The Career Connection Newsletter

Barren River Regional Volume: 1
The Kentucky Career Center team is
available to help employers and job seekers find the tools and resources that
make the employment process easy and
exciting. Visit one of our office locations
or find us online at:
KentuckyCareerCenter.ky.gov
January 2015
In this Issue:
Employment Trends and
Data ................................ 2
National Career Readiness
Certification ..................... 3
Ongoing Regional Recruitments .............................. 4
KCC Workshops ............. 5
Recent Regional Career
Center Highlights ............ 6
WKU Hits the Mark ......... 7
Partner Page .................. 8
Job Market Outlook……..9
Regional OET Staff attended the 2014
Industry Appreciation Luncheon with
the Franklin-Simpson Industrial
Authority on December 12th.
Glasgow Office
445 N. Green St.
Glasgow, KY 42141
(270) 651-2121
Barren County
Adult Education………...10
Kentucky Adult Education
Providers………………..11
Bowling Green Office
803 Chestnut St
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 746-7425
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PAGE 2
Employment Data
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 18, 2014) — Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary unemployment rate dropped to its lowest rate in more than six years in November 2014 at 6 percent
from a revised 6.2 percent in October 2014, according to the Office of Employment and
Training (OET), an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.
This is the lowest rate for the state since April 2008 when it was 5.9 percent.
Job Market Trends
Industry Sector Jobs Added
Kentucky’s trade, transportation and utilities sector gained 2,300
jobs in November 2014 compared to October 2014.
in 2014
Job growth from last November was across the board with trans- Manufacturing
2,300
portation, warehousing and utilities showing a robust 5,800 job
increase, wholesale adding 2,400 and retail trade gaining 1,700
Transportation
9,900
jobs.
Government
1,800
Employment in the educational and health services sector increased by 1,100 positions in November 2014.
Education/
6,400
Employment in the government sector, which includes public edHealthcare
ucation, public administration agencies and state-owned hospiProfessional
8,700
tals, rose by 1,100 in November 2014.
1,100
The construction sector gained 900 jobs in November 2014 from Information
a month ago.
Mining/Logging
200
The state’s professional and business services added 200 positions in November 2014.
Leisure/
6,800
Kentucky’s manufacturing sector held steady from October 2014
Hospitality
to November 2014.
The information sector increased by 700 jobs in November 2014.
Employment in the mining and logging sector decreased by 400 in November 2014.
Employment in the other services sector, which includes repairs and maintenance, personal care services, and religious organizations, expanded by 300 positions in November from a month ago. This sector posted an increase of 400 jobs from a year ago.
For more employment trends & statistics, visit: www.kylmi.ky.gov/
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PAGE 3
National Career Readiness Certification
The National Career Readiness Certificate The NCRC is based on three WorkKeys® skill
(NCRC):
areas:
- Provides skill-based credentials to Kentucki- - Reading for Information
ans to help them secure employment.
- Applied Math
- Provides employers with workers that have - Locating Information
documented skills proficiencies.
- Certifies applicants who employers can hire
with confidence.
Kentucky Career
Centers in Glasgow and
Bowling Green have
awarded over 1,000
National Career
Readiness Certificates
to job-seekers, and
Kentucky Adult
Education providers
have issued 113 in the
last 6 months!
Learn more at
www.kentuckycareercenter.com
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On Going Recruitments:
Dollar General Warehouse
CSR Group (Bowling Green Metalforming)
The Clorox Company
Home Instead Senior Care
Amazon.com Warehouse
Dart Container Corporation
Sun Products Corporation
Bendix-Spicer
General Motors
Federal Mogul
Kiriu
Western Kentucky University
Sitel
Akebono
ShopHQ
Champion Pet Food
Bluegrass Dairy & Food Inc.
For details on how to apply for these open positions, visit
www.FocusCareer.ky.gov/careers
PAGE 4
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PAGE 5
KCC Workshops
Bowling Green
Glasgow
Monday
Resume Building
Employability Skills
Tuesday
Intro to Focus Career
Resume Building
Wednesday
Interview Techniques & Tips
Interview Techniques & Tips
Thursday
Employability Skills
The Kentucky Career Center offers several workshop opportunities.
Resume Building provides skills and advice to strengthen job seeker resumes and prepare job seekers
with the skills to shine in a competitive job market. A strong resume is the first step to connect employers with quality workers. Demonstrating exceptional skills and a solid work history is made possible by a well-put-together resume.
Once employers review the resume, an interview is the next step in the hiring process.
Interview
Techniques & Tips provides job seekers with the necessary skills to impress employers, and answer
difficult questions. Interviews can be the difference between hired and unemployed; This workshop
prepares job seekers for any interview.
Employability Skills offers job seekers skills and resources to expand their employability. Employers
search for professionalism, experience, and skills. Showcasing these qualities is just one way to grab
employers’ attention.
Offered exclusively in Bowling Green, Introduction to Focus Career shows job seekers how to effectively use the Focus Career website, connecting employers and job seekers more efficiently than ever
before. The Focus Career website even allows referrals to be made for open positions job seekers
have applied to.
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PAGE 6
Recent Regional Career Center Highlights
NOVEMBER: 15 Job Fairs:
DECEMBER:
NOVEMBER:3 15
JobJob
Fairs:
Fairs:
Randstad– Nov 3 & 17 in Glasgow and Nov 10 & 24 in
Bowling Green
Randstad–
Nov 3Senior
& 17 inCare–
Glasgow
10 & 24 in Bowling
Home
Instead
Decand
17 Nov
in Glasgow
First Call– Nov 5 in Bowling Green and Nov 17 in Franklin
APS– Nov 12, 18, & 20 in Franklin
Tractor Supply Company– Nov 19 in Bowling Green
Home Instead Senior Care– Nov 19 in Glasgow and Nov
5 in Bowling Green and Nov 25 in Franklin
Green
Afni– Dec 16 in Bowling Green
First Call– Nov 5 in Bowling Green and Nov 17 in Franklin
Staff Management– Dec 30 in Glasgow
APS– Nov 12, 18, & 20 in Franklin
Tractor Supply Company– Nov 19 in Bowling Green
Home Instead Senior Care– Nov 19 in Glasgow and Nov 5 in
Bowling Green and Nov 25 in Franklin
Dollar General Warehouse– Nov 10 in Glasgow
Dollar General Warehouse– Nov 10 in Glasgow
Fortis– Nov 14 in Glasgow
Fortis– Nov 14 in Glasgow
Staff Management– Nov 12 & 26 in Glasgow
Staff Management– Nov 12 & 26 in Glasgow
Donating in December
The Kentucky Career Center staff
in Glasgow wanted to spread the holiday
spirit this year. After polling the many
donation centers, the staff partnered
with the Housing Authority of Glasgow to
find a less fortunate family that would
not have had a holiday otherwise.
The staff pulled together
donations in exchange for wearing jeans
to work during the holiday season. The
genero sity bro ught the fam ily a
magnificent package of groceries and
household items, so that the family can
enjoy the simple comforts that so many
others enjoy around the holidays. The
staff will continue to search for
opportunities to help those in need
throughout the year!
The Glasgow Kentucky Career Center staff from left to
right: Jon Zambrano, Vickie Wade, Christy Smith, Misti
England, Jamie Britt, Wallice Houchens, and Emilee
Bailey.
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PAGE 7
WKU Hits the Mark with New Program
Targeted Needs Training provides
employers with easy access to quality
training programs in a variety of topics.
Each year, employees typically receive an annual performance appraisal from their supervisors. Standard
areas of evaluation include: job knowledge, productivity, work habits and interpersonal relationships. In
order to increase employee effectiveness and reduce expensive staff turnovers, employees need access
to resources that will help them develop new skills and expand professional/personal skills.
One of the best and most cost-effective resources can be found in Open Enrollment courses through WKU Career and Workforce Development. Based on individual need, specific 4-hour course(s) may be selected in relation to Performance Appraisal ranking and supervisor observation.
Class descriptions, schedules, pricing and registration information are available at:
http://www.wku.edu/cwd/targeted-needs/
Job Knowledge Courses:
Work Habits Courses:
How to Write Like a Pro: Improving Workplace
Writing
Basic Excel (Intermediate and Advanced Excel also
available)
Introduction to MS Word
Fine-Tuning Telephone Technique
Critical Decision Making Techniques
Etiquette On The Job
A Job Well Done: Strengthening Work Ethic
Great Customer Service is Good Business
Would I Work for Me?
Habits of Successful People
Productivity Courses:
Juggling on the Job: Managing Multiple Priorities
Conducting Energized and Effective Team Meetings
Delegating Done Right
Kaizen: The Key to Continuous Improvement
Developing a Proactive Workstyle
Interpersonal Relationship Courses:
Assertive Communication: Being Direct but with
Respect
Easier Said than Done: Enhancing Communication
on the Job
Dealing With Difficult Personalities
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PAGE 8
Helping the Homeless for the Holidays
Kentucky Career Center staff wanted to
bring the holidays home for the many jobseekers under financial stress this holiday
season. Some staff members even went as
far as to find homes for the homeless!
“In order to reach out to the homeless, you
have to know what the partner organizations
are doing….” said one of the KCC staff members involved. In an effort to provide employment opportunities to homeless veterans, the Kentucky Career Center partnered
with several organizations.
“In order to get things done, you have to
streamline communication between organizations.” The hard work and communication
between organizations did so much in so little time.
Special Thanks to our Partners
In three days, KCC staff and partners were
able to get the homeless veteran career
ready, hired to full-time work, transportation through Cars-to-Work, a house to live
in through Center Stone, and financial assistance from partner organizations.
“These aren’t handouts, but opportunities;
these opportunities require some effort on
everyone’s end.” The staff involved also
added that the speediness of these events
was a “Holiday Miracle!”
In December, KCC staff partnered with several organizations to bring homes, jobs, vehicles, and even financial assistance to three
homeless job-seekers. KCC staff will continue to develop strong working relationships
with the many organizations striving to help
the homeless.
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Job Market Outlook: What to expect by 2017
As students and millennials begin to enter the workforce, there is still much uncertainty about the future of
America’s labor market.
Traditionally, dream jobs required college degrees, but as student loan debt climbs to
astronomical levels, there is an increasing interest in low-skill and middle-skill jobs.
New analysis suggests that job-seekers who strive for these low-skill and middle-skill
jobs, may find increasing success. By 2017, almost 5 million new low-skill and middleskill jobs are expected to be added to the workforce that do not require a traditional 4year degree.
5 million new
low
low--skill and
middle
middle--skill
jobs...
Job-seekers are finding more creative ways to build skillsets to expand career opportunities without breaking the bank. One 25-year old, Andre Jones, has doubled his salary by taking online courses in coding languages for website creation. The summer program led to 3 job offers by June for Jones, making his bachelor’s degree obsolete.
There still is some incentive for those entering the workforce to consider spending the time and money on a
degree. In fact, over 1.5 million new jobs created by 2017 will require at least a bache70% of low
low-- lor’s degree. About 38% of these jobs will require mastery of science, math, engineering, or technology skills, which are typically among the highest paying jobs.
skill jobs may
be replaced
by robots...
For some, furthering education may not be ideal, leaving low-skill jobs a viable option.
Unfortunately, a 2013 Oxford University study suggests that “These ‘safe havens’ for
low-skill workers may not be there in decades to come.” Carl Frey, co-author of The
Future of Employment argues that automation may determine the future of America’s
job market. 70% of these low-skill jobs may be replaced by robots over the next two decades, so “low-skill
workers will need to acquire creative and social skills to stay competitive in the labor market…”
Automation may make it difficult for unskilled workers to retain employment in the long run. That’s why
researchers emphasize skill development for unskilled and low-skilled workers. Finding a marketable skill
and building on that skill is how many job-seekers are finding employment options that meet the “dream
job” criteria. Skill development may involve anything from a free online course to an expensive graduate
program. The key is in the job-seeker’s career plan.
To find out more about tomorrow’s labor-market, or to develop a career plan for yourself, visit:
www.kentuckycareercenter.com
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PAGE 11
Kentucky Adult Education (KYAE) offers the following
core services at no charge to eligible students:
Adult Literacy - adults with minimal or no skills in reading, writing,
speaking, problem solving or computation.
Adult Basic Education - adults lacking competence in reading, writing,
speaking, problem solving or computation at a level necessary to function in society, in the workplace or family.
Adult Secondary Education/GED® Test Preparation - adults who have some literacy skills and can function in everyday life but not proficient in reading, writing, speaking, problem solving or computation or do not have a high
school credential.
Corrections Education - adult literacy, adult basic education, adult secondary education/GED® test credential preparation and/or English as a second language for adult criminal offenders.
Family Literacy - designed to break the intergenerational cycle of under-education by providing opportunities for parents and their children to learn together.
English as a Second Language - assists individuals of limited English proficiency to achieve competence in the English
language. Instruction is geared to adults who want to become more fluent in English, pass the U.S. citizenship test
and/or GED® test and work on job-seeking skills.
College and Career-Readiness - level of preparation first-time student needs to succeed in a credit-bearing course at a
postsecondary institution; level of preparation a high school graduate (or high school equivalency graduate) needs to
proceed to the next step in a chosen career pathway (postsecondary/industry certification/ workforce).
Career Pathways and Bridge Programs - programs which align adult education, job training, higher education and
basic support systems to create pathways to postsecondary educational credentials and employment. Including best
practices achieved through working with local partners.
National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) - Targeted Instruction, Assessment and Issuance.
Based on ACT- WorkKeys® Nationally Recognized Certification Assessment Program
Kentucky Adult Education Program Highlights:
Eligible students must live, work or be enrolled in postsecondary education in Kentucky. Pursuant to Title II of the
Workforce Investment Act, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, eligible students are those individuals
who:
have attained 16 years of age;
are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law; and lack sufficient mastery of
basic educational skills to enable the individual to function effectively in society;
do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, or have not achieved an equivalent level of
education; or are unable to speak, read or write the English language.
Students with a high school diploma must score 11.9 or below on the Tests for Adult Basic Education (TABE) assessment to be eligible for services.
Established processes for goal attainment, pre/post-assessment, skill level diagnosis, targeted instruction, managed enrollment classes, progress evaluations, performance gains measurement, post-secondary enrollment, job acquisition.
Services must be of sufficient intensity and duration for students to achieve substantial learning gains.
Barren River Area Development District (BRADD) County Kentucky Adult Education Providers:
Allen County - 188 Franklin Road, Scottsville - Barbara Richards (270) 237-4492
Barren County - 106 Park Avenue, Glasgow - Carl Dillard (270) 629-2061
Butler County -178 Academic Way, Suite 100, Morgantown - Delia Burns (270) 526-4560
Edmonson County - 100 Park Place, Suite 2, Brownsville - Penny Poteet (270) 597-2560
Hart County - 230 Interstate Plaza, Munfordville - Mandy Rexroat (270) 524-1267
Logan County - 121 South Spring Street, Russellville - Pam Morgan (270) 726-8777
Metcalfe County - 103 Ralph Edwards Street, Edmonton - Jamie Parke (270) 432-0060
Monroe County - 309 Emberton Street, Tompkinsville - Jamie England (270) 487-8709
Simpson County - 175 Davis Drive, Franklin - Ray Haddix (270) 586-1682
Warren County - 1845 Loop Drive, Bldg. B, Bowling Green - Mary Ford (270) 901-1017