Open for business! The newly renovated and much-anticipated WorkSource Cowlitz/Wahkiakum facility opened on December 3 at 305 South Pacific Avenue, next to Kelso City Hall.

Dale Lemmons, a member of the SWWDC Board of Directors and owner of Interstate Wood Products and Signature Transport in Kelso, says the new facility is great for the community on several levels.

“It will raise the image of the WorkSource tremendously as far as now having a great location downtown,” Lemmons says. “It’s easy to get to and parking is better. It’s also a great new cornerstone to build on for Kelso’s downtown redevelopment.”

As an employer who utilizes the WorkSource services, Lemmons added that he is pleased that such an important asset is now “much more accessible for local employers.”

The 13,000 square-foot facility features such client-friendly amenities as a much more functional and comfortable learning space, abundant parking and plenty of room for a wider array of client services.

WorkSource is the area’s one-stop workforce development center providing information and services to individuals looking for training and employment as well as to businesses wanting assistance in finding qualified candidates.

Thousands of people come to the WorkSource Center annually and are linked to myriad of employment, training, and placement services offered by the on-site WorkSource Partners which include the Washington State Employment Security Department, Lower Columbia Community Action Council, Lower Columbia College, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and JobCorps.

WIRED for success: SWWDC a partner in major workforce innovation initiative

Like a water shed or an air shed, the labor shed has no political boundaries. Also like a water shed or air shed system, protecting and enhancing resources for future generations requires collaboration between counties and states, creative problem solving amongst agencies and employers, and shared vision and goals.

With formal U.S. Department of Labor Approval (expected soon), Southwest Washington will soon join four Oregon Workforce Investment Boards as a partner in an exciting new national initiative called Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED).

The initiative’s “Regional Implementation Plan” outlines the importance of bi-state cooperation. “In the region’s shared labor shed, more than 60,000 workers commute across the Columbia River from Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum counties in Washington to Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties in Oregon. Another 10,000 workers commute in the opposite direction.”

“WIRED will create a leadership group like nothing we’ve ever seen,” says Lisa Nisenfeld, SWWDC Executive Director. “This project not only is focused on innovation and collaboration, but also comes with federal support and assistance in establishing a blueprint for achieving economic vision for the entire region.”

The mission of the program is to create a competitive advantage by bringing companies, workers, researchers, entrepreneurs and governments together; integrate economic and workforce development activities; and demonstrate that talent development can drive economic transformation in regional economies across the United States.

WIRED for Success:
Strategies are grouped around four main goals: (1) Supporting leadership for regional economic growth; (2) Growing the talent pipeline; (3) Aligning regional training curricula; and (4) Increasing training opportunities.

Some of these strategies will focus initially on advanced manufacturing as with a goal of expanding to meet a wider range of industry needs in the future.

The transformational foundation of the partnership is a commitment to regional economic growth rather than the interests of political/administrative subdivisions.

Notice of Request for Proposals for WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker Services

The Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council (SWWDC) is soliciting proposals from qualified organizations to provide adult and dislocated worker services under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) rules and regulations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008 and ending June 30, 2009, with an option for renewal for up to three years (through June 30, 2011). Proposals due by 5:00 pm, Friday, February 1, 2008. A Bidders’ Conference will be held on Thursday, January 10, at 2:00 pm, at the Woodland City Hall, 100 Davidson Ave, 2nd floor, Woodland, WA 98674. Copies of the RFP are available at http://www.swwdc.org.

The SWWDC is an equal opportunity employer/program; auxiliary aids & services available upon request.

Photo Identification
Back Row: Karen Ramage, Jerry Petrick, Barbara Reed, Keith McPhun, Robert Gaffney, Paul Vertrees, Tennille Johnson.
Middle Row: Teresa Anda, Monisha Wasson, Matt Sneed, Beverly Kimble, Lisa Nisenfeld, Cindy Williams, Sally Garcia
Front Row: Beth Hammer, Lynnae Ruttledge, Meredith Hardin, Darcy Hoffman, Medolie Pazolt, Joyce Smith

Governor’s Best Practice Award presented to Clark County WorkSource Partnership

A model public/private partnership linking local employment priorities with the skills of people with disabilities is one of six projects statewide to receive a 2007 Governor’s Award for Best Practices in Workforce Development. The award announcement came November 15 at the Workforce Training and Educating Coordinating Board’s annual Leadership Conference in Tacoma.

The partnership consists of Clark County’s WorkSource partners, led by the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council (SWWDC), Arbor E&T, Washington Employment Security Department (ESD), Columbia River Mental Health, the Department of Social and Health Services’ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and other community partners.

Lynnae Ruttledge, director, Washington State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, nominated the project for the award. She stated in her nomination that the project reflects “the innovative and efficient services at WorkSource-Vancouver. She also says tight budgets have not negatively impacted the culture of innovation, which is deeply integrated in practices and values.

Since its inception in 2003, the project has consistently exceeded its goals. The overall goal of the project was to “reach and more effectively service customers with disabilities and to provide skilled workers to employers.” To measure results, the SWWDC asked WorkSource -- Vancouver to increase the number of people with disabilities enrolled and placed in appropriate employment by 10% over the previous year.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the results of this creative partnership. It demonstrates how a focused and committed team and community can reach a traditionally hard-to-serve population, benefitting both an untapped pool of job seekers as well as employers,” says Lisa Nisenfeld, SWWDC Executive Director.

In 2003, WorkSource Vancouver had served only 103 individuals with disabilities, placing 38% in jobs. In just the first six months of project implementation, WorkSource-Vancouver served 575 individuals with disabilities, with 77% having secured employment. In addition, during this same period, the number of employer job orders generated by the Business Services Unit and filled by people with disabilities increased 445%.

New SWWDC Board members announced

Dan Story speaks for many new SWWDC board members when he describes board membership as an exciting opportunity to expand his “circle of service” and increase his community connections.

Story is one of several newly appointed board members announced recently by SWWDC Executive Director Lisa Nisenfeld.

“I was pleased to be asked to become a board member of the SWWDC and am looking forward to attaining a better understanding of the organization’s goals and challenges,” Story says. “I believe my board membership will help DSHS become better connected with our community partners and provide future opportunities to the public we serve.”

Story leads the Vancouver Community Services Office for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

New member Debbie Iverson is also thrilled about the opportunity to serve. In fact, she was on the SWWDC board several years ago and is happy to be back.

Phil Dines, the new representative for organized labor in Cowlitz County is so pleased about his appointment that he got a head start on involvement, helping with a Career Transitions event held in Longview in November.

Following is the complete list of new members.

More than three dozen service provider staff and educators from SW Washington and the greater Portland metropolitan area attended the first two Apprenticeship Training Center Tours for service providers and educators. Participants visited the Willamette Carpenters Training Center and the Oregon and Southwest Washington Cement Masons’ Training Center in December. Excellent feedback was received from all attendees.

Coordinated by the SWWDC, the purpose of the tours is to provide information to those who counsel job seekers about the trade occupations, required skills, lifestyle, and the apprenticeship training programs.

Matt Sneed, Business Services Manager at WorkSource Vancouver, attended both tours. He notes, “The tours enable us as counselors and business representatives to truly understand the occupations and see first hand what the jobs entail. This allows us provide accurate information to students and job seekers while at the same time ensuring that we can make quality candidate referrals to the apprenticeship training programs.”

SWWDC is working with trade groups to schedule and coordinate additional tours throughout 2008. Currently, the following upcoming tours are scheduled: