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Greetings!
The team here at Workforce Connection wishes everyone a safe and wonderful Holiday Season.
As we move into 2012, I want to highlight our focus on improved services. Since July we have reshaped our services and staff to provide improved screening and applicant referral services to you, our business customers. We have added staff with human resource training and experience to support your needs. In December we linked with Monster to gain access to more highly technical and skilled job applicants' resumes' and to allow us to list your jobs if we cannot find available talent in our database to meet your needs.
We also have products to help you train your existing employees and to hire and train new employees "on the job." These will reimburse you for certain qualified expenses related to that training.
We can also provide you information and support related to your talent needs. This can range from wage information to help you ensure that your salaries remain competitive in today's unique economy to assistance in defining the duties and skills of new positions that you may be considering.
Wishing you a great 2012,
Rusty Skinner, CEO
Workforce Connection |
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December Spotlight on Employer Success
Canyons Zip Line Tours: Support for new business
For 25 years, Traci and Dave Walker ran a general contracting business in Naples -- and then the bottom fell out of the construction industry. So they decided to put a little zip in their lives and started their own zip line and eco-adventure tour attraction in topographically-rich Marion County. But how do you find qualified employees for such a difficult, demanding job -- and where do you start when you are new to the area?
The Walkers started with Workforce Connection, which Traci Walker said helped them hire "really good quality people who are hard workers, who love what they do and who are making our company great." Several of their new employees were eligible for On-the-Job Training (OJT) grants which reimburses the new company 90-percent of their new hires' wages while they're being trained. Read the Canyons' Success Story.
Pictured: Canyons Zip Lines and Canopy Tours President Traci Walker (center) surrounded by some of the staff hired through Workforce Connection. |
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Chief Economist Offers Local Jobs Forecast
'Significant improvement, but still long way to go'
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Rebecca Rust interviewed by Ocala Star-Banner reporter Fred Hiers following Dec. 8 Board meeting |
Earlier this month, Workforce Connection's board of directors was visited by a very important person who comes from up north and delivered a bag-full of goodies. No, it wasn't Santa Claus. But if you run a local business, and are interested in seeing that business grow in the New Year, you might consider it the next best thing.
The visitor was Rebecca Rust, Florida's chief economist. What she delivered may not have been wrapped up with a shiny bow, but is a gift indeed: Labor Market Information. Read the Citrus County Chronicle to learn how Labor Market Information, and the Florida Labor Market Statistics Center, can support workforce and economic development. Also, read the Star-Banner's story, "Marion making progress on jobs."
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Put Our Experience to Work for You
'We mean BUSINESS' highlights HR services
Imagine having access to some of the most qualified, experienced Human Resource professionals in the region, managers who'll work hand-in-hand with you to meet your HR needs, whether you need to hire or train one superstar or 100.
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Your team (L-R): Employment Manager Pamela Wise; Business Development Manager, Roetta Coller, PHR; HR/Business Development Manager Mary Price; and Business Development Manger Frank Calascione, SPHR |
Now imagine that they can do that, all at no charge to you.
Workforce Connection's core team of business development and employment managers has nearly 100 years of private human resources and business management experience. That experience is primarily local and includes expertise in a wide array of industries including financial, manufacturing, construction, distribution, retail, recycling, education/training and professional.
In addition to degrees in business management and finance, our managers have earned advanced credentials as human resource and workforce professionals. They also serve the workforce development community as members/board members of professional associations such as the Marion Regional Manufacturers Association, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Ocala Human Resource Management Association (OHRMA).
Watch Frank Calascione's video to learn how you can benefit from Workforce Connection's professional business development services. Or get started now by calling 352-873-7955 or 800-746-9950. |
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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
The Workforce Connection region's jobless rate held at 11.5 percent in November, the same as in October, but represents a 2.4- percent drop in unemployment over the year, according to today's release from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Also, for the third consecutive month, the Marion County/Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced positive job growth over the year, which previously had not occurred since June 2007.
November's unemployment rates for each county were 11.8 percent in Marion County, the same as October; 11 percent in Citrus County, also the same as the previous month; and 10.4 percent in Levy County, up 0.2 percent.
Read all the details or see latest Local and State reports
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'HR Corner' Debuts
This month, Workforce Connection launched a new feature designed to provide employers with tips, guides and forms to help handle day-to-day Human Resources needs. As your partner in business development, Workforce Connection recognizes that not every business has staff dedicated to Human Resources, let alone their own HR Department.
The materials available through HR Corner are designed to support, not replace, your recruiting/hiring and employee relations' efforts. Feel free to download any of the available resources for your own use; all templates may be customized with your company logo and other information.
Follow this link to visit HR Corner |
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Banner Center for Advanced Manufacturing
The Employ Florida Banner Center for Advanced Manufacturing is a Workforce Florida-funded project creating a unified workforce education and training system to improve the skills of manufacturing's workforce and expansion of the state's manufacturing industry. To learn more, read the December 2011 Manufacturing Connections newsletter or visit the Banner Center's website. |
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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, those employers 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. Information and resources are available here. |
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Online Job Orders
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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