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Greetings!
Since reorganizing our frontline services and assuming day-to-day operations in July, our Board has taken steps to improve the quality of services to our business customers and the unemployed job seekers in our three-county area. Some of these changes have taken place already and will continue, some will be promoted vigorously starting in December. As a preview, let me outline those steps we are taking to serve you better.
- HR Professionals hired for employer account services and applicant screening. We have added seasoned HR professionals to our employer services staff. These HR professionals are experienced in meeting the needs of private-sector employers, let them help you.
- Better talent supply. We are engaging Monster as a business partner. We will have access to more than 26,000 resumes from our residents as well as access to Monster's national resume database. Additionally, we will offer a free job posting service in Monster for jobs that existing resume sources fail to fill.
- Increased HR staff in Citrus and Levy County will be added by January to provide better employer and applicant services
These are some of the most visible changes that are being made to assist our customers. We are working on a number of other improvements that will ensure that you can rely on us as a workforce talent and HR resource for your company.
Rusty Skinner, CEO
Workforce Connection |
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Spotlight on Employer Success
Benefit Advisors: It's all about building relationships
For Benefit Advisors' director of human resources, Donna Healy-Strickland, what Workforce Connection "has done for us is basically what we do for our customers: they have helped us find people so we can do our jobs better." The Ocala-based company has filled two positions through the current On-the-Job Training (OJT) program, and also had great success with the adult internship program which ended in June. Though not required to do so, Benefit Advisors ended up hiring one as a full-time customer care specialist.
But it's Workforce's "personal relationship" with Benefit Advisors that Healy-Strickland says is the stand out. Find out why by reading the Benefit Advisors Success Story.
Pictured: Maria Velez, customer care specialist and Donna Healy-Strickland, HR manager. |
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Florida's Top Economist Here Dec. 8
Rebecca Rust to discuss labor market information
Rebecca Rust, Florida's top economist will be guest speaker at Workforce Connection's quarterly board of directors meeting on Dec. 8. Ms. Rust is director and chief economist for the state's Labor Market Statistics Center - a position she has held for 21 years and which is now part of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
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Rebecca Rust, chief economist |
Ms. Rust will discuss how labor market information supports economic and workforce development. The meeting, which begins at 8:30 a.m. with regular business, is open to those interested and will take place at the Klein Conference Center at the College of Central Florida in Ocala.
The Labor Market Statistics Center's mission is to produce the state's official labor statistics each month which include labor force, employment, unemployment, wage, and census data.
Prior to serving as the center's director, Ms. Rust was economic analyst in the same office for 10 years and she previously held economist positions with the Public Service Commission, Florida TaxWatch, and the Governor's Office. She has also served for more than 10 years as an Adjunct Professor in labor economics at Florida State University.
She has also been recognized as Workforce Development Professional of the Year Award (2010) by the Florida Economic Development Council and was named Champion of the Workforce System Award (2003) by Workforce Florida, Inc. (Florida's state workforce board) and the Regional Workforce Boards.
For information about attending the Dec. 8 presentation, please email Valene Hinson or call 352-873-7939, ext. 1203 or 800-434-JOBS. |
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Visitors Salute New, Professional Facility
Grand opening of Chiefland center a success
The morning may have started off overcast and chilly, but that didn't dampen the warm reception for Workforce Connection's new Levy County resource center in Chiefland.
 The grand opening of the center on Nov. 4 featured tours of the 4,500-square-foot facility, meet-and-greet with staff and a ceremonial raising of a flag donated by Local Employment Veterans Representative, Gary Strickland. Visitors included Florida House Rep. Jimmie Smith (R-Inverness), Levy County Commissioner Ryan Bell and Carol McQueen, executive director of the Levy County Visitor's Bureau.
Suzanne Mills, human resources manager for A&N Corporation of Williston and Workforce Connection's current board chair, was pleased with the new center.
"I think it's wonderful and beautiful and set up very customer-friendly," she said. "It offers a lot of resources to the community."
The center, formerly located in Bronson, moved to 109 N.W. 3rd Ave., in Chiefland. It features a computer center and testing/assessment lab, resource room, and conference room which may be used by community partners for workshops, hiring events and other uses. Read more and watch the video
Pictured above (L-R): Anita Williams, customer service representative at the Levy County Workforce Connection Center; Suzanne Mills, chair of Workforce Connection's board of directors; and Kathleen Woodring, Workforce's chief operating officer. |
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About Us
 Mission: Workforce Connection brings together citizens, employers and educational providers to develop programs to support high-quality education/training and employment services to meet regional workforce needs.
The regional workforce board sets policy and directs expenditures of more than $6 million in funds that underwrite services provided through the Workforce Connection offices.
Workforce Connection is the local, business-led organization that plans and coordinates quality employment and training services for businesses and individual career seekers in Citrus, Levy and Marion counties.
Each year, approximately 1,500 businesses and more than 36,000 career seekers receive services through the Workforce Connection. Services include professional and technical recruitment, training, targeted talent marketplaces (job fairs) and financial incentives.
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Employment Update
With less than a week before Thanksgiving, something to be thankful for: lower unemployment across-the-board for Workforce Connection's three-county region.
Regional unemployment was 11.5 percent in October, down from September's 12.1 percent and significantly, down 1.8 percent over the year, according to the November 18 release from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. That's the third consecutive drop in unemployment and the lowest regional rate since May's 11.5 percent.
Get all the details
See latest Local and State reports |
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Submit Online Job Order
Let Workforce Connection help you with your workforce needs. Use the link to fill out our Online Job Order Form
You may also post jobs in the Employ Florida Marketplace (EFM). The state's premier job bank allows you to post job openings, review resumes and contact candidates directly.
For details about our employer services, offered at no charge, contact the Business Development Team at 352-873-7955, 800-746-9950 or send us an email |
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Power of One Wraps:
Marketing 101 Toolbox
The Power of One 2011 Series wraps up Tuesday, Dec. 13 with Marketing 101 Toolbox and Brilliance in the Basics at 11:30 a.m.  at the Holiday Inn and Suites, 5360 E. Silver Springs Blvd., in Ocala. There is no charge to attend. The program will be presented by Valerie Reed of Sweet2Save.com and Navroz Saju of HDG Hotels. The Power of One series is sponsored by the Chamber in partnership with Workforce Connection. To RSVP, call the chamber at 352-629-8051 or register online. |
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Vice Chair participates in WH Business Council
Darlene Goddard, vice chair of Workforce Connection's board of directors, participated earlier this month in a White House Business Council roundtable for business and civic leaders focusing on the American Jobs Act.
Goddard, first appointed to the Workforce Connection board in 2008, is also executive director of human resources for Winco Manufacturing in Ocala. In addition to the White House roundtable, which took place in Atlanta, she served as a panelist during the opening session of the U.S. DOL's "Taking Care of Business" summit. Read more |
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Minimum Wage Rises
Florida's Minimum Wage will increase from $7.31 an hour to $7.67 beginning Jan. 1, 2012. The minimum wage applies to all employees in the state who are covered by the federal minimum wage.
Employers of "tipped employees" may count tips actually received as wages however, the employer must also pay "tipped employees" a direct wage. The direct hourly wage for tipped employees is expected to increase to $4.65 on Jan.1, 2012. |
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