News

To provide information regarding the provisions of the HEART Act as they affect Federal employment taxes the document has been made available on the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) web site.

Application of the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (HEART Act) to the Provisions of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) has recently been added to the ETA Advisory database and is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2874.

A total of 24 youth from five counties in Northwest PA participated in a Career Day on Friday March 19th. At the end of the event each student received a certificate of completion, gift card, bag, and mini-padfolio. The event was a huge success with coordination by Juanet Hartle and Linda McGranaghan from the VTDC.

View photos from the event.

The 2010 Summer Youth Employment Request for Proposals (RFP) has been released.  For additional information please contact Deb O'Neil at deb@nwpawib.org or via phone at 814-333-1286 x101.

The Northwest Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board and the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence encourage you to fill out your 2010 Census and mail it back.  We utulize the data and information collected in our applications for state and federal funding on a regular basis.

The ReTool Erie web site has been launched.

Visit www.retoolerie.org for complete information on this collaborative effort between the RCWE, the Erie Community Foundation and the Nonprofit Partnership.

From the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry -

Residents are invited to provide input on Pennsylvania’s strategic direction for vocational rehabilitation services during public meetings being held throughout the state from March 23 through April 8 by the Department of Labor & Industry’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, or OVR.

For complete details see the press release.

LOCAL MEETINGS:

ERIE BBVS DISTRICT OFFICE

(Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, Warren Counties)

Perkins Family Restaurant
18276 Conneaut Lake Road
Meadville, PA 16335
Date: March 23, 2010
Time: 10:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

 

AND

 

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Conference Room
3100 Lovell Place
Erie, PA 16503
1-866-521-5073 (Voice) / 1-888-884-5513 (TTY)
Date: March 25, 2010
Time: 5:00 P.M. – 6:30 P.M.
Contact Person: Dawn Sokol

ERIE BVRS DISTRICT OFFICE

(Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren Counties)
Erie District Office Conference Room
3200 Lovell Place
Erie, PA 16503
1-800-541-0721 (Voice) / 1-888-217-1710 (TTY)
Date: March 25, 2010
Time: 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. & 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
Contact Person: Jack Hewitt or Kim Garnon

The Center for Media Research has issued a Research Brief on Online Reputation Research commissioned by Microsoft.  The research concentrates on the feelings of how an online reputation is created, if it has importance and what that importance means for HR professionals, job seekers, consumers, etc.

Highlights of the research include:

The recruiters and HR professionals surveyed are not only checking online sources to learn about potential candidates, but they also report that their companies have made online screening a formal requirement of the hiring process. Of U.S. recruiters and HR professionals surveyed, 70% say they have rejected candidates based on information they found online.

Recruiters and HR professionals surveyed report being very or somewhat concerned about the authenticity of the content they find.

In all countries, recruiters and HR professionals say they believe the use of online reputational information will significantly increase over the next five years.

Positive online reputations matter. Among U.S. recruiters and HR professionals surveyed, 85% say that positive online reputation influences their hiring decisions at least to some extent. Nearly half say that a strong online reputation influences their decisions to a great extent.

Read the complete Research Brief here.

View PDF Press Release.

IN RECESSION, PA WORKFORCE TRAINING EFFORTS MORE
IMPORTANT THAN EVER

March 8-14 will mark Workforce Solutions Week, a celebration of the innovative work of local partnerships to build next generation workforce

 

Erie, PA (March 8, 2010) – This week, employees, businesses and community leaders across Pennsylvania are recognizing the work of local partnerships that are training individuals to succeed as the economy recovers, while meeting the evolving workforce needs of employers.

 

With unemployment at a nearly 30-year high in Pennsylvania, the collaboration between the RCWE, NWPA WIB and support from the Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions (PFWS) and the Erie Community Foundation, is more important than ever. Nearly six out of 10 unemployed workers in Pennsylvania lack any education beyond high school. At the same time, more than two-thirds of jobs in today’s economy require post-secondary education or skills training. As the economy changes over time, new skills and specialties are constantly needed for workers to compete in a global economy.

 

“There is a great deal of talk about jobs today, but little straight talk about the fact that many of the jobs that existed before the recession will not exist after the recovery,” said Michele Zieziula, RCWE CEO. “In Northwest Pennsylvania we are preparing jobseekers and employees for careers in fields that offer great opportunity and are the future of the economy, such as in healthcare and green jobs.”

 

From March 8-14, The Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions, a statewide collaborative of private and public funders across the state, will participate in Workforce Solutions Week, honoring the innovative work of local partnerships across the U.S. to build the nation’s frontline workforce. It is part of a national weeklong celebration, coordinated by Jobs for the Future.

 

Pennsylvania is a leader in this effort with its Industry Partnerships strategy, which helps connect workforce education and training programs to the critical needs of industry across Pennsylvania.  The public and private funds invested in these efforts have seen a high rate of return over time, with over 70,000 workers and 7,000 employers participating in the program.

 

The success of workforce training efforts in Northwest PA is clear. In conjunction with Workforce Solutions Week, the RCWE along with the PA CareerLink® - Erie County and the Northwest PA Healthcare Industry Partnership will offer a Healthcare Employer and Job Ready Candidate Coffee Hour for participants of the PA Fund for Workforce Solutions Healthcare Recruitment and Screen Pilot Project on Thursday March 11, 2010.

 

This event will allow successful Job Ready Candidates an opportunity to meet with participating Healthcare Employers from the Northwest PA Healthcare Industry Partnership.  The event will be held at the PA CareerLink® - Erie County, 1309 French Street.

 

“We have partnered with healthcare employers here to strengthen our local economy, ensure our local businesses are prepared to compete, and create good jobs for the women and men who live here,” said Zieziula.

 

Pennsylvania is one of only a few states to recognize Industry Partnerships as the foundation for a more effective workforce that delivers for businesses and employers. However, state funding was slashed for the program – from $20 million last year to $8 million this year. If Pennsylvania is to continue to be a leader in workforce solutions, it needs to make Industry Partnerships permanent and identify dedicated funding to sustain Industry Partnerships for the long term.

 

The Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions (PFWS) provides training and supports to help entry-level workers gain employment and advance in good-paying jobs with employers who participate in Industry Partnerships. PFWS trained nearly 500 workers and placed 120 in jobs in manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and utilities, most at wages ranging from $10 to $15 per hour.

 

Workforce Solutions Week is being coordinated nationally by Jobs for the Future, which develops innovative education and workforce strategies that enable individuals to achieve family-sustaining careers and strength the nation’s global competitiveness. In nearly 200 communities in 41 states, Jobs for the Future improves the pathways leading from high school to college to family-sustaining careers.

 

For additional information please visit http://www.wsw.org/jff 

 

 

 

From the Rendell Administration: Pennsylvania Named as Finalist in Federal ‘Race to the Top’ School Reform Competition State Could Receive up to $400 Million in Federal Grants, With Goal of Doubling Rate of Student Improvement by 2014.  Read the complete release here.

 

 

March 8-14 will mark National Workforce Solutions Week, a nationwide celebration of the innovative work of local partnerships to build next generation workforce.  

Jobs for the Future (JFF) has invited partners and principals in the workforce community to join in celebrating Workforce Solutions Week 2010, an opportunity to honor local successes, expand the reach of local projects, and deepen the community relationships that are essential for future growth and stability.

During the week events will take place that inform local stakeholders and the media about the power of local partnerships to increase career advancement for low-income individuals and low-wage workers, while meeting the workforce needs of employers. The week will highlight the successes of individual participants, service providers, employers, funders, and other partners by holding local events across the country within this one-week period to build national media attention.

For more information, please visit www.jff.org/wsw.

Questions or comments on Workforce Solutions Week 2010 may be directed to Joshua Gambrell at jgambrell@jff.org or 617-728-4446 ext. 106.

For local information please contact Marsha Walker, Outreach Coordinator at mwalker@nwpawib.org or 814.333.1286 for complete details on the event planned in Northwest PA in conjunction with Workforce Solutions Week.