Siskiyou County Community Coordinator Report

October 2004


Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors Proclaim

September as Workforce Development Month


Josephine Wyatt, Business Services Coordinator and Delores Virag, Community Employment Center Coordinator, appeared before the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors at their September 14th  meeting.  Wyatt and Virag spoke to the Board about the services provided through the Workforce Connection and received the supervisors’ proclamation declaring September as  “Workforce Development Month.”







PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, California’s and Siskiyou County’s economy is increasingly dependent on a skilled and trained workforce to retain economic competitiveness; and

WHEREAS, successful participation of workers and businesses in today’s global economy requires both workers and businesses to emphasize life-long learning and career development; and

WHEREAS, the coordination of workforce preparedness, technical education and economic development is essential to enhancing the economic well-being of Siskiyou County; and

WHEREAS, the Workforce Connection Partnership provides workforce preparedness opportunities for job seekers and businesses to facilitate economic vitality in Siskiyou County; and

WHEREAS, joining with other communities nationwide to declare Workforce Development Month raises awareness about the importance of preparing employees and employers for the new economy and contributes to employee’s effective career decision-making and the success of Siskiyou County’s businesses; and

NOW, THEREFORE, WE, SISKIYOU COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, do hereby proclaim September 2004 as “Workforce Development Month”.


Wyatt explained that during the 2003-04 year the Workforce Connection served 152 businesses in a variety of ways including helping with business startups, human resource information, customized training, recruitment, pre-screening and vouchering for hiring tax credits.  Most of the businesses served by the Workforce Connection become repeat customers.

Local Businesses  Benefits from Youth Program


STEP introduces area teenagers to employment and possible careers through it’s Youth Program.  Instead of simply putting young workers into a fast-food job, STEP works to find them a job that has a connection to their interests and future goals.“We hope to show a link between education and employment,” said Janie Gaither, STEP’s Youth Vocational Advisor.  Gaither said that she always tries to offer inspiration to teens and encourage them to think bigger when deciding on what kind of work experience they want. STEP is the official employer of the youth in the program and provides the paychecks, while the work site employer acts as more of a supervisor. Some STEP participants know exactly where their interests lie and what they want to do. 


Cecil Gregory, who has an interest in music, is working for Radio Star Studios, a recording studio in Weed. He has worked as an assistant engineer, a graphic artist, a runner, a roadie, and a cleaning/handyman.  “One day of collecting trash here,” said Gregory, “is ten times better than one day anywhere else.”  Gregory wants to be a producer in a studio or at least working in the studio environment in ten years. Gregory is currently designing graphics for t-shirts and other Radio Star merchandise, and he recently assisted engineering a big record deal that his supervisor, studio owner Sylvia Massy Shivy, thinks is “going to be huge.” Shivy spoke highly of Gregory’s work at the studio.  “Cecil’s a great worker,” she said.  “Always thinking ahead so eh can figure out what the customer needs.”  



Mt. Shasta Supermarket’s STEP employee Deanna Rivera has also benefited from the services of STEP.  Rivera especially enjoyed the pre-employment skills training which includes how to develop a resume and prepare for an interview.  Working with STEP and the supermarket, Rivera believes she has learned many of the skills needed to find and keep a job, such as interacting with customers, processing money and filling out required paperwork.  

“I think it is very beneficial,”  said Keith Cool, owner of Mt. Shasta Supermarket and Rivera’s supervisor.  “The cost to train someone far exceeds what we pay them.”  Cool said STEP’s willingness to pay the employee’s wages “allows us to take a change and bring in someone we may not necessarily need.  It also allows us to give more attention to their training.”  Cool said Rivera is a “very good” worker.  “She’s a diamond in the rough.  They said I’d be happy with her and I am.”


STEP has also assisted businesses and youth in Tulelake at the Tulelake Community Partnership, Tulelake Fairgrounds, in Happy Camp at the Happy Camp Family Resource Center, Karuk Building Center, Caltrans, Happy Camp Ranger District, Klamath National Forest Service, Yreka Family YMCA, and the Southern Siskiyou Newspapers.*  



*Reporter Sara Boyd has been working with the Southern Siskiyou Newspapers through the STEP Youth Program since late May.  She is a senior in high school.  This article was written with excerpts from Sara’s original article that appeared in the South Siskiyou Newspapers.  To read the full contents of Sara’s article go to www.mtshastanews.com.


Workforce Connection Recruits for J.H. Baxter Plant




The J.H. Baxter Plant in Weed had not hired a new employee since 1991, so when  the order came in requiring the hiring of 10 new employees, plant manager Arlandus (Spike) Clark felt overwhelmed and turned to the Workforce Connection for help. “We picked up some new customers and they ordered millions of board feet of pressure-treated lumber and we needed a night shift and 10 new people,” Clark said.  “I called up the Workforce Connection and told them what type of person I needed and they found all of them for me.”

Josephine Wyatt, Business Services Representative, said that the mill in McCloud has just recently closed and she was able to do a rapid response and make many referrals.  “When a business requests our employment services we try to match our applicant pool with the open positions. We do all the pre-screening and will set-up testing for the applicants, we take care of everything for the employer.  All they have to do is interview and hire.”  

Clark stated “What she did would have taken me a long time and I did not have the resources to do the pre-screenings.  The Workforce Connection save me a lot of time and helped me get good employees.  The Workforce Connection staff even helped us with the vouchering for the enterprise zone hiring tax credits.” Clark also said the quality of employees sent to him was excellent as they had the necessary qualifications that he was looking for.  

Clark said a lot of people on the street have asked him for a job.  “When I tell them they must pass a drug test very few of them show up to pick up the application. If you have an employee with a drug problem you can’t just fire them anymore,” Clark said.  “ The law requires that you provide them with rehabilitation.”  

Most businesses have gone to pre-employment drug testing.  The fact that drug tests results are now returned within hours instead of weeks helps businesses hire drug free employees and also lowers the turnover rate.  

Wyatt stated that “we saved J.H. Baxter a lot of time and money.  We did all the advertising for the positions, recruitment, pre-screening, and vouchering. We sent them qualified applicants to interview and hire.” 


Beverly Healthcare Closes Yreka Facility


Beverly Enterprises, the company that operates Beverly Healthcare at Beverly Manor in Yreka, did not review the lease on the building and is closing it’s doors at the end of October 2004.  The closing leaves an uncertainty about the future or nursing home services in Yreka. 

Staff, residents and interested family members met with a regional vice president from the company on July 20th to discuss why the company is terminating it’s services in Yreka. Amy Knapp, spokesperson for Beverly Enterprises stated “We will no longer be leasing that building as of October 31.  If the owner of the building decides he wants to continue to operate it as a nursing home and finds a new provider then it could continue.  If they do not, it will close.  More than likely the residents will be transitioned to another local facility.

When asked why Beverly Enterprises is leaving Yreka, Knapp said that Yreka is not a good business climate for the company, with rising costs, making this a financial decision for the company.  “It was not a good operating business climate for us.  There are a number of issues like patient liability cost, workers’ compensation costs and staffing.”

Josephine Wyatt, Commuinity Coordinator contacted Esther Van Baren, Executive Director of Beverly Manor and informed her of the services available to her staff through rapid response funding and requested an on-site orientation.  Van Baren was pleased that there were services available to those being layed off and set up a meeting.  Representatives from EDD, Jocie Boyer; STEP, Inc, Renee Barr, Vocational Services Coordinator and Josephine Wyatt; met on September 27th, and gave a 60 minute presentation to 21 attendees on subjects such as Unemployment Insurance, California Training Benefits, Job Training Assistance, Relocation Assistance and Job Search Assistance, to name a few.  Staff maintain contact and are ready to return to do another orientation if necessary. 

Beverly Enterprises operates 356 nursing home facilities nationwide, less one when Yreka closes.