|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Greetings! |
We kicked off April with a BANG! A great turnout at our ArlingtonAnswers Job Fair which had a young adult focus. Young adults were able to explore different careers and career pathways, take pictures with the mayor, as well as get a job (52 hires reported that day!). Not to mention we had a victorious opening day at the ballpark! I am not sure it gets any better.
Since we last met, we have attended or been involved in multiple job fairs, conferences, chamber events, meetings, and the list goes on. Still on the agenda for April, the Workforce Governing Board Meeting in Arlington, getting to know our DARS partners better, and more continuous improvement meetings with our National Consultant, Greg Newton.
We have lots of great information to share with you at this month's meeting. We have asked our Workforce Center contractor to join us again and share some of their recent efforts and numbers. Also, we had a recent Leadership Committee meeting and Keith will go over the highlights.
- Judy McDonald
Executive Director
|
|
 |
|
|
|
New Board Meeting Location
|
Just a quick reminder that we have a new Board Location!
We are happy to announce that our Board Meetings will now be held at Lena Pope. Board Members and Partners, we hope you will join us at the beautiful Amon Carter Center at Lena Pope, located at 3200 Sanguinet Street Fort Worth, TX 76107.
|
|
Telling our Story
|
We have been busy this month participating in conferences, meetings, events, etc... sharing all of the wonderful ways Workforce Solutions can help both employers and job seekers. Below are just a few items we would like to share, more information will be in this month's newsletter:
- The Mansfield Manufacturing project was highlighted in the TWC Quarterly Newsletter received this week. The article features a graduate from the first class who is currently working at Klein Tools at $18.00 per hour. The article also introduces an instructor at Ben Barber High School. Click on the image below to check out the magazine, our article is featured on page 4.
- Fort Worth Housing Authority (FWHA) Presentation: two of our workforce center staff made a presentation to the FWHA on March 9, 2016. They shared Workforce information including, WorkInTexas.com and information about the workforce centers to 125 FWHA customers. Additional requests for presentations are currently being worked out.
- Leadership Prime Presentations: In late February, many of our Board Members and our Executive Director, Judy McDonald participated in presentations to the Leadership Prime group. The goal of Leadership Prime Leadership Prime is to provide information and leadership connections to CEOs/top decision-makers new to Fort Worth and/or new in role, in order to inform, educate and involve them in the Fort Worth community. This group heard from: Mayor Betsy Price, Ray Perryman, and Board Members David Berzina, Tim McKinney and Estrus Tucker, to name a few. Judy was part of a panel called Labor and Learning: The Workforce Infrastructure which include, Dr. Joy Gates Black of TCC, Dr. Dan Powell with Crowley ISD and Dr. Kent Scribner with Fort Worth ISD. A second Leadership Prime group recently met and Nick Almendarez and Lisa Witkowski participated in the follow up meeting.
|
|
Want to help change the future of our Young Adults?
|
We are inviting you to partner with Workforce Solutions on our Young Adult initiative. If you are, or know of, an employer willing to open a door for a young adult, we are looking for businesses who can provide one or more of the following:
- Internship opportunities (wages paid by Workforce Solutions)
- On-the-job training opportunities (partial wage reimbursement to defray the cost of training)
- Tours (allowing a group of young adults to tour the facility and providing a brief orientation to your industry/business)
If interested, please contact our Business Solutions Manager, Janie Sanchez at
(817) 528-9020 or email her at: info@workforcesolutions.net
Thank you to everyone who has already participated. A special shout out to Board Members: Michael Klein and Gracie Vega who allowed our Young Adults to tour their fabulous facilities. Many of our other Board Members have reached out and want to help! We are excited about this initiative and know it will be a success because of each of you.
 One of our Young Adult Career Exploration Tours was at The Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center.
|
|
Job Fair Update
|
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is involved in many job fairs throughout Tarrant County on a monthly basis. All job fairs that we take part in can be found on our website under the calendar of events. In addition to Job Fairs we host Hiring Events at our Workforce Centers. All of the upcoming hiring events, including more information can also be found on our website calendar. Also be sure to check out our Flickr account (link is on the website) so you can view the Hiring Event Notices on the go! Below are some of the job fairs we recently participated in or have coming up:
- ArlingtonAnswers.com Job Fair - On Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at The Arlington Convention Center we co-hosted the ArlingtonAnswers.com Job Fair. This year's event had a youth focus. We worked with Arlington ISD to arrange for transportation to bring high school seniors to the event. Also our Workforce Centers arranged for some of the young adults participating in our career exploration activities to attend the event. This was a HIT for both young adults and adults. We saw over 850 job seekers as they met with over 90+ employers. We had exciting workshops and the highlight of the event was the photo booth. We had a line all day - we offered free professional heads shots as well as a chance for a picture with Mayor Williams (he had the longest line). We could not have made this a success without ArlingtonAnswers.com, The Arlington Rotary, Arlington Independent School District and The City of Arlington. More pictures can be found below in the picture section of the newsletter.
SAVE THE DATE (Stay Tuned for Details):
- Alliance Hiring Event - Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at Texas Motor Speedway. This will be a joint effort with: Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas and Hillwood Properties. More information is on our website as well as in this month's Items of Interest Packet.
- Tarrant County College College-wide Job Fair -April 21, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at TCC Trinity River Campus. Workforce Solutions is a proud partner of this event. check out the flyer in the Items of Interest Packet and on our website for more details.
|
|
Mayor Price Sets Focus on Education in Fort Worth Chamber's Annual State of the City Address
|
During her fifth State of the City address this past February, Mayor Betsy Price delivered a clear message reflecting a passion she has consistently displayed time and time again. At the luncheon, hosted by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor spoke to a crowd of over 1,200 business and community leaders and urged them to recognize the necessity of education and its role in economic development.
Price informed audience members that 19 percent of the city's population lives at or below poverty and does not have a high school diploma. These statistics further support the Mayor's focus on education, and highlight the notion that "no child's zip code should determine their future success."
Mayor Price is well known for her efforts to promote healthy living and vitality in all aspects of city improvement. Her efforts have led to the addition of new parks and fitness initiatives. She states, however, that this development will be lost without an investment in public education. The future and sustenance of the city is dependent on the preparedness of young adults and their ability to uphold this progress in the workforce.
Other areas of focus included transportation, road improvements, fitness, public engagement, a balanced budget, and other economic development activities. The Mayor also hyped the arrival of two California companies expected to move to Fort Worth.
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County was a Bronze Sponsor of the Mayor's address, which was attended by our very own Leslie Sisk, Carlos De La Torre, Vickie Powell, Judy McDonald, Sal Adamski, Shannon Spriggs, and Nick Almendarez. With a renewed emphasis on the need to prepare our future workforce, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is committed to providing the community with every opportunity to do so.
 Picture from the Fort Worth Chamber Facebook page
|
|
Meetings, Events, Conferences and Announcements
|
 State of the County: Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County was honored to be a bronze sponsor at the State of the City Luncheon featuring our Workforce Governing Board Chair, Judge Glen Whitley. The event was hosted by The Arlington Chamber of Commerce and held at the Sheraton Arlington Hotel. Guest heard highlights of the past year and the forecast for 2016, while having an opportunity to network with city/county businesses, civic and city leaders. In addition to his speech, Judge Whitley participated in a Question and Answer session, featuring what is happening in Tarrant County. This included discussion expansions at GM and the latest transportation trends. Thank you to Carlos De La Torre, Rosa Navejar, and representatives from the AISD Board and the City of Arlington for joining Judy McDonald at our table.
 60x30TX Conference: Before heading to the ArlingtonAnswers Job Fair, Executive Director Judy McDonald attended the 60x30TX Conference. In order to meet the workforce demands and intellectual capital expectations of the next generations of Texans, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has issued a statewide educational goal calling for 60 percent of adults aged 25 to 34 to hold college degrees or certificates by 2030. The THECB announced the new goal in 2015 as a continuation of the "Closing the Gaps" initiative. UTA met and in many cases far exceeded the goals set for it by the Coordinating Board, and is helping lead the continuing conversation in North Texas by bringing all parties together to coordinate efforts and leverage each others' assets. Board Member, Lillie Biggins was asked to be one of the speakers for the conference. Ms. Biggins was part of The Workforce and Employment Perspective panel. Lillie responded to questions about what employers want to see from employers in the future. Ms. Biggins spoke passionately about the need to adapt to a company's culture. Just having the right skills is not enough. Board Member, Dr. Marcelo Cavazos, Arlington ISD Superintendent also participated in the 60x30TX Conference.
 Converge Conference & Expo: Exploring the Fusion of Science, Art and Technology in a 3D World: Tarrant County College hosted a full day of information on advancements in the world of 3D printing. There were also presentations from manufacturers, economic development, college & university advisors, and the keynote speaker Dr. Mathew Varkey. Board Member David Berzina, Fort Worth Chamber and Executive Director, Judy McDonald participated in an Economic Development panel during the event on March 25, 2016.
New TWC Commissioner Representing Labor: The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recently welcomed its new Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez of Harlingen. Commissioner Alvarez joins the three- member Commission and will represent the interests of Texas workers with respect to TWC services and ensure that their concerns are considered in all Commission actions. You can read more about our new commissioner by visiting: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/files/news/press-release-022316-twc-welcomes-julian-alvarez-twc.pdf
|
|
NAWB Forum
|
Board and Staff Members attended the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) Forum in Washington, D.C. March 12- 15, 2016. Lots of wonderful sessions about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and young adults. It was a great conference!
Thank you to: Carlos De La Torre, Mike Doyle and Estrus Tucker for attending this important conference on behalf of the Board. Also thank you to Carvan Adkins for joining us and representing both Tarrant County and North Central Texas. Board and Staff were fortunate to hear from some amazing speakers, including:
- Vivek Wadhwa, Academic, Researcher, Writer, & Entrepreneur
- Jacob Morgan, Best-selling Author of The Future of Work, Speaker, & Futurist
- Kathleen McLaughlin, President, Walmart Foundation
At this month's Board meeting we will discuss some of the highlights of the trip.
While in Washington, we had the opportunity to meet with Debbie Carlson, who is working with the Department of Labor (DOL) on a special assignment for The Texas Workforce Commission. Debbie was our State UnSung Hero at this years Annual Awards Meeting but had to miss due to being in Washington. We were excited to catch up with Debbie and give her a much deserved award!
|
|
Job Training Grant
|
Dannon Co. Inc. (Dannon) has partnered with Tarrant County College (TCC) to provide job training for 91 new and incumbent workers using a $123,915 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The grant will benefit workers in the Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County area.
See this month's items of interest or visit this link for the full press release:
Pictured from left : Dannon Maintenance Manager Marlon Provo, TCC Board Member Dr. Gwen Morrison, Dannon Manager Tuan Nguyen, Dannon Plant Director Eddie Hartfield, Dannon HR Manager Danielle Schelle, TCC Board President Louise Appleman (and Workforce Board Member), Dannon Director Roger Post, TCC Acting Chancellor Angela Robinson, J.D., Chairman Alcantar, Dannon Engineering Manager Telly Davis, Dannon Plant Controller Mike Lozano and TCC Board Member Kristin Vandergriff.
|
|
Blue Zones
|
In an effort to create a healthier, happier, and more productive workplace, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County Board staff are working in accordance with Fort Worth's Blue Zones Project to become an official Blue Zones worksite. The increasingly popular Fort Worth Blue Zones Project, which our very own Judy McDonald helped to create a blue print for in its beginning stages, is a wellness initiative that is attempting to improve the health of Fort Worth one business/organization at a time. When a company decides to become an official worksite, they must implement a certain number of best practices that are all geared toward enhancing their staff's overall well-being. An example of a best practice would be hosting a plant-based cooking demonstration, which we do have on the calendar for next month!
To mark the commencement of this exciting initiative, the Workforce Wellness Committee hosted a Blue Zones kick-off event on Friday, April 1st. At the event, Blue Zones Project representative and Worksite Coordinator, Yolanda Roberts introduced the concept and asked all staff to consider taking the Blue Zones pledge. Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County Board staff are excited and eager to participate in such a positive and beneficial initiative as it promotes the enhancement of our staff's lives and the overall community. On Saturday, April 9, 2016 a group of Workforce Staff and their families also participated in The Women's Center Victory Over Violence walk/run. A great time was had by all.
 The Workforce Wellness Committee
Below is a recipe brought to you by Workforce Wellness Committee Member Dianna Dallinger. She made these for our kick-off event and they were GREAT!
Veggie Egg Cups
Makes 24
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
½ lb mushrooms, chipped
3 cups baby spinach, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
12 eggs
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Grease two twelve cup muffin tins or line with cupcake papers and set aside.
3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tsp olive oil. Saute bell peppers
and onions until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 min more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
4. In the same, pan, saute mushrooms in 1 tsp olive oil until tender. Add spinach and cook
until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
5. In a large bowl, beat eggs.
6. Add all veggies and stir to combine.
7. Evenly pour egg mixture into muffin cups.
8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cups comes out
clean.
9. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, before removing. Serve immediately or let finish
cooling on a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for no longer than 4 days. You can, however, store these individually in the freezer! To thaw, remove from the freezer the night before and store in the refrigerator. Then just pop it in the microwave in the morning until warm.
|
|
Stay up-to-date with your favorite Workforce Board
|
SOCIAL MEDIA PUSH: Workforce Solutions has so many great ways to connect both job seekers and employers to our services. Check us out on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr. You will find direct links to all of our social media pages at the top of our home page on our website. I encourage all of you to "Like" or "Follow" these pages and suggest them to others!
Workforce Boards and Professionals are using a new hashtag (#) when speaking about the wonderful work we are doing around the country. Tarrant County is joining in the movement of using #weareworkforce, we hope you will join us as well.
TEXT MESSAGING: At the end of January we launched text message alerts. You can sign up to receive the latest information on our Job Fairs, Hiring Events and even receive HOT JOBS. A flyer can be found in this month's Items of Interest packet. The information can also be found on our website and on social media. If you are a customer, make sure to ask your counselor about getting text alert reminders for appointments, to turn in documents, etc....
 |
|
Someone has a BIG Birthday Coming Up!
| |
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County will celebrate its 20TH ANNIVERSARY this year! August 9, 2016 will mark our 20-year anniversary as a Workforce Board! During the month of August be on the lookout for special celebrations and lots of throwback photos!
|
| Calendar of Events | |
Board and Committee Meetings:
(for the latest information please make sure to check our website calendar)
April
- April 13, 2016 - Workforce Development Board Meeting - 9:00 a.m. - Lena Pope
- April 15, 2016 - DARS Regional Staff Meeting - 12:30 p.m. - Lena Pope
- April 18, 2016 - North Texas Regional Meeting - 9:00 a.m. Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus
- April 20, 2016 - AllianceTexas Hiring Event - 9:00 a.m. - Texas Motor Speedway
- April 21, 2016 - TCC College-wide Job Fair - 2:00 p.m. - Tarrant County Trinity River Campus
- April 25, 2016 - Workforce Governing Board Meeting - 2:00 p.m. - Arlington Chamber
May
- May 1-2, 2016 - TAWB/EDC Meeting - Austin, TX
- May 4, 2016 - Workfofrce Investment Committee - 12noon - CANCELLED
- May 11, 2016 - Workforce Development Board - CANCELLED
- May 11, 2016 - Three Commissioners Meeting (TWC,TEA,Higher Ed) - Dallas, TX
- May 19, 2016 - Inter-Agency Workforce Group - 9:00 a.m. - Goodwill
- May 25, 2016 - Workforce Improvement Committee - 3:30 p.m. - Board Offices - CANCELLED
- May 26, 2016 - Workforce Delivery Committee - 11:30 a.m. - Board Offices
- May 30, 2016 - Offices Closed for Memorial Day
June
- June 8, 2016 - Workforce Development Board Meeting - 9:00 a.m. - Lena Pope
- June 16, 2016 - Inter-Agency Workforce Group Meeting - 9:00 a.m. - Goodwill
New events are being added all the time!
|
| Pictures | |
Board Member, Lillie Biggins at the 60x30TX event at UTA.
ArlingtonAnswers Job Fair
A few of the Arlington ISD Students posed for a picture with Mayor Williams at the ArlingtonAnswers Job Fair
Just a portion of our Workforce Solutions team (and their families) who participated in The Women's Center Victory Over Violence Walk/Run.
|
|
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant is committed to Keeping Tarrant County Working!
More information about our events, services, programs and Workforce Center locations is available on our website.
An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available, upon request, to individuals with disabilities. (TDD/TTY) 1-800-RELAYTX
|
|
|
|
|
|
