In This Issue

Customer Feedback

The workforce specialist really took his time to explain the program. He asked me questions and wanted to know my goals and interests. He was very helpful, patient and thoughtful.

~ Kim Brown ~

Graduations:

SC Works Trident would like to congratulate the following graduates from the CNC Operator Boot Camp and Medical Assistant programs which are offered through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program in collaboration with Trident Technical College.

The CNC Operator Boot Camp program will hold its graduation on Friday, April 25, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. at the Trident Technical College Main Campus, building 920 in Room 122. We would like to congratulate Luis 'Ryan' Pulaski, Roger Winter, Herbert Mosley, Norman Richardson, Christopher Wilson, Roy Massey, Jr. and Damon Wilson. These WIA participants attended the program from February 24th through April 15, 2014 and we wish them the best of luck.

The Medical Assistant Program will hold its graduation on Friday, April 25, 2014 at 10:00a.m., at the Trident Technical College Main Campus, building 920 in the Nursing Auditorium. The following graduates attended the program from September 30th through March 14, 2014 and we would like to congratulate Iclyn Gordon, Theresa Marcano, Ebony Smalls, Ashley Waring, Teresa Wheat, Sarah Blue, Ruvina Sylvester, Candice Taylor, Pamela Foy-Seabrook, Alexandra Belmont, Shameka James, Stephanie Hale, Jamella Aiken, Olivia Alarcon and Stacy Eaddy (pending externship) on successfully completing the program.

SC Works Charleston is especially proud of one of their recent WIA participants, Ms. Jamella Aiken, who will be graduating from the Medical Assistant Program at Trident Technical College on April 25, 2014.

Ms. Aiken did her externship at Palmetto Primary Care and was hired on the second to the last day of her externship. She will be working full time making $13.50 per hour with benefits.

At the beginning of the program Ms. Aiken made a promise to herself and to her Workforce Specialist, Ms. Joan Green that she was determined to be successful in her career choice. She believed that in order to be successful it required hard work, dedication, and applying herself to the task at hand. It is with that attitude that Ms. Aiken not only completed the Medical Assistant program, but also secured a full time position within the company where she had done her externship. We wish her and all her fellow graduates the best of luck.

The next Medical Assistant graduation will be held on Friday, May 16th at 10:00 a.m., at the Trident Technical College Main Campus, building 920, in the Nursing Auditorium. The future graduates of the Medical Assistant program are: Celeste Raynes, Sharon Griffin, Carol Butler, Coretta Sanders, Lutrica Gethers, Marina Brown, Veronica Laster, Lakeisha Sheppard, and Crystal Rose. We wish them the best of luck in their future careers.

For more information about the different programs that SC Works Trident offers please call (843) 574-1800 or visit our website http://tridentscworks.org/

The Future of Green Energy and Career Possibilities

In a time when our reliance on fossil fuels needs to decrease and we start to turn to alternative forms of energy we look at what that future holds in terms of future careers. Not only does greener energy help in saving the planet but it can also help provide new employment opportunities in what some call "Green Collar" jobs. Below is a link to an informative infographic that will discuss the different job opportunities as well as what going green can do for the planet.

Energy Jobs

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SC Works Center Updates

*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

South Carolina's Department of Employment and Workforce Labor Market Information has updated unemployment information through the month of February 2014. The unemployment rate for Berkeley County and the Trident Region has continued its downward spiral. Unemployment in Berkeley at last calculation is at 4.8%, this is down from the previous month which had been at 5.5%. The Trident Region is averaging a 4.5% across the Tri-county area and trending better than the United States average of 6.7% and the SC state average of 5.7%.

The SC Works Berkeley staff continues to aid job seekers, impacting positive change in the unemployment rate. During the first half of April, SC Works Berkeley provided over 6,277 different job seeker services to customers. Staff provided 360 services to area businesses while simultaneously supporting an additional 88 newly registered 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. The new job listings account for a variety of positions ranging from maintenance helpers, equipment operators, call center representatives, and office clerks. Other companies who listed open positions included Scott's Mortuary, who listed 2 positions, as well as Santee Cooper.

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SC Works Charleston

SC Works Charleston staff has been working diligently assisting employers and job seeker customers with helping to get individuals back into the workforce. For the month of March through mid- April, the staff provided 50,594 different services to our customers. SC Works Charleston has also aided 389 individuals with gaining re-employment.

In the last report from the South Carolina's Department of Employment and Workforce Labor Market information, the unemployment rate for Charleston County was at 5.5%.

To help continue lower the percentage of unemployment within Charleston County the SC Works Charleston Center continues to strive towards helping workers find jobs and to help employers find qualified employees. During the March-April time frame, the staff provided employer services to 749 different employers and created 459 new job orders on the SC Works Online Services website. The staff continues to work with employers to fill open positions through job fairs and aiding in screening applications.

Job fairs held at the SC Works Charleston Center were seeking employees in the areas of logistics and transportation, as well as those who could work as electricians, material handlers, and custodial services. These job fairs resulted in 56 direct hires. The Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment/ Emergency Unemployment Compensation (REA/EUC) staff assisted 342 claimants through the Eligibility Review Program to help them get back into the workforce.

Through the Workforce Investment Act Program (WIA) 14 participants earned certifications in the following areas: Healthcare, Manufacturing, HVAC, IT, CDL as well as a few who earned their GED. The WIA staff was also successful with assisting 14 WIA participants in gaining full time employment.

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SC Works Dorchester

SC Works Dorchester continues to positively impact the community. In the last month the staff of SC Works Dorchester helped assist 1,527 job seekers, and helped to facilitate the reemployment of 192 area job seekers. Through these efforts, and others, the unemployment rate for Dorchester County dropped once again. According to the Department of Employment and Workforce, from numbers released for February, Dorchester County's most recent unemployment rate stood at 4.4%, down from its 5.5% in January.

SC Works Dorchester continues to see strong demand for services as the economy improves and employment opportunities increase. During the last month the SC Works Center held 7 individual hiring events, or job fairs, which were hosted at the center for area businesses including four (4) separate events for the Durham Bus Service, as well as for Fruit of the Loom, Leidos, and Trace Staffing. These companies were looking for a variety of skill sets including order pickers, material handlers, production workers, bus drivers, warehouse/forklift technicians, and other positions. Exact hiring data is not yet known, but indications point to a good pick up rate.

Success Story: Misty Welch

Misty Welch came to Palmetto Youth Connections lacking the necessary work readiness skills to find sustainable employment. Misty was referred to the program by a friend who had been pleased with the services provided by Palmetto Youth Connections. The great things Misty heard about the program sparked her curiosity to take her first step on her road to success. After attending an information session at Palmetto Youth Connections, in Berkeley County at the Moncks Corner site, she was ready to start her journey.

Misty was committed to do her best. She achieved a Gold Workkeys Work Readiness Certificate and completed her Career Smart Work Readiness Training. She learned many things in Career Smart, including how to prepare a resume, interviewing techniques, financial literacy, and how to be aware of safety hazards on the job.

Misty recently completed the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Training at Trident Technical College and will be taking the State Certification test very soon. She is very excited about her new career as a CNA. "Being a CNA is a great way to help people. I love to help people, and CNA gives me the perfect opportunity to help others and do what I love," Misty states.

She plans to further her education in the medical field. Her ultimate goal is to become a Registered Nurse.

Misty's Career Coach, Ms. Galati, is very impressed with Misty's commitment and ability to succeed. "Misty is an awesome young woman, she is a hard worker, motivated, determined, and extremely smart. I know that she will be a great asset to any organization due to her great work ethic."

Misty is appreciative for all the opportunities she received through Palmetto Youth Connections and she wants to motivate others to further their education and achieve all of their goals.

Story of Success

William Montgomery

Cutting Edge Composites reached out to SC Works Trident in February, hoping to hire a laminator under the OJT program. The OJT, or On-the-Job Training program, allows a business to receive reimbursements towards the salary for training a new hire enrolled in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program. Business services staff submitted many qualifying resumes for the position, and Cutting Edge Composites was able to hire William Montgomery for the position. Mr. Montgomery started his new job with Cutting Edge Composites on February 20, 2014.

If you are a business interested in using the OJT program for hiring, 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