. The workshop also addressed ways employers can connect with the upcoming workforce including, the SAWDC's newest initiative,Inspire Washington. Inspire Washington is a new online community to connect students, job seekers and educators to local businesses for internships, work-based learning, job shadows, company tours and more. Additionally, the tool can help to inspire students to stay in or return to the Spokane region by exposing them to the many great career opportunities available in our community. The site will also help promote local businesses to a wide-range of potential employees.
About 40 people, most from local manufacturing companies, participated in the workshop. The group was engaged, and many are interested in learning more about the initiatives. |
| High Skills, High Wages Public Forum
Please join us Wednesday, August 1, at Center Place, Room 109, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley at 5:30 p.m. for a public forum on a statewide strategic plan.
Public comments are needed to help shape Washington's strategic plan for workforce development. You can view the draft plan at http://www.wtb.wa.gov/highskills2012.asp
The draft strategic plan focuses on creating multiple pathways for both young people and adult workers to acquire education throughout their lives. Working with stakeholders, Washington's Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board has refined this multiple pathway focus into specific goals, objectives and strategies. The final plan will be submitted to the Governor and Legislature in December. |
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Workforce In the News
WDC launches career awareness initiative,
Journal of Business
Workforce council change is good move, Journal of Business
A survivor in
a down economy, The Inlander
Washington adds jobs, UI rate unchanged, The Spokesman Review
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Upcoming Events
High Skills, High Wages Strategic Plan Public Forum
August 1
5:30 p.m.
CenterPlace at Mirabeau Point Park, Spokane Valley
SAWDC Board Meeting
August 8
7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Lincoln Center
SAWDC Youth Council
August 9
3:30 - 5 p.m.
Next Generation Zone
Construction Skills Panel
August 10
10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
SCC Apprenticeship & Journeyman Training Center
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Quick Links
SAWDC Website
WorkSource Spokane
Next Generation Zone
Inspire Washington
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