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Greetings!
Thanksgiving is upon us. We can be thankful for so much and as local employers can work together to help our teams by giving them the tools they need to be successful in their jobs.
Workforce Connection and Employ Florida have the resources we need to grow our talent through many avenues. Hiring the right candidate can make all the difference to your team's success. Workforce Connection has a huge list of free assessment instruments through Kenexa's ProveIT tests to help you make an objective hire. ProveIt tests can also help you determine the training needs of your existing teams.
Enhancing our existing employees' skills is also important. Thankfully, Workforce Connection can provide Customized Business Traning that covers up to 100 percent of your out-of-pocket costs associated with training existing staff. Be sure to read CEO Rusty Skinner's information about this terrific service.
Darlene Goddard, Board Chair
Workforce Connection
and Executive Director of HR
Winco Mfg., LLC |
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Spotlight: HealthSouth Rehab Hospital
'Workforce Connection went above and beyond'
New to the community, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Ocala's CEO Ellen Witterstaeter didn't know where to start in staffing the new facility - until Workforce Connection paid a visit. Witterstaeter said Workforce Connection "went above and beyond." Among other services, Workforce screened 1,400 applications and set up several "Meet and Greet" recruiting sessions that helped HealthSouth hire 75 "extremely talented and skilled" employees.
Find out why the HealthSouth team is convinced they "couldn't have done it" without Workforce Connection's fee-free employer services.
Some of the employees hired through Workforce Connection enjoy a staff appreciation lunch with HealthSouth CEO Ellen Witterstaeter (far right) in the hospital's cafeteria. Pictured along with Witterstaeter, from left: Nancy Levredge, admissions liaison; Mercy Villanueva, CNA; and Tikisha Brown and Bobbie Mount, rehabilitation technicians.
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Customized Training for Business
-- Rusty Skinner, CEO Workforce Connection
Sometimes you wonder why a product or service does not "sell."
Perhaps it is because you aren't selling it, you are telling about it.
That is what we found when we started talking about how Workforce Connection can assist businesses in improving the skills of their current workforce.
Today business is constantly involved in training their workers. Federal, state and industry standards often require employee certification and re-certification. Workforce can cover up to 100 percent of your out-of-pocket costs of that training. Similarly, technology upgrades and advances in machinery and equipment are costs to every business. Workforce Connection can cover up to 100 percent of those costs as well.
Employee retention is another key concern of business. How do you "grow" those employees that are assets to your business?
Training for internal upward mobility is key and Workforce Connection can help you pay for the training that will foster employee retention and skills upgrades.
So, if you are training your current workforce or interested in learning more, give us a call and improve your bottom line! You can reach us at 352-873-7955 or 800-746-9950 or email the Business Development Team. You can also find more information at clmworkforce.com/TrainingforBusiness
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Highlights of Current Initiatives
It has been a busy fall throughout the region; here are some of the highlights:
 - In partnership with Monster.com, a Power Seeker Workshop for postsecondary students was held Nov. 13, with nearly 200 in attendance from the College of Central Florida, Community Technical and Adult Education (CTAE) and seniors from North Marion High School. - The Patriot Job Connection has served 586 individuals since June (through October). Of those, 106 have engaged with a placement specialist, 29 have obtained employment and 187 have attended workshops.
- Workforce Connection obtained, at no charge, a 37-foot Winnebago (2002) that is being readied for use as a second Mobile Resource Unit. To date, computers, printers and LED display have been installed, the unit has been delivered to American Choice RV for maintenance, and we plan to have it wrapped and in service by Jan. 1, 2013.
- Our Fall Career Fair took place Nov. 15 at the College of Central Florida's Citrus County campus in Lecanto. Twenty five employers, many with open positions, met with more than 100 postsecondary students and general job seekers.
 - Workforce Connection received a $5,000 Veterans Stand Down Grant from the National Veterans Homeless Support, Inc. (NVHS) to provide services such as employment and benefits counseling, health screenings, food, shelter and clothing to homeless veterans. A community event is slated to take place early in the new year.
Pictured: Attendees at the Monster.com Power Seeker Workshop (top) and Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) Dwayne Gross and Kevin Harrison, PHR, mobile resource unit coordinator, at Levy County's third annual Veterans Day Parade in Williston.
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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 $8 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
Workforce Connection's regional unemployment rate was 9.1 percent in October, down 0.7 percent over the month and down 2.6 percent from one year ago. Out of labor force of 209,706 there were 19,128 jobless or 5,188 fewer unemployed than this time last year.
The October 2012 unemployment rates, released Nov. 16 by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, were 9.1 percent in Marion County, down 0.7 percent over the month; 9.2 percent in Citrus County, down 0.7 percent; and 8.8 percent in Levy County, down 0.6percent. Florida's not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.2 percent in October and the national rate dropped slightly to 7.5 percent.
See Regional Report
See Statewide Report
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Employer Trends
Positive employer trends continue for the Workforce Connection region with an increase of 107 percent compared to the same time last year in the number of open positions posted and a 55.5-percent increase in the number of employers posting open jobs.
During the month of October, a total of 562 employers in Citrus, Levy and Marion counties posted 1,574 open positions with Workforce Connection compared to October 2011 when 362 employers posted 765 jobs. There were also gains over the month; in September 539 employers had 1,516 open positions.
* Citrus County employers posted 304 new jobs, an increase of 102 percent compared to October 2011
* Levy County posted 47 open jobs, an increase of 88 percent
* Marion County posted 1,223 open jobs, an increase of 107 percent. There was also a 48 percent increase over the year in number of employers with open jobs (368), a 4 percent uptick over the month and a 26 percent increase in the number of new employers posting jobs.
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NetWorker Bulletin
If you missed the latest issues of the NetWorker
bulletin, or if you'd like to pass the information along to those interested in hot jobs and top talent, you can find every issue on our website.
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