The Grand Junction Chamber Career Link Committee, with over
40 volunteers from education, government and the private sector meets monthly to coordinate and expand opportunities to match potential employees with skills training and businesses with qualified potential employees. Last week, the committee received briefings on the following programs being developed and implemented through these strong partnerships.
Career Wise 2.0
One year ago, discussions were just beginning about Grand Junction being selected as a pilot location for a new program of engaging high school students and businesses in multiyear apprenticeships that would provide students with valuable work experience, an alternative framework for applied learning and up to 50 hours of post secondary credit by attending school part of the day and working in an area business the other part of the day. Businesses would have the opportunity to develop their talent pipeline by employing these students.
One year later there are ten local companies with apprentices in their facilities and efforts are underway to recruit at least ten more employers to partner in this unique program. A healthcare curriculum track has been added to the four existing pathways, hospitality, manufacturing, finance and technology.
Time is of the essence in securing business buy-ins as students will soon begin planning their next academic year and need to know and apply for the apprenticeship opportunities and certain specific classes offered through School District 51 and Western Colorado Community College. If you are interested in learning more about the Career Wise and whether it may be a good fit for your company contact Linda Spencer (linda.spencer@careerwisecolorado.org ) or Diane at the Chamber office (diane@gjchamber.org).
Kick Start Program 3.0
The Grand Junction Chamber, the Mesa County Workforce Center and Hilltop Community Resources have partnered for three years to engage young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 in the world of work through internships at area businesses.
The program matches young adults with employers willing to mentor and develop skills these young adults need to be competitive in their industry. These internships are 100% funded for a predetermined duration, eliminating business’s direct labor and workers’ compensation costs. Businesses will participate in the selection process of job ready participants and will have the final say on which youth they will accept into their establishments.
Interested businesses can contact Darcy Weir at the Chamber (Darcy@gjchamber.org or (970) 263-2916) and/or Garrett Morrison at (970) 244-0609. Young adults can apply at the Mesa County Workforce Center, 512 29 ½ Rd, Grand Junction, CO.
Work Ready Community
Are you an employer who is regularly looking for ways to screen candidates for your open positions? Have you heard about the WorkKeys Assessment Tools? These assessments are offered at no charge and can help you in your hiring decision-making process. Over 130 businesses have agreed to consider test scores from these assessments in their hiring process. The benefit of having potential employees complete the assessments is that it is a good way to not only screen candidates but inventory the skill sets of our workforce. Such an inventory is invaluable in helping local businesses develop expansion plans and new businesses determine the availability of workers for their new operations.
A regional effort will make this tool even more valuable as workers often live in one county and work in another. Mesa County was the first county in the state of Colorado to achieve Work Ready Community status but it doesn’t want to be the last. We are hopeful that surrounding counties will also consider implementing this tool and engaging students, the unemployed and the transitioning workers in developing an inventory upon which to build a more skilled workforce that leads to more and better jobs and stronger companies.
To learn more about the assessment tool and how you can help yourself and our overall economic development efforts, contact Curtis Englehart at the Mesa County Workforce Center, 970-248-7562, curtis.englehart@mesacounty.us.
The committee also heard an update on the Young Entrepreneurs’ Academy and the career advisor program and job shadow matches as a result of the Colorado Mesa University and School District 51 partnership to help students move beyond high school to post-secondary training and education.
Click here to download full version of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce November 2017 Newsletter