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February 2013

SWORWIB selected for WIB Excellence Grand Prize 
National Association of Workforce Boards applauds SWORWIB for innovations

Citing its innovations and pro-active collaborations, the National Association of Workforce Boards has selected the Southwest Ohio Region Workforce Investment Board for its 2013 WIB Excellence Grand Prize. 
 
SKM headshot Best
President Marshall
And yes, we are thrilled to be receiving this national honor! The SWORWIB was selected among numerous nominees from around the country. "During these difficult economic times, it is even more critical that WIBs adopt innovative ways to prepare and match individuals to business' workforce needs," said Ron Painter, President/CEO of the NAWB. "The SWORWIB has developed comprehensive workforce solutions and created proactive program initiatives to meet the needs of its workers and businesses."

 

The SWORWIB was recognized for its groundbreaking work in developing three successful career pathways in Greater Cincinnati in health care, construction and advanced manufacturing. 

 

"This award results from the hard work and the collaborative approach of our board and our many workforce and economic partners throughout the Greater Cincinnati region," said Sherry Kelley Marshall, President/CEO of the SWORWIB.

 

The award will be presented March 10 at the NAWB's National Forum in Washington, D.C. For a look at the workshops that President Marshall will be participating in at the Forum, check out Pages 48, 83, 89, and 97 of the NAWB program. Page 111 has a description of the SWORWIB and its activities. Our press release is  here .

14 honored with Super Awards
Employers recognized for hiring programs

Lisa Rexroat Steele gets SuperAward
Lisa Rexroat-Steele, VP of HR at Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati which won a Super Award, is flanked by Shawn Butler, left, Director of Community Affairs for Mayor Mark Mallory,  and Mike Kelly, VP of Learning and Development at Macy's.
The SWORWIB honored 12 local employers for their commitment to mentoring and employing youth, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and people who are currently unemployed. The Fifth Annual Super Awards were presented Feb. 14 at the SuperJobs Center during our Annual Meeting.

 

Super Employers honored for providing opportunities to young people include ArtWorks, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Park Board, Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau, Duke Energy Convention Center, Fifth Third Bank, and Western Hills TJ Maxx.

 

Duke Energy Corp. and Frisch's Restaurants, Inc., were honored for their commitment to broadening their base of potential workers and helping those with significant barriers to employment.

 

Phoenix Data Corp., and Richardson and Associates, LLC were named Super Employers for hiring people who were unemployed, often through the use of On-the-Job Training accounts.

 

Two special awards were also presented: Super Partner to the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber for its longtime support of the SWORWIB and its commitment to an educated and skilled workforce in Greater Cincinnati; Super Advocate to Mayor Mark Mallory for his leadership in growing Cincinnati's economy, his commitment to youth opportunities, and his support of the SWORWIB and the SuperJobs Center. For more details, read here.


Board members earn NCRC

Board members get NCRC star 

Hoping to find out for themselves just what is entailed in earning a National Career Readiness Certificate, several members of the SWORWIB took Work Keys assessments at the Scarlet Oaks campus of Great Oaks. "As the SWORWIB ramps up its efforts to have Ohio adopt the NCRC credential to make us a 'work ready' state, it's important that more managers and executives know what this credential measures," said President Marshall. "So we appreciate that our board members are doing just that."

 

Above, Ty Stuckey of TYS Services; Eric Riddick of PrideStaff; Greg OshitaCarol Sorenson Williams
Amy Tanaka of Viox Services, and Jack Cameron of Evendale were recognized at the Annual Meeting Feb. 14 for earning the credential. Not pictured: Kevin Powell, Meridian Bioscience and Chairman of the SWORWIB, and West Africa, Flawless Building Services.

Employer members of the various career pathway collaboratives the SWORWIB is involved in -- health care, construction and advanced manufacturing -- are committed to Work Keys and the NCRC as an important credential, noted President Marshall. Other members of the SWORWIB have said they intend to earn the credential as well.
92 youth participate in NCRC pilot project

The SWORWIB has completed its pilot project assessing 92 youth in Work Keys leading to the NCRC. Participating groups included CYC/Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates (summer E-Camp, Withrow High School, Oyler High School, and Gateway to Success program); Cincinnati Job Corps; Literacy Center West, and Finneytown High School.

 

The data will be analyzed by the University of Cincinnati. We're very pleased that 73 of these young people, or 79%, earned certificates from Bronze to Gold.

 

President Marshall plans to present the report with data from this project and others to Gov. Kasich urging that the NCRC be adopted in the State of Ohio, and that it be a credential students can earn while in high school. Having such a credential would allow them to graduate both work and college ready, she noted.

Line at Apprenticeship Fair Strong turnout for Construction Apprentice Fair
 
More than 250 people turned out for the Construction Apprenticeship Fair held Feb. 20 at the SuperJobs Center.

 

The Apprenticeship Fair, sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Apprenticeship Council, the Building and Construction Trades Council, the SWORWIB and SuperJobs, included representatives of locals from Sheet Metal Workers, Iron Workers, Heat and Frost Insulators, Carpenters, Electrical Workers, Plumbers and Pipefitters, and Operating Engineers.

 

According to several apprentice recruiters at the fair, the construction industry in Greater Cincinnati is emerging from its long and painful recession. "Our contractors are telling us there is much more to bid on in the last six months than for quite a while," said John Baugh, President of Ironworkers Local 44, who said his local hopes to start a class for apprentices in May or June. The local had a small class in September 2012, but none for two years before that. Joe Travis, Training Coordinator for Ohio Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship and Training Center in Monroe, said that 280 carpenter apprentices are in the pipeline right now, and that he expects to fall behind demand by 2014.
 
Maurice Davis, Regional Coordinator for the Operating Engineers Local 18, said that he hoped to add 21 apprentices for the Cincinnati/Dayton region. Jerry Back, Training Coordinator for Plumbers, Pipefitters and Mechanical Equipment Servicers, says he does a lot of outreach to recruit apprentices to his five-year program.

 

All union apprenticeship models follow an "earn while you learn" model. Apprenticeships can last from three to five years, depending on the trade, and involve on-the-job and extensive classroom training, step wage increases each year, and a benefits and pension package from the first day of hire. 


Southwest Ohio Group attends Skills Summit
Sherrod Brown and group
Julia Abell, left, Ross Meyer, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Liza Smitherman, Sherry Kelley Marshall, and Kerrie Carte, Chair of the Ohio Workforce Coalition.
President Marshall
 attended the National Skills Summit Feb. 11-12 in Washington, D.C., hosted by the  National Skills Coalition. The group included SWORWIB board member Julia Abell, Senior Director of Employment at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Ross Meyer, Executive Director of Partners for a Competitive Workforce; and Liza Smitherman, Vice President of Professional Development at Jostin Construction. The group also met with Sen. Sherrod Brown and his staff, and the staffs of Sen. Rob Portman and Speaker John Boehneto share best practices in workforce success here and elsewhere in Ohio.
Short takes

Platform to Employment to begin March 4
Platform to Employment, the national program to put long-term unemployed people back to work, is launching March 4 in Cincinnati. Funded by grants from AARP Foundation, Walmart Foundation and the Citi Community Development, P2E focuses on those who are over 50 years old or veterans who are 30 and under. P2E, which began at The WorkPlace in Southwest Connecticut in 2011, and has been featured on 60 Minutes and other national news programs, combines job readiness training, personal and family support services, and financial counseling. P2E includes eight weeks of subsidized employment which may lead to a permanent job.
 
The March 4 launch will include a roundtable with Joe Carbone, President and CEO of the WorkPlace, and some of those who have been enrolled in the program; a lunch with local business leaders, a press conference and the orientation session for the Cincinnati 2013 class.

The latest on www.ohiomeansjobs
Birnbrich
Mark Birnbrich
, Project Manager at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, brought the SWORWIB up to date on innovations in the Ohio Means Jobs website at the Annual Meeting Feb. 14. Pending legislation calls for anyone on unemployment in the State of Ohio to post a resume on www.ohiomeansjobs.com as well as respond to jobs posted on the website, Birnbrich noted. At a training session later that afternoon, Birnbrich said that use of the website by employers has grown rapidly -- from 57,000 job postings in 2011 to almost 109,000 in 2012, adding that 645,000 resumes have been reviewed in the last year on www.ohiomeansjobs.com. Birnbrich said that as One Stops around the state convert to a single Ohio Means Jobs brand, the website will be promoted and marketed concurrently.
 
Walking the talk
Sherry and FaizaPresident Marshall was job shadowed Feb. 14 by Faiza Askari, right, a senior at the University of Cincinnati majoring in organizational leadership. Marshall participated as part of Greater Cincinnati Human Resources Association Job Shadow day. It happened to be the day of the SWORWIB's Annual Meeting, so Askari had her work cut out for her!
 
In the news

New members join workforce board

IT jobs newest focus for growing Cincinnati economy

Fifth Third Bank helps those facing foreclosure to find a job

SuperJobs Center hosts Apprenticeship Fair
Contact:
Kathleen Williams, Youth/Public Information Coordinator
[email protected]
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