NewsWIB April 2016
Spotlight on Employers
Ingage Partners
 and Thrive Impact Sourcing

Kelly Dolan, co-owner of Ingage Partners and Thrive Impact Sourcing, states that the philosophy of Thrive is to provide greater opportunities for hard to employ and underemployed individuals in the IT field through "boot camp" style training in Quality Assurance and Testing.

Thrive's first employee, Adewole Ojo, received training through an On-the-Job Training (OJT) funded by OhioMeansJobs Cincinnati-Hamilton County.  The  skills he gained from his recent Per Scholas IT program are being put to good use at Thrive where Mr. Ojo's initial salary is $35,000 annually, plus benefits and profit sharing. 

Thrive provided a unique opportunity for Mr. Ojo who emigrated to the U.S. from Nigeria six years ago. Initially, he worked in health care as an STNA and most recently worked in the fracking industry. He was then laid off from that position in January of 2015. This new opportunity for "Wole" at Thrive will allow him to receive intensive training that should lead to good prospects for career growth.
SWORWIB Customer Lands Job
at Averitt Express
 


Gina Hines graduated from Napier Trucking in 2014 with the assistance of a WIA grant through OhioMeansJobs Cincinnnati-Hamilton County.  After a couple of years of experience, she obtained a local position with Averitt Express on their city shuttle, which allows her to work during the day and be home with her family every night.  Averitt is one of the top national carriers boasting excellent pay, benefits, home time and a first class professional work environment.

From her smile in the picture below, you can tell Gina is excited about her career in trucking with Averitt Express.
 


Spotlight on OhioMeansJobs
Business Engagement Committee Meets with
Veterans Experts

On April 14, the OhioMeansJobs Business Engagement Committee met to discuss how the OMJ staff works with Veterans to find jobs and with employers looking to hire Vets.

Two Veterans specialists - Dan Knowles, President/CEO of Tristate Veterans Community Alliance, and Bill Reese, ODJFS Veterans Services staff assigned to Hamilton County - made presentations to the committee and answered questions on the nuances of preparing Veterans for job interviews as well as the employer's role in communicating with Veterans during interviews.  

With Veterans as priority customers at the OMJ, both presenters agreed to present at an employers' HR session to discuss these topics in the future.
Spotlight on SWORWIB
SWORWIB Connections

On April 13...
President Marshall and Pat Bready, Youth Coordinator, attended the 3rd Annual Greater Cincinnati Apprenticeship Council (GCAC) Job Fair. Over 100 participants interacted with 21 apprenticeships programs, offering information about the current opportunities to fill 300-400 openings. Many high school students and recent graduates attended the fair and were very enthusiastic about the opportunities. 

Chris Fridel, Assistant Director of the IBEW/NECA Electrical Training Center, Director of the GCAC and SWORWIB board member, was the MC of the event. During three separate sessions throughout the day, Chris spoke to the participants about apprenticeship and the ability to Earn and Learn through employment with local contractors in all the union trades while making great wages and benefits. Combined with the college accredited academics of the trade in the apprenticeship, you can successfully complete a program and have a career with no student loan debt. 

Fridel's introduction to apprenticeship was followed by breakout sessions allowing participants to listen to the program coordinators from the trade of their chosen interest. The overwhelming consensus was that this event successfully motivated participants to pursue a career in the construction industry. For more information on opportunities in apprenticeship visit www.EarnandLearn.com


GCAC Member program coordinators: (L-R) Jerry Back, Terry Burke, Christie Farrow, Gary Shinkle, Todd Blust, Greg Boone, Chris Fridel, Charlie Kenser, Larry Thompson. Not pictured but present Maurice Davis.

Eileen Arnold, Junior-Senior Counselor at the Dohn Community School, facilitated the visit to the Job Fair to open students' eyes to apprenticeships as career options after graduation.


Dohn Community School Juniors and Seniors

OhioMeansJobs Cincinnati-Hamilton County staff, Jamie Ireland, Employer Services Rep and Shannon Barron, CCMEP Career Coach along with Tom Woosley, Special Grants Intake Specialist, also supported the Job Fair with onsite registration assistance.

On April 26...
President Marshall attended the Inaugural Reentry Week Symposium at the Great American Ballpark. Todd Portune, Hamilton County Commissioner, and Ben Gassman, Acting U.S. Attorney General, welcomed speakers and guests. Sessions included topics on "What Employers are Looking for When Hiring;" "Official Listening;" "We Did the Time;" and "Know Your Rights."  

Ken Parker, Chief Counsel for the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District and DeAnna Hoskins, Hamilton County Office of Re-entry made closing remarks for the Symposium.  Glassman and Portune announced that Hoskins will leave 
her position with Hamilton County for her new position as Senior Policy Analyst for Corrections and Reentry in the Bureau of Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice.   

Hoskins will be a part of a team that determines where Second Chance Act grants are invested. With her prior background in the criminal justice system - both as a defendant then as a government official - Hoskins will continue her focus on ex-offenders returning to citizenship.  

To read more of DeAnna Hoskins' story in Mark Curnutte's article in the April 26, 2016 edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Click here.

April 28...
President Marshall attended Ohio State Representative (Cincinnati-D) Alicia Reece's third annual job initiative - the 33rd District Job Fair - on Thursday, April 28th at the Woodlawn Ohio National Guard Training and Recreation Center.

The job fair was hosted by Woodlawn Mayor, Susan Farley and coordinated by Angelita Moreno Jones, President of Eastern Personnel. Hundreds of jobseekers attended the job fair with hopes of filling immediate job openings with employers representing the State, city and private sector.  In addition, seminars designed to support jobseekers were offered.
 

OMJ Cincinnati-Hamilton County 
staff were on hand to support
Representative Reece's job fair.




Seated in photo:  OMJ Center staff, Rosemary Peterson and Evelyn Baker.
Standing: Ohio Representative Alicia Reece and Nathan Booth.
On April 29...
The SWORWIB held its Annual Public Officials Forum at the OhioMeansJobs Center Cincinnati-Hamilton County.  

The forum is held each year to introduce elected officials and/or staff to the SWORWIB's current and future goals and initiatives. Since the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act has now been in effect for the past 10 months, updates on policy changes as well as progress to date were presented.

In addition, the officials took a tour of the OMJ Center to meet various staff and core partners working to serve employers and jobseekers. 

The following public officials and/or their reps attended the forum:  Annie Wilkerson for Congressman Brad Wenstrup; Lt. Daniel Ems of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office; Martha White for Congressman Steve Chabot; Nick Chaney for Cincinnati City Council, President Pro Tem Yvette Simpson; Michele Young, Ohio Congressional Candidate; Ohio Representative Tom Brinkman, Jr; and Ohio Representative Denise Driehaus.  OMJ staff, Lynn Murphy and Tim Scott, accompanied President Marshall on the tour of the OMJ Center.  
   
(L-R) Nick Chaney; Annie Wilkerson; Sherry Kelley Marshall; Lynn Murphy; Martha White; 
and Lt. Daniel Ems
       (L-R) Tom Brinkman, Jr.; Sherry Kelley Marshall; Michele Young; and Denise Driehaus
Spotlight on Youth
CYC/Jobs for Cincinnnati Graduates
Annual Career Development Conference

On April 21, 2016, the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative's Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates program hosted their 33rd Annual Career Development Conference, at the Sharonville Convention Center. The event brought together approximately 400 area high school students representing three school districts, CPS (Aiken New Tech, Olyer, R.A. Taft Information Technology, Shroder Paideia, Western Hills University, Withrow University, Woodward career Technical), North College Hill and Winton Woods.

The day's activities included Team Building workshops, Beauty, Brains & Brawn, led by professional coaches from the business community; an Appreciation Luncheon and the day closed with the Competitive Events Awards Ceremony.
All student attendees were participants in the JCG/CCA (Cincinnati Career Association) and have attended daily employability skills training throughout the 2015-2016 school year to master the program's 37 core competencies, which prepare them for life after high school.

         Public Speaking Awards                          Macy's Spirit Award
 
(L-R) Kamiah Twitty, Western Hills University (2nd Pl.);             (L-R) Louis Graves, Macy's; Don'Nesha Jones, R.A. Taft
Khristian Wiggins, Western Hills University (1st Pl.) and             Information Technology High School; Rhonda Summerlin,
James Williams, JCG Career Specialists Winton Woods             JCG Career Specialist R.A. Taft Information Technology
standing in for Linda Flores, Winton Woods (3rd Pl.)                  High School; Judith More Tucker, JCG Program Manager

  Students for Service Awards                     Procter & Gamble Spirit Award
      
Shamira Clark and Walter Williams, Aiken (2nd PL.);  Yasmine          Dave Ploggman, CYC; Quoshae Howard, North
Gore and Linda Wesley, Western Hills (3rd PL.); Bre'Anna                College Hill; Patricia Meridy, JCG Career Specialist
Schaeffer and Don'Nesha Jones, R.A. Taft Technology H.S.              North College Hill High School; Judith Tucker Moore,
(1st PL.)                                                                                              JCG Program Manager
                               
The competitive events, often referred to as Action Exams, give the students the opportunity to apply skills they have refined throughout the school year. The Citywide Competitive Event areas are: Public Speaking, Students for Service, Cover Design, Telephone Techniques, Application Completion, Employability Skills Testing , Interviewing, Decision Making, Visual Display & Team Challenge.
All competitions are judged by representatives of the local business community. All competitors were acknowledged at the conference; first, second and third place winners received trophies. First place winners will go on to compete at the Jobs for Ohio's Graduates state conference on May 9th.

Michael Beck, SWORWIB board member and chair of the Education Committee for the West End Community Council, attended the event and sent these comments to Jane Keller, President/CEO of CYC  - "Just wanted to congratulate you on the wonderful event yesterday!!! So inspiring to see our youth reaching for the stars!"

This year's Career Development Conference was supported in part thanks to the generosity of Luxottica.
Short Takes

1)  In collaboration with United Way, the 
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program was hosted at OMJ Cincinnati-Hamilton County from February through April 2016. 
176 returns were prepared (federal and/or state -current and prior year); $216,577 federal refunds were generated; and $23,120 state refunds were generated.

2)  Walter McLarty Retirement Celebration:  
Walter McLarty, former SWORWIB board member representing Tri-Health served for several years before assuming the role of 
Chair in 2008 for two years.  He then continued as ex-officio for another two years.   

President Marshall attended his retirement party at the Bethesda Oaks offices thanking him for 
his service to the SWORWIB.
 
In the News

Yvette Simpson, Cincinnati City Council President Pro Tem, announced that Syirra Roberts, a senior at James N. Gamble Montessori High School, is the winner of the City of Cincinnati Youth Award. Syirra received the award and a laptop donated by Time Warner Cable during the Cincinnati City Council meeting on Wednesday, April 20, 2016. This is the second year for the City of Cincinnati Youth Award.
At Gamble Montessori High School, 
Syirra Roberts has demonstrated academic excellence by ranking 15th in her 2016 graduating class maintaining a 3.0 grade point average while engaged in a rigorous course of study that included AP Statistics. She has also received recognition as an Anthony Munoz Straight A award recipient.

To read more about the 2016 award winner and nominees, Click here.
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Also, follow us on Twitter @CincyWorkforce and we'll keep you informed throughout the month. The SWORWIB now has nearly 200 followers - newest followers include Cincinnati Human Relations and NKYthrives.
Donations Appreciated

The SWORWIB is a 501c3 non-profit organization.  Would you or your organization like to support the continued success of the workforce board?  To make a donation (tax deductible) to the SWORWIB in support of Cincinnati-Hamilton County workforce initiatives, click here.
Contact:
Cheryl Brueggeman
Youth/Public Information Consultant
cbrueggeman@sworwib.org