October 2011

Hiring Heroes Conference and Job Fair

Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas sponsored an all day Conference and Job Fair for Veterans & their spouses at the MCC Conference Center in September. The event’s emphasis was on Veterans and their spouses, and provided them with an opportunity to meet with multiple employers as well as various educational institutions.

The Hiring Heroes Conference and Job Fair featured booths from employers in the Central Texas region as well as break-out sessions that focused on:

• Veterans’ access to Post 9/11 GI Bill and other educational benefits
• Tools to translate military experience into sought after job skills
• Financial benefits of hiring Veterans for Employers
  

According to Rene’ Clayton with Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas, this two-fold event increased job possibilities as well as educational opportunities  for approximately 150 veterans and spouses that were actively seeking employment or training.

Thirty employers participated: AAFES, AHP, ATDS, Aramark Dining Services & Facilities, Baylor University, Brazos River Authority, C3, Caterpillar, Color Spot Nurseries,  Convergys, Fed-Ex Ground, Ferguson, KWTX–News 10, Nikken, Pro Security Group, SDV Command Source, TX Dept of Public Safety, TYC, and US Secret Service.

Partnering organizations that hosted and/or contributed to the event were: The Veterans Coalition for the Heart of Texas, Texas Veterans Leadership Program, Texas Veterans  Commission, KWTX-News 10, TSTC, MCC, Baylor University, Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Greater Waco Chamber, Signs of the Times, and Blue Star Mothers of America.  

Photos courtesy of nik{riggs}photo (www.nikriggsphoto.com)

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The Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board Elects New Officers

The Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board, Inc., elected a new slate of Officers for the 2011-2012 Program Year:

• Board Chair: Gaylan Beavers, Tejas Logistics (Private Sector representative - McLennan County)
• Board Chair-Elect: Willis Reese, Falls Community Hospital & Clinic (Private Sector representative - Falls County)
• Secretary/Parliamentarian: Alvin Pollard, Sr. (Adult Basic Education representative - McLennan County)
• Treasurer: Shirley Crockett (Literacy Council representative - McLennan County)
• At-Large Member: Keith Stanford (Vocational Rehabilitation representative - Hill County)
• Oversight Committee Chair: Diane Cowan (Community-Based Organization representative - McLennan County)
• Past Chair: Ted Taveras (Private Sector representative – Limestone County)

Pictured from left: Bosque County Judge Cole Word, Shirley Crockett, Willis Reese, Diane Cowan, and Keith Stanford
Not pictured: Alvin Pollard, Sr., Ted Taveras, Gaylan Beavers

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Limestone County Employers Help Students Gain Job Skills

Reprinted with permission from the Texas Workforce Commission.

Students from 10 high schools, east of Waco, have the opportunity to begin gaining the skills they need for a career in the energy industry. Dual-credit coursework, in which students receive high school and college credits, is available through Navarro College at the NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) Limestone Electric Generating Station facility. The high school students learn alongside high school graduates at the Navarro/NRG Training Center and gain real world experience in an actual workplace. The completed training can lead to a Power Plant Operations and Maintenance Certificate by the time the students graduate high school.

Concerned that many employees at the Limestone Electric Generating Station near Jewitt were reaching retirement age, NRG partnered with the college and local school  districts to develop the privately funded program. This program will help ensure that a pipeline of skilled workers is available in the future. NRG and other partnering employers donate money to a scholarship fund, which pays half of each student’s tuition.

“We do this primarily as a community service to help give these students some valuable job skills,” said John Fry, training specialist for NRG. “The program also provides us with the opportunity to have a ready local workforce.”

Workers who complete this training can earn good wages and set themselves on a solid career path in the energy industry. At NRG, an apprentice can enter a three-year program earning approximately $24 per hour with anticipated pay raises over the apprenticeship period. After completion of that program, the employee can become a journeyman and earn more than $33 per hour.

To view the original story featured in the Texas Workforce Commission’s SOLUTIONS magazine, click here.

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Local DVOP Recognized at the Texas Veteran’s Commission Annual Conference

Kelly Cameron, Disabled Veteran’s Outreach Program Specialist (DVOP), was recognized for her exceptional performance as a DVOP at the Texas Veteran’s Commission’s 64th Annual Training Conference held in Houston.  

As a DVOP, Cameron develops job and training opportunities for veterans, with special emphasis on veterans with service-connected disabilities. She provides direct services to veterans enabling them to be competitive in the labor market. DVOPs also provide outreach and offer assistance to disabled and other veterans by promoting community and employer support for employment and training opportunities, including apprenticeship and on-the-job training.
Cameron has been a DVOP serving veterans in the Heart of Texas since July 2010. Before that, she served as a medic in the United  States Army and served a tour in Afghanistan, where she was injured and left active duty in August of 2009.

“I am sincerely humbled and grateful to receive this recognition”, said Cameron.

For more information on the services provided by the Texas Veteran’s Commission, click here.

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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month is "Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities." The theme honors the contributions of workers with disabilities and serves to inform the public that they represent a highly skilled talent pool that can help employers compete in today's global economy.

"Return on investment means hiring the right talent," said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "Workers with disabilities represent all skill sets and are ready to get the job done. This year's theme focuses on improving employment opportunities that lead to good jobs and a secure economic future for people with disabilities and the nation as a whole."

As background, Public Law 176, enacted by Congress in 1945, designated the first week in October each year as "National Employ the Physically  Handicapped Week." President Harry S. Truman designated the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities to carry out the observance. In 1962, the word "physically" was removed from the week's name to acknowledge the employment needs of all Americans with disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed its name to "National Disability Awareness Month," which eventually evolved to its current name. The Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy took  over responsibility for National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 2001.

ODEP's mission is to provide national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related policies and practices to increase and enhance the employment of people with disabilities.

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