In This Issue
Meet the SC Works Trident's Employees of the Quarter
Youth Sleuth Presents: Muretza Alexander "Failure is not an Option"
Certfied Production Technician Graduation Held
Interview Tip
Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, take some time to drive to the interview location ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there.
 
Job Fairs
SC Works Charleston will host two Job Fairs in the next few weeks. On September 7th from 10am-12pm a job fair for CDL Truck Drivers will be held. In addition, on September 13th from 9am-11:30am, Durham School Services will hold a job fair hiring bus drivers at $12 per hour.
 
A job fair will be held on September 13th from 10am-1pm at the Dorchester County QuickJobs Training Center. Several employers will be in attendance to distribute information on available openings and job opportunities.This event is sponsored by Trident Technical College and SC Works Trident. 
 
More...
Customer Feedback 
I could not have been treated nicer. The respect and patience I was shown was exceptional. Thank you very much. Job hunting is very hard and at times very depressing. To be treated with such respect is very comforting.
 
~Connie Walker~
 

In the Community...

 
TWIB Welcomes New Board Members
 
The TWIB recently welcomed three new board members to the Board. Berkeley County appointed Paul Patterson, Human Resource Manager at DuPont and Allison Dennis, Employee Relations Manager at Santee Cooper. Charleston County Council appointed Gil Leatherwood, Production Manager at Leatherwood Electronics Manufacturing. 
SC Works Dorchester News
SC Works Dorchester continued putting South Carolinians back to work by hosting three job fairs. The Briteline Extrusions job fair had over 100 participants, with Briteline hiring eight individuals for various positions. In addition, SC Works Dorchester welcomed a new program to the facility. The Department of Social Services is now operating an employment assistance program, called ABAWD (Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents), out of SC Works Dorchester.   
 
Meet SC Works Trident's Employees of the Quarter...
Each quarter, three outstanding employees are selected for Employee of the Quarter. One employee from each SC Works Trident Center are recognized for going above and beyond their daily duties. For the 2nd Quarter of 2012, Kim Self, Sophia Cornell, and Nicole Ashby were given the honors.
 
 Kim Self is the Business Development Coordinator at SC Works Charleston, where she has worked since June 2011. Prior to that, Kim worked in re-employment services for the Department of Employment and Workforce. When asked what Kim thought about receiving the award, she stated "It's a great honor to receive this award, and I am thankful for a wonderful team of co-workers." Kim enjoys hearing and seeing success stories from business customers and job seekers. When not working, Kim enjoys reading and spending time on the beach with friends and family. She also enjoys horseback riding, when she can find the time.
 
Sophia Cornell is a Workforce Specialist in the SC Works Berkeley Center. She was recognized for her exceptional customer service and was further recognized by multiple customers for her helpfulness and going above and beyond to assist them. Sophia also celebrated a victory with a new WIA customer. Mr. Timothy Smith began working with Ms. Cornell in July of 2012, and after some quality job coaching, he gained a full-time management position with a company in North Charleston!
 
SC Works Dorchester honored Nicole Ashby as its Employee of the Quarter. Nicole is a Program Representative in the Unemployment Insurance (UI) division with the Department of Employment and Workforce. As a program representative, Nicole assists individuals in the filing and reauthorization of UI benefits, conducts fact finding investigations, and was recently appointed to spearhead a new initiative to put South Carolinians back to work.
 
Congratulations to all three Employees of the Quarter for a job well done!
SC Works Success Story

Cynthia Hernandez has a background in the manufacturing field and she hoped to get back into the field with some assistance from the WIA program. When she enrolled in WIA in April 2012, she hoped to find a training program to enroll in that would allow her to hone her manufacturing skills and achieve a credential that would be recognizable to employers. Her Workforce Specialist guided her to the Certified Production Technician course at Trident Technical College, where she   would be able to receive the skills training and certification she was looking for. The CPT course is a four week long, full-time program that requires rigorous testing. At completion of the course, employers were invited to attend the graduation to interview CPT graduates on the spot. Scout Boats was in attendance and they were able to bring Cynthia in for a second interview and hire her within a week of her graduation. Cynthia began her new career with Scout Boats on August 20th as a Finisher under the On-the-Job Training program.

 

Youth Sleuth Presents: Muretza Alexander "Failure is not an Option"
   

Muretza Alexander believes that every bump in the road is just an obstacle to overcome. When Muretza entered Palmetto Youth Connections, she had no idea of the bumps she would have to overcome to meet her goals.

 Muretza came to Palmetto Youth Connections as a high school graduate. She enrolled in Palmetto Youth Connections with the goal of obtaining a credential in the medical field and she committed to the program right away.

 

Before entering Medical Administration Assistant training, Muretza met with her Career Coach, Jeff Hinman. Mr. Hinman assessed her interests and referred her to Career Smart and Customer Service training thru the National Retail Federation. She found both of these training workshops helpful because they helped her solidify the employability training she received in high school.

 

"I took advantage of Career Smart and Customer Service training because I love new learning experiences and know that any information will only make me stronger. The more I learn the more I'm prepared for success in the future," said Muretza.

 

Mr. Hinman was impressed with Muretza's drive and confidence as she reached each of her goals. Muretza was nearly finished with the Medical Administration Assistant training program at Trident Technical College when the first obstacle to overcome halted her in her tracks. Muretza gave birth to her son towards the end of training and was placed on medical leave due to unexpected complications from the pregnancy. She questioned whether she would complete the course or not but then remembered the guidelines she lives by.

 

"Failure is not an option," Muretza said. "My Career Coach helped me make a plan with my teachers at Trident Tech to make sure I could make up the work I missed and still graduate with my class," she continued.

Muretza did her school work when her new baby was sleeping and remained focused on her goal. Even when other people doubted her ability to succeed, Muretza kept pushing thru each obstacle.

 

"I was extremely pleased with the way Ms. Alexander dedicated herself to overcome her situation and achieve her goal," said Career Coach, Jeff Hinman. "Despite all the setbacks, she graduated with her class on time and I couldn't be happier for her," he continued.

 

Muretza hopes to grow from her experience and will continue with medical training in the military in the future. She says she will do whatever it takes to continue her education and be a role model to her family and peers. She continues to believe that any obstacle in her path is just a bump in the road.

 

Certified Production Technician Graduation Held

 

On August 10th, Trident Techncial College held a graduation for students of the Certified Production Tehnician program. Certified Production Technician certficates are awarded to those who succeed in four modules: Safety, Quality Practices and Measurement, Manufacturing Processes and Production, and Maintenance Awareness. These modules are applicable to all sectors of  manufacturing. The WIA program was proud to have 6 graduates in attendance for the ceremony.

Spotlight: Mr. Winslow Seymour entered into the WIA program in May 2012 with an interest in manufacturing. His Workforce Specialist encouraged him to enter into the  Certified Production Technician Program at Trident Technical College. Mr. Seymour was determined and dedicated to his studies, and successfuly completed the program on August 10th. Mr. Seymour interviewed with Kapstone and was offered a full-time position. He will begin his new career on September 10th.

An Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. SC Works Trident (888) 226-1606 TTY: 711