At the December Quarterly Membership Meeting, five companies were recognized for creating 16 new jobs and investing over $1,100,000 into the local economy. There were several other companies that had expansions but chose to wait until March, 2017 to be recognized. Altogether in 2016 the Chamber recognized 24 companies for creating 574 jobs and investing…
One of the most important things that any graduate of high school needs to learn is how to qualify for and succeed at their first job. In Grand Junction, we have many businesses that have what are considered entry level positions in their organizations. For these small business owners choosing their next employee without the…
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 70 businesses have helped the Workforce Center hit its benchmarks in order…
Last year the Chamber partnered with Hilltop Community Resources and the Mesa County Workforce Center to offer KickStart, a program designed to match out-of-school, young adults, ages 18-24, with available paid jobs and internships here in Mesa County at no cost to the employer. All labor costs and workers’ compensation are also paid for the…
The Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with School District 51, and the Mesa County Workforce Center, will be offering Hire Me First class at Western Colorado Community College, starting on January 4, 2017. The class is designed to take high school students on a journey of career exploration, workplace skill development, and job place immersion…
The Chamber has been hosting a series of small meetings this fall with industry leaders in business services, IT, health care and advanced manufacturing to introduce them to a new statewide movement to introduce multi-year apprenticeships to high school students. Based on the Swiss model, these apprenticeships put students in workplace learning environments for several…
Did you miss the employer breakfast in September where representatives of the Mesa County Workforce Center discussed how you can use their assessments to help you hire the right employees with the right skill sets to move your company forward? You now have a second chance! The Mesa County Workforce Center has scheduled another breakfast…
The Young Entrepreneurs toured Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. on October 18, 2016. The 14 students were toured through the manufacturing facility, shown product and packaging, discussed how the business was formed and grown, and saw photos of projects in the US and other countries. Both Paul Kobishop and Jessica Smith were terrific tour guides and…
I am pleased to inform you that the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce accepted the: International Economic Development Council Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award recipient for the Economic Development Week Campaign – Economic Development Week, Population 25,000 – 200,000 International Economic Development Council Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award recipient for the Regionalism…
In spite of objections raised by members of the business community nationwide including this Chamber, the U.S. Department of Labor finalized updated overtime rules in May and all businesses will be expected to comply beginning December 1, 2016. While key provisions are shown below there are still a lot of questions about how to apply…