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News & Press Center

WorkSource Seattle-King County is committed to supporting local media in communicating WorkSource services, resources, successes, and opportunities. Members of the press may direct inquiries to our Communications Coordinator (206-205-3560) or the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (media links).

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Following is a collection of articles that highlight WorkSource activities:

 

NEW FUTURES FOR YOUTH OFFENDERS

Thanks to a $2 million federal grant, 200 youth ages 14 to 24, who are offenders or at risk for criminal involvement, can plan a new future at two new career and educational centers in Downtown Seattle and South King County. These centers will provide intensive support for education and employment goals through a partnership of ten community and government agencies. Our existing YouthSource office at WorkSource Renton will also be involved in local service delivery activities associated with implementation of the grant – locally named the New Futures Network project.

“We are ecstatic about the huge difference the New Futures Network will make for young people in our community,” said Kris Stadelman, CEO of the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC). “This model has been very successful in stopping the cycle of criminal activity and giving youth the tools to create a positive future.”

Funding for the WDC’s New Futures Network project was announced in early November by the U.S. Department of Labor, which selected just 16 projects nationwide out of 109 proposals submitted. Planning and hiring for the new centers is expected to begin in January 2008, with services to youth starting by July.

 

BOEING PARTNERSHIP TAKES FLIGHT

The Boeing Company has a large number of manufacturing positions to fill as it gears up for production of the new 787 airplane. Boeing representatives recognize the importance of not just recruiting, but of educating the job seeker community on how their online job application process works. In WorkSource, Boeing found the perfect partner – an organization with a connection to thousands of job seekers and a knowledgeable employment staff with resources for facilitating informational and technical assistance sessions.

Since August, more than 600 job seekers have attended five WorkSource sponsored recruiting and online application events for help in securing employment with the Boeing Company. At these events, Boeing recruiters shared information about current manufacturing positions and provided technical assistance for effectively navigating Boeing’s online application process. The first groups of attendees have completed the application process and initial reports indicate that WorkSource customers are being hired.

This successful effort was the result of a strong partnership developed between Boeing management, IAM 751’s Quality Through Training Program (QTTP), community and technical colleges, and WorkSource. A committee of representatives from these four groups, including Janine Quinichett with the college system and Dan Bernard with WorkSource Business Services, collaborated to determine Boeing recruiting needs and design a customized strategy for filling open positions. Part of this strategy included a train-the-trainer session for interested WorkSource and college staff to better assist their customers maneuver the in’s and out’s of Boeing’s application process.

Evaluations submitted by Boeing representatives communicated 100% overall satisfaction with the event and strong interest in coming back. The sincerity of those comments is reflected in Boeing’s commitment to hold four additional recruiting events at WorkSource Seattle-King County sites during the month of October 2007. Refer to the hiring events page for more information.

 

MICROSOFT PARTNERSHIP BRINGS COMPUTER SKILLS TRAINING
TO WORKSOURCE CUSTOMERS

At a recognition event on August 31st, Microsoft management presented the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) with a plaque honoring their joint “investments in broadening digital inclusion and creating an increasingly skilled workforce where people can create new economic opportunities and realize their potential.” This was in celebration of their successful partnership in implementing a statewide pilot of the Unlimited Potential (UP) computer skills training program.

Microsoft donated more than $330,000 in software and curriculum in 2005 to offer ts Unlimited Potential computer skills training in WorkSource centers across Washington State. The WDC oversaw the statewide pilot, which has served more than 1,000 WorkSource customers through instructor led and self-study classes.

Due to the pilot’s success, Microsoft recently announced donations of $3.5 million in cash and software over two years to provide Unlimited Potential in one-stop centers across the U.S. The WDC will receive $110,000 from this donation to continue and expand UP in Seattle-King County.

Related Notes:

  • Information workers now make up 72% of the U.S. workforce, and over the next decade 6 out of every 10 new jobs will be in professional and service-elated occupations.
  • There is a growing demand for people with basic proficiency in computers. Ensuring our workforce has these skills is crucial to our state’s economic growth and competitiveness.
  • Microsoft has set a bold goal of providing the benefits of technology to a quarter of a billion people around the world by the end of this decade.
  • WorkSource one-stop centers around the region are connecting businesses and job seekers with the resources and tools for successful employment and lifelong learning.

ENJOYING A LATTE OF SUCCESS

Starbucks has joined the ranks of valued WorkSource customers to benefit from a successful Business Solutions Team hiring event. In June 2006, Starbucks’ most immediate recruiting need fell right in the middle of the Downtown Seattle area, where it was looking to fill 60 open positions. In support of this staffing need, WorkSource Affiliate Downtown Seattle hosted a 4-hour hiring event for Starbucks and prescreened all attendees. A total of 60 candidates were interviewed by Starbucks recruiters, of which 25 were moved into the second interview phase.

Comments expressed by Starbucks management after the event sum up how impressed the company was with WorkSource services: “Thank you so much for all the work you and your team put into our job fair yesterday! I am so pleased with the level of professionalism, organization and genuine care that everyone exhibited. What a success! We look forward to some fantastic hires!”

The Business Solutions Team looks forward to planning future recruiting events for Starbucks and creating even more WorkSource buzz in our business community… caffeinated or not!



 
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