In This Issue
Story of Success
SC Works Berkeley
Success Story: Jessica Phillips
Customer Feedback
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The staff within the veteran LVER-DVOP has been a vital moral support as well as unemployment assistance. Thanks to each & everyone of them for the superb service that they render to us vets.
  
~ Evelyn Smith ~
Stories of Success
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Lavance Coleman

 

Mr. Lavance Coleman came in to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program in August 2012. His goal was to obtain his CDL License. Mr. Coleman came in completing all the necessary tasks needed to move forward with training, however, he had difficulty gaining the needed scores on the Workkeys® Assessments to advance to Occupational Training. Staff spent time with Mr. Coleman in reviewing the Math handbook and setting him up in the Worldwide Interactive Network (WIN) to practice before retesting. After his first attempt at retesting proved unsuccessful in increasing his scores for Math and Locating Information, Mr. Coleman began a Workkeys® Prep class April 2013. After about a month of attending the classes at Berkeley Adult Education he still felt like was not able to retain the information he was learning in class. By staff coordinating with Berkeley Adult Education, Mr. Coleman was able to join a smaller class in which he received the one on one instruction and tutoring he needed to increase his locating and math skills. Mr. Coleman successfully completed the Workkeys® Assessments for Math and Locating September 2013.

 

Mr. Coleman immediately began his CDL training at Miller-Motte and obtained his CDL License November 2013. During the last time staff had spoken to Mr. Coleman he had several offers for employment on the table.

 

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Ralph Peyton

 

Since 2003 Mr. Ralph Peyton has worked in a variety of sales positions with various local businesses. His last job was as a salesman with the Baker Motor Company where he worked through September 2012. In 2013 Peyton came to SC Works and enrolled in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Program. On his initial application with the WIA program, he indicated that he was looking for a position as a Data Center Technician. He began his IT training program with Productivity Solutions and Training (PST) on June 10, 2013.

He completed his final certification exam from the program in August 2013. Upon his completion of the training program and after several months and countless applications, he finally achieved his goal and found employment as a Data Center Technician with Roper St. Francis Hospital. Mr. Peyton's new job is a full-time position with benefits and a pay rate of $21.17 per hour and he began work in December 2013.

Choosing a Career

 

There are many factors that go into choosing a career and many of them vary on what you are looking for. Some people perhaps choose a career based solely on what their overall benefits are, others may choose solely on the amount of money they will earn and others may simply be looking for a job that allows them the time to do the things they enjoy. There are many things we look for when looking for the right job for us - the most important factor is stability and a future. If you click on the link below you will find an informative infographic that will go over the different job types and what people look for when choosing their career and what can impact your choice.

 

Choosing a Career

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SC Works Center Updates

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*Disclaimer: The numbers for the services provided at the SC Works Centers are compiled from the various services conducted at each of the Centers.   These numbers include services where staff provides assistance to an individual and those where an individual assists themselves.  Staff assists individuals at each of the Center's with anything from workshops, career guidance/planning and counseling, federal bonding assistance, etc.  Individuals assist themselves from any internet-based computer (both at or away from the Center) through SC Works Online with anything from creating/updating a resume to conducting job searches.  If an individual conducts job searches (Job Seeker Service) from a home computer, each job searched would be considered a 'Job Seeker Service'. 

 

SC Works Berkeley

 

The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce's Labor Market Information has updated the unemployment information through December 2013. The unemployment rate for Berkeley County and the Trident Region has declined once again!! Unemployment in Berkeley County, at last calculation, is at 5.5%. This is down from the previous month's calculation which was at 5.9%. The Trident Region is averaging 5.2% across the Tri-county area and trending better than the United States average which is 6.7% and the state average which is 6.6%.

 

The SC Works Berkeley staff continues to help impact this positive change in the unemployment rate through their continuous efforts in aiding job seekers. During the first two weeks of February, SC Works Berkeley provided over 4,600 different job seeker services to customers while staff provided 60+ services to area businesses and simultaneously helped in supporting an additional 79 new job seekers. Berkeley's Employment Services team added 7 new job orders to the SC Works Online Services website representing a total of 7 new positions in the area. These new job listings account for a variety of positions ranging from maintenance helpers, security officer, retail manager, to electrical engineer. Some noteworthy businesses who have listed opportunities are Santee Cooper and Kinder Morgan, Inc.

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SC Works Charleston

 

The SC Works Charleston Center continues to strive in helping our job seekers find jobs and to help employers find the qualified employees they are looking for. Over the last month staff has aided 358 individuals with gaining re-employment and has provided employer services to 429 different employers while creating 312 new job orders in the SC Works Online Services. During this time SC Works Charleston staff helped provide 60,835 individual services to our customers.

 

The staff continues to work with employers in the region to help fill positions through our job fairs and by screening applications. Job fairs held at the center have been seeking employees in the areas of logistics, transportation, electricians, material handlers, and custodial services. The Employment Services staff has been working with the ReadySC/Boeing Project to help screen applications and conduct interviews (both telephone and face to face interviews). While aiding the ReadySC/Boeing Project, SC Works Charleston Employment Service's staff conducted over 300 face to face interviews between January and February at the SC Works Charleston center. The individuals who are being interviewed are perspective candidates for the Phase I of the ReadySC/Boeing Project.

 

SC Works Charleston is very proud of one of their recent WIA participants, Mr. Shawn Warren, who recently graduated from the CNC Operator Program at Trident Technical College. Mr. Warren is a very determined individual and refused to let barriers stand in the way of his success. During his studies at Trident Tech, he completed training in Machine Trades Print Reading, CNC Math, Quality Control Fundamentals and Precision Measurements, Production, Machine Tools and Shop Operations, and CNC Programming & Machine Operations and Machine Tool Simulation. After completing his training program, he was hired to work with the VLT Group making $12.00 per hour and we wish him the best of luck.

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SC Works Dorchester

 

SC Works Dorchester made a strong start in the New Year, and has been determined to help our job seekers find work more than ever before. In the last month, staff at SC Works Dorchester assisted nearly 1,600 job seekers by providing more than 16,500 individual services to our customers. Staff has also helped facilitate the reemployment of 156 individuals and assisted 45 others by providing access to occupational skills and pre-employment skills training. Staff also experienced an increase in demand for soft skills training and employment skills workshops, with 34 job seekers attending the weekly workshops in the last month.

 

Partners at SC Works Dorchester continue to see demand for services and increases in effective outcomes. SC Vocational Rehabilitation, Experience Works, SC Benefit Bank, and Charleston County Human Services all have reported great starts toward meeting enrollment goals and securing high quality outcomes for participating individuals.

 

The unexpected announcement of American LaFrance's closure, caught many off guard, but the staff at SC Works Dorchester were ready. After seeing a few individuals the first day of business after their layoff, staff invited impacted workers back to the facility for an information session on programs and services offered at SC Works Dorchester the next day. This small group of dislocated workers then took to social media to inform their former colleagues of the special information session created just for former American LaFrance workers. After only seeing a few individuals in the office to file for unemployment insurance, staff expected to see between 8 and 10 individuals. To their surprise more than 40 dislocated workers attended the session. The staff was elated by the turnout, and was able to interact with nearly half of the dislocated workforce within a week of their unannounced layoff.

 

Additional strategies have been deployed to ensure all workers impacted are made aware of the full menu of services available at area SC Works Centers. For those who have already been working with staff, Workforce Investment Act eligibility and enrollment sessions have been planned for February where workers will be provided individual job counseling, given access to training, and other resources. SC Works Dorchester's response to the unplanned layoff event is a testament to their flexibility and capability to respond to rapidly changing events in today's economy, and shows a resolved commitment to ensuring no worker is left behind.

Success Story: La-Tezia Ladson
By: Amanda Wagner  
  

La-Tezia Ladson came to Palmetto Youth Connections in January 2013 with a goal in mind. As a high school graduate, she was hoping to gain employment and training skills to become a Registered Medical Assistant. She was committed to her goal from the start and began employability training right away.

 

Career Smart was the first step of La-Tezia's journey towards her goal. This three day employability workshop prepares participants of PYC for employment after training. Some training topics include résumé writing, critical thinking exercises, interviewing techniques and developing a professional social media presence online. La-Tezia proved that she was committed to her goals by participating in group discussions and being an active contributor throughout the three day workshop.

After completing Career Smart, La-Tezia spent some time preparing to upgrade her WorkKeys® Career Readiness level. She improved from a bronze to a silver level Career Readiness Certificate (CRC), which qualified her for the Medical Assistant training.

"I knew La-Tezia would have no problem meeting the requirements for Medical Assistant training," said her Career Coach, Katlyn Sullivan. "She was determined from the start," she continued.

 

La-Tezia loved the Medical Assistant program at Trident Technical College. After her first week of training, she expressed her enthusiasm to her Career Coach.

 

La-Tezia said, "I love class so far. The instructors are rigid but I understand why. There is no room for error in the medical profession."

 

La-Tezia excelled in class and continued to have a great attitude and motivation to succeed. She completed the practical instruction portion of the class with the third highest average and perfect attendance. She completed her 160 hour externship at Island Internal Medicine and continued to excel. At graduation, she earned a special honor for maintaining perfect attendance throughout the duration of the 6 month training program.

 

After graduation, La-Tezia was added to the interview pool at Roper St. Francis because of her excellent performance during her externship. She also passed the Registered Medical Assistant exam and continues to actively job search. La-Tezia is a great example to other participants in the program and is well on her way towards a successful future!

CNC Bootcamp Hire

 

After learning of the many opportunities in the Trident region for CNC Operators, Patsy Barnhill made the decision to start the CNC Bootcamp training course at Trident Technical College (TTC). The CNC Bootcamp program is a rigorous and challenging course designed to ensure that the trainees are prepared to take on the challenges of CNC machine operation. Patsy completed the program successfully in December 2013, and attended the graduation ceremony at TTC where SC Works and TTC invite employers to come on-site for a chance to interview the new graduates. This has proven to be an excellent way to link companies with newly trained and potential hires.

 

After interviewing with VTL Precision of Ladson, she was offered a full-time position as a machine operator with an OJT contract and started her new job at VTL in January 2014. The On-the-Job Training, or OJT, program allows employers to be reimbursed for a portion of their new hire's training wages for the duration of the training period. For more information about the OJT Program - please contact Kim Self at 843-725-0306.

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