ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020
2019-2020 WORKFORCE PARTNERS
COMPREHENSIVE ONE-STOP CENTERS
Critical to our success, is collaborating with different community and workforce partners to provide comprehensive services throughout Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties. - Bakerseld Adult School - Bakerseld College - California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc. - Cerro Coso Community College - Community Action Partnership of Kern - Cornerstone Solutions, Inc. - Job Corps Services - Delano Joint Union High School District - Department of Rehabilitation - Employers’ Training Resource - Employment Development Department - Farmworker Institute of Education & Leadership Development - Housing Authority of the County of Kern - Inyo County Health & Human Services - Kern Community College District - Kern County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services - Kern County Department of Human Services - Kern County Superintendent of Schools - Kern County Veterans Services Department - Kern High School District - Latino Coalition of Community Leadership - Mexican American Opportunity Foundation - Mono County Social Services - Proteus Inc. - SER - Jobs for Progress, Inc. - Taft College (West Kern Community College District) - Tehachapi Unied School District - YouthBuild
BAKERSFIELD 1600 E. Belle Terrace Bakersfield, CA 93307
DELANO 1816 Cecil Ave. Delano, CA 93215
RIDGECREST 540 Perdew Avenue, Suite B-2 Ridgecrest, CA 93555
395
MONO COUNTY
Walker
AJCC Affiliate Sites
Bridgeport
MAMMOTH LAKES 1290 Tavern Road Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
120
Mammoth Lakes
6
395
Bishop
WALKER 107384 Highway 395 Walker, CA 96107
168
Big Pine
395
INYO COUNTY
Independence
AJCC Affiliate Sites Lone Pine
136
BISHOP 920 N. Main Street Bishop, CA 93514
190
178 178
395
Delano AJCC 155 McFarland
Ridgecrest
65 99
46
Lake Isabella
Wasco
5
Shafter
395
178
Oildale
58
Bakersfield AJCC
Bakersfield
EPIC @ THE BEALE 701 Truxtun Avenue, 2nd Floor Bakersfield, CA 93301
14
Lamont 58
Taft
99
Arvin California City
KERN COUNTY
166
Tehachapi
58
OILDALE 1129 Olive Drive, Suite H Bakersfield, CA 93308
Mojave
LAKE ISABELLA 5540 Lake Isabella Boulevard, Suite E-3 Lake Isabella, CA 93240
14
AJCC Affiliate Sites
LAMONT 8300 Segrue Street Lamont, CA 93241
BACK-TO-WORK CENTER 1405 Commercial Way, Ste. 120 Bakersfield, CA 93309
MOJAVE 2300 State Highway 58 Mojave, CA 93501
SHAFTER 115 N. Central Valley Hwy. Shafter, CA 93263
TAFT 119 N. 10th Street Taft, CA 93268
VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT 1120 Golden State Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93301
MESSAGE FROM THE WDB BOARD CHAIR Our Program Year 2019-2020 started out with a bang as our Eastern Kern County areas of Trona and Ridgecrest were shaken violently by multiple earthquakes that affected the businesses and residents dramatically. To help them, we quickly applied for special funding to help the businesses and their workforce. We partnered, applied for and received a special Additional Assistance Grant that was later amended to include COVID-19 that provided funds to help businesses and job seekers rebuild. We continued our great services to Adults, Dislocated Workers, Youth, and Farm Workers through our regular formula funded grants; CalWorks/TANF participants through local partnerships; residents with Opioid or Mental Health issues through our Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) and National Health Emergency OPIOID Accelerator Grants; justice-involved participants through the Public Safety Realignment (AB109) and Prison-to-Employment (P2E) grants; Disabled Veterans through a Disability Employment Assistance grant; and specic geographically designated individuals and employers to Rebuild, Refurbish and Regenerate their businesses through a Transitional Climate Communities Grant partnership with the City of Bakerseld. Beginning March of 2020, our world entered into a health pandemic from COVID-19 that required staff to learn to use new technologies to allow them to continue to work to serve our customers while tele-working from home. During COVID -19, ETR expanded our presence on social media platforms to share information about services and programs still available while also promoting special State COVID Grants and opportunities to assist customers affected by COVID19. ETR received a special state COVID-19 Supportive Services grant that provided assistance to residents that were affected by the pandemic. It provided laptops, and utilities, transportation and housing assistance. Since many employers were still hiring new employees during the pandemic, we helped them promote their jobs with social media exposure and in-person recruitments. We added our AJCC Orientation online to allow customers to review information about our services before enrolling and posted Workforce Workshops that job seekers could watch and learn from before looking for employment. We partnered with the County of Kern and Kern County Libraries through Kern Recovers grants to provide free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to local employers to help them meet the guidelines to allow them to open their doors for business during the pandemic and informed the public about Kern Recovers Small Business Loans and Non-Prot Organizations loans. This year has been a whirlwind of various programs and activities as we strive to meet the needs of all of our customers, but we plan to continue our extra efforts into our next program year to assist our customers throughout the COVID19 pandemic and beyond.
Mission Statement To provide expertise and leadership to ensure that the workforce development system prepares people for current and future jobs that improve the economic conditions of the community.
Vision S tatement Alissa Reed
Teresa Hitchcock
WDB Board Chair
Assistant Chief Administrative Officer
To create the most effective and responsive workforce development system in the country.
BOARD MEMBERS LABOR
AT-LARGE Michael Rock
Retired Plumbers & Pipetters Local 460
BUSINESS Laura Barnes Leo Bautista Stacy Ferreira Michael Frey Greg Gutierrez Ian Journey Karen King Greg Knittel Anita Martin Clare Pagnini Alissa Reed* Jay Tamsi Todd Yepez
Associated Builders and Contractors Kern Oil & Rening Co. Clinica Sierra Vista Buttonwillow Land & Cattle Truitt Oileld Maintenance Baskin Mechanical Engineering Golden Empire Transit Centralize HR Kern Health Systems Macpherson Oil Company Kern Oil & Rening Co. KC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce PCL Industrial Services, Inc.
Jim Elrod Steven Gomez Chris Gonzales John Spaulding Joseph Sumlin
IBEW Local 428 Plumbers & Pipetters Local 460 SMART Sheet Metal Local #105 Kern, Inyo, Mono Building Trades Council Teamsters Local Union No. 87
ONE-STOP PARTNERS Eric Cooper Diane McClanahan Teresa Hitchcock Shelly Tarver
California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc. Department of Rehabilitation Employers’ Training Resource Employment Development Department
YOUTH COMMITTEE COUNCIL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS Randy Martin Jeremy Tobias
Jim Elrod
Covenant Community Services Community Action Partnership of Kern
EDUCATION John Means Dean McGee Norma Rojas-Mora Michael Vogenthaler
Kern Community College District Kern High School District Bakerseld College Kern County Superintendent of Schools
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Kelly Bearden Richard Chapman
Teresa Hitchcock Karine Kanikkeberg Ian Journey Leticia Perez Norma Rojas-Mora* Jayme Stuart Greg Terry Veronica Vega Diane McClanahan David Villarino Todd Yepez Clare Pagnini Dale Countryman Michael Vogenthaler
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Local 428 Employers' Training Resource Kern High School District CRD Baskin Mechanical Engineering Kern County Board of Supervisors Bakerseld College Kern County Network for Children Bakerseld Police Department Student Representative Department of Rehabilitation Farmworker Institute of Education & Leadership Development PCL Industrial Services, Inc. Macpherson Oil Company Retired School Administrator Kern County Superintendent of Schools
CSUB Small Business Development Center Kern Economic Development Corporation
* Board Chairs
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
KERN COUNTY
INYO COUNTY
MONO COUNTY
DISTRICT 1 - Mick Gleason DISTRICT 2 - Zack Scrivner DISTRICT 3 - Mike Maggard DISTRICT 4 - David Couch DISTRICT 5 - Leticia Perez
DISTRICT 1 - Dan Totheroh DISTRICT 2 - Jeff Grifths DISTRICT 3 - Rick Pucci DISTRICT 4 - Mark Tillemans DISTRICT 5 - Matt Kinsley
DISTRICT 1 - Jennifer Kreitz DISTRICT 2 - Fred Stump DISTRICT 3 - Bob Gardner DISTRICT 4 - John Peters DISTRICT 5 - Stacy Corless
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
FUNCTIONS WE BRING MONEY TO THE REGION
WE BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER
From federal, state & local governmental funding sources
Through boards and committees that determine policy, strategy and priorities in workforce
JOB SEEKERS
MEASURE RESULTS
EMPLOYERS
CONDUCT RESEARCH
UNDERSTAND NEEDS AWARD FUNDS
OUR STAFF AND BOARD WORK TO...
WE IDENTIFY SKILLS GAPS GUIDE PARTNERS
To meet the needs of employers
WE CONVENE Community partners and educators to create impactful workforce development programs
WE DESIGN, FUND, DELIVER AND MEASURE THE PROGRAMS to increase opportunities for job seekers and solutions for businesses
WE CONNECT SKILLED JOB SEEKERS WITH HIRING EMPLOYERS
YEAR IN REVIEW REPORT Budget and Grant Funding
9%
2%
23
%
12
%
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) ensures that federal investments in employment and training programs are evidence-based, data-driven, and accountable to participants and taxpayers. Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth formula funding is received from WIOA by Employers' Training Resource (ETR), to administer employment programs to residents in the Kern, Inyo, and Mono counties of California. This formula funding accounts for 50% of the total funds received from a variety of sources to implement various employment services and programs. Farm worker funding from the National Farmworker Jobs Program accounts for 23% of funds, with the remaining 24% from special grants that include CalWORKS, and other State and Federal grants.
TOTAL FUNDING 19
%
17
40.5M
%
PY 2019-2020
18% ADULT* DISLOCATED WORKER* YOUTH* RAPID RESPONSE / LAYOFF AVERSION FARMWORKER -
$ 7.1M $ 4.7M $ 7.8M $ 0.4M $ 9.4M
Dislocated Ag Worker Grant 1157* La Cooperativa Housing Grant La Cooperativa EERE Jobs Project & Supportive Services Migrant & Seasonal Farmworkers
CALWORKS / TANF
$ 6.7M
- CalFresh Employment & Training - CalWORKs Placement / PWEX
PUBLIC SAFETY REALIGNMENT (AB109) SPECIAL GRANTS PARTNERSHIPS
$ 0.9M $ 3.5M
- COVID 1187 (Supportive Services Assistance) - Disability Employment Accelerator Grant for Veterans* - Eastern Kern Economic Diversication - NHE Opioid Accelerator Grant * - Prison to Employment (P2E)* - Ridgecrest Earthquake Disaster & COVID-19 AA* - TAY Program Total funding includes carryforward - TCC Program (AB 2722) *Grants/Funding Streams are multi-year
WIOA Performance Measures Employers' Training Resource served over 33,000 residents during the program year of 2019-2020. Each year, performance is negotiated in each of the formula funded programs which include activities for adult, dislocated workers and farm workers. Our adult, dislocated worker and farm worker programs all exceeded their required/negotiated performance goals in Employment Rate (2nd & 4th Quarters after Exit), Median Earnings (2nd Quarter after Exit), Credential Attainments (Within 1 Year after Exit) and Measurable Skill Gain. Our Youth program also exceeded the required/negotiated performance goals in Employment/Placement in Education or Training (2nd & 4th Quarters after Exit), Median Earnings (2nd Quarter after Exit), and Credential Attainment (Within 1 year after Exit). In addition, our many special grants were successful at serving their specic audiences and programs that assisted Disabled Veterans, CalWORKS recipients, Justice-Involved, and Mental Health affected individuals in obtaining training and employment.
WIOA PROGRAMS
Negotiated Performance Goal
Actual Performance Level
Percentage of Goal Achieved
66.5 % 64.5 % $5,550
80.2 % 78.0 % $6,438
120.6 % 120.9 % 116.0 %
ADULT Employment Rate 2 nd Quarter After Exit Employment Rate 4 th Quarter After Exit Median Earnings 2 nd Quarter After Exit Credential Attainment Within One Year After Exit Measurable Skill Gain
55.0 %
69.5 %
126.4 %
Baseline
70.4 %
Baseline
68.0 % 65.5 % $6,300
81.9 % 76.9 % $7,655
120.4 % 117.4 % 121.5 %
DISLOCATED WORKER Employment Rate 2 nd Quarter After Exit Employment Rate 4 th Quarter After Exit Median Earnings 2 nd Quarter After Exit Credential Attainment Within One Year After Exit Measurable Skill Gain YOUTH Employment/Placement Rate 2 nd Quarter After Exit Employment/Placement Rate 4 nd Quarter After Exit Median Earnings 2 nd Quarter After Exit Credential Attainment Within One Year After Exit Measurable Skill Gain
64.0 %
71.7 %
112.0 %
Baseline
47.9 %
Baseline
58.0 %
66.6 %
114.8 %
57.5 %
71.5 %
124.3 %
Baseline
$3,794
Baseline
57.0 %
80.0 %
140.3 %
Baseline
60.6 %
Baseline
* The table above shows the negotiated goals and actual results for each formula funded program. ** Baseline indicates insufcient data available to set goal; however, local areas are expected to collect and report data.
Looking Ahead Moving into Program Year 2020-2021, a new Local and Regional Plan will be developed to broaden and deepen relationships with local and regional partners which will help improve services to our customers by braiding resources. Staff continue to telework through the COVID-19 pandemic while still providing excellent services to our partners, employers and job seekers through innovative ways to connect with them through current technology. During COVID-19 we expanded our presence on social media platforms to share and post about services and programs still available while also promoting special State COVID Grants and opportunities to assist customers affected by COVID-19. Since many employers still hired new employees during the pandemic, we helped them promote their jobs with social media exposure and in-person recruitments. We created an online orientation to allow customers to review information about our services, have a virtual intake/eligibility process for enrollment, and streamlined most forms to begin going paperless. We also posted Workforce Workshops that job seekers could watch and learn from online. Financial incentives like our On-the-Job Training (OJT) program was offered to employers to help them with training costs. Many employers utilized the OJT during Program Year 2019-2020 for a combined savings of $1.6 million to local businesses. It has been such a successful program that employers are set to hire many more using OJT in the coming Program Year 2020-2021.
SPECIAL GRANTS PARTNERSHIPS Disability Employment Accelerator (DEA) Grant for Veterans
Mental Health Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Program
This grant is available to Veterans with any type of disability. The focus of this grant is on completion of work-based learning programs, which supplements formal education so that the disabled workers can be placed in unsubsidized employment for a career path. Our goal is to
TAY is a working collaboration between Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Transitional Age Youth Team, Employers’ Training Resource, and the Kern High School District’s Career Resource Department.
serve (30) Veterans by March of 2021. Veteran services will include outreach, eligibility, case management, supportive services, job development, job placement, and follow-up.
These agencies have been successful in providing over (28) Youth/Young Adullts ages (16 to 25) with day-to-day job readiness, work experience, and placement activities during (6) cohorts for PY 2019-2020.
National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker - Opioid Accelerator Grant
Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program (AB 2722)
This grant is designed to help combat opioid addiction in the South San Joaquin Valley through workforce. We collaborated with CSUB
TCC Program is a community-led transformation for a sustainable California. It funds development and infrastructure projects that achieve major environmental, health, and economic benets including workforce development, housing, and transportation.
to provide training and work experience for (15) participants in the treatment of addiction and testing for the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) Certification, as a licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor. Our goal is to have (10) participants from Bakersfield and (5) from Inyo County complete the program.
Eastern Kern Economic Diversification This economic diversication plan is a bold, yet comprehensive set of strategies to accelerate economic development in East Kern and its (3) incorporated cities that are California City, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi and (3) unincorporated cities of Boron, Mojave, Rosamond. The plan is focused on leveraging the region’s most promising opportunities for long-term prosperity and addressing the most signicant challenges.
In January 2020 ETR, in partnership with the City of Bakerseld, was awarded $18,450 for the program. Funded by California’s Cap-andTrade Program, TCC empowers the communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects to enact transformational change.
Prison to Employment (P2E) Grant This grant serves the formally incarcerated and other justice involved individuals with the overall goal of improving labor market outcomes for the region's justice involved population, and strategies for connecting those individuals to the supportive services they need. ETR will receive referrals from State Parole to enroll (42) participants by March of 2022. This grant covers the Implementation of Direct Services that includes career counseling, workshops, assessments, case management, and direct job placement. Supportive Services/Earn and Learn include paid work experience and OJT.
Main Diversication Goals: • Business Development • Talent Development & Recruitment • Innovation & Entrepreneurship • Tourism & Visitor Attraction • Regional Collaboration
Target Industries: • Aerospace Products, Services, Research & Testing • Natural Resources & Clean Energy • Outdoor Recreation & Tourism • Logistics & Distribution • Healthcare
Public Safety Realignment AB109 Grant Funding received from AB109 was utilized to assist local efforts to reduce recidivism and create a safer environment in our community. As studies have shown that helping ex-offenders find gainful employment reduces recidivism, our agency modified the prison to employment continuum design to maximize our efforts. Our goal for
Measures of Success:
the year was to enroll (128) ex-offenders. Services included job placement, paid work experience, forklift training, WESTEC safety courses, welding training, and GED testing.
• High-Wage Job Growth • New Business Creation • Capital Investment • Educational Attainment
AB 109 Growth Funds identified and compiled a directory of service providers for ex-offenders to braid services, leverage funds, and fund our work experience program.
“ FARMWORKER GRANTS Due to its seasonal nature and the variability of crop output, the agricultural worker occupation often suffers from high rates of unemployment and underemployment. The National Farmworker Jobs Program (NJFP) serves agricultural workers and their families by helping them to gain higher-wage jobs in more stable careers. As a recipient of NJFP funds in California we partner with La Cooperativa Campesina de California to fulfill this mandate through comprehensive education, training, and placement programs.
As California struggles with COVID-19, Farmworkers are among most affected. State’s highest rates of coronavirus are in the Central Valley, where largely Latino workforce picks and processes food.
Ag Industry Dislocations Project Grant (1157) Provides employment and training services to dislocated agricultural workers to develop their occupational skills to compete for new and future job opportunities in high demand occupations. Our goal is to enroll (956) participants by March of 2021.
La Cooperativa Dislocated Ag Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy (EERE) Jobs Project (1134) & Supportive Services (501) Serves dislocated agriculture workers with OJT and classroom training to develop their occupational skills to compete for new and future job opportunities in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industry. Our goal is to enroll (150) participants.
La Cooperativa Housing Grant Provides rental housing, emergency housing, and utilities assistance for dislocated agriculture workers. Our goal is to serve (85) participants.
WIOA YOUTH SERVICES & EVENTS Summer Youth Employment Connection – Conference & Job Fair
EPIC at the Beale is a specialized center that was opened at the Kern County Beale Memorial Library to connect young adults, ages 18-24 to employment opportunities and NO-COST services. EPIC serves over 200 enrolled youth with the primary goals of empowering, encouraging, and supporting our clients to establish career path goals, enroll in educational programs, and overcome barriers.
EPIC currently provides direct face-to-face services and due to COVID-19 we have also increased our services to include virtual workshops, face time appointments, curbside services, texting, and email communication.
EPIC is in the process of relocating its ofce as we have outgrown our current space at the Beale Library. We will be moving in early 2021 to our new building that is conveniently located in downtown Bakerseld with easy access to public transportation. Our new building is over 5000 sq. feet and will be equipped with a classroom for workshops, a state of the art resource room, and space for community partners to come into the EPIC Center and serve clients in a comfortable and safe setting.
This event was held in May of 2019 for all WIOA enrolled youth to provide information on the world of work and how to successfully navigate education and training into employment. Following the conference, a specialized job fair was held with (32) local Employers that hire positions t for our youth. Workshops included topics on how to assist youth in nding out more about the secrets of employment success; Peer-2-Peer mentoring; effective strategies to become resilient, overcome adversity, and create a powerful future. Participants also learn about Traitify, an assessment that can help identify personality, skills, and interests that can steer them into the right career path.
Personal Success Workshop Series
2211 H Street Bakersfield, CA 93301 New Address:
Arel Moodie, a national speaker provided two days of workshops during the month of January 2020 for our young adults to help them learn how to approach employers about job opportunities, how to apply and get noticed, how to create a positive and successful interview, and how to keep your job once you get it. Due to COVID-19, the series of workshops for the month of March got postponed to virtual workshops for the month of December.
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS
GED Testing Lab Located at the Beale Memorial Library 701 Truxtun Avenue (Second Floor) Bakersfield, CA 93301
Career Online High School Diploma The Career Online High School Diploma Program prepares students for careers whether they are entering the workplace for the first time or want to advance in their current place of employment. This program offers a unique opportunity to both earn an 18-credit AdvancED/SACS High School Diploma and a credentialed Career Certificate in a high-growth and high-demand career field.
A new testing site was added to the Kern County Beale Memorial Library for those needing to test to get their GED (General Education Diploma). The Pearson Vue authorized test center offers four test subjects: Social Studies, Science, Math, and Reasoning through Language Arts. The test site is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30am – 4:00pm. Customers can register at www.ged.com
Students receive vocational training and coursework to develop skills and knowledge to take the next step in their careers or postsecondary education. Students also receive extensive career development support and graduate with the tools like a career portfolio that includes a resume and cover letter. Two of the Career Certificate programs available for our ETR clients currently include Class “A” Truck Driving and Childcare & Education. More programs will be added for program year 2020-2021.
CalFresh Employment & Training Program The goal of the program is focused around a central vision to increase the employment and earning capacity of CalFresh recipients by providing access to the workforce development system with the opportunity to enter in and complete career pathway programs. Supportive services, skills, and credentialing are also provided. ETR has developed (4) JSA workshop modules that participants can access virtually or by appointment (due to COVID-19). Main topics include: How to Effectively Job Search; How to Sell Yourself in an Interview; How to Build an Effective Resume; and Master Application.
Café 1600 - Culinary Program Located at AJCC - SouthEast 1600 E. Belle Terrace Bakersfield, CA 93307 ETR partnered with Kern High School District / Bakersfield Adult School to establish a new Culinary Training Program into the One Stop Center cafeteria space to provide breakfast and lunch options for employees and guests. The program covers both the back and front working mechanisms of a restaurant where a head chef trains students in a scratch kitchen to create unique and wonderful dishes, and then an instructor trains them to provide meals to guests directly by servicing and waiting tables.
COVID-19 RESOURCES & SERVICES FOR EMPLOYERS
FOR JOB SEEKERS
• New Business Services Hotline (661) 336-6860 • Partnership with Employers to promote current Openings, Recruitments, and virtual Job/Career Fairs • Access Resources to avert Closure or Layoffs • Lower Unemployment Costs • Reduce Workplace Disruptions • Maintain a positive relations image • #WebinarWednesdays with CSUB -Small Business Development Center
• COVID-19 Testing Sites in Kern County • EDD – UIB & Disability phone lines and websites to start or obtain status of claims • Families First Coronavirus Response Act • COVID-19 Supportive Services Assistance • Unemployment Insurance Fraud Alert • New Online AJCC Orientation • CareerHub and TEAMS online platforms for staff to connect with customers virtually • Soft Skills Workshops via YouTube or virtual
- Managing Your Small Business During the Pandemic Crisis
- Computer Terminology & Basics - Social Media for Job Search - Resume & Interview Training
“
Kern County, through our partners, awarded 937 Small Business Loans in the total amount of $30 Million
Ridgecrest Earthquake Disaster and COVID-19 AA
Small Business Forgivable Loan Program Kern County recognizes that our local businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our County is grounded in a rich history of helping our neighbors when they need it most, and promoting them onward to boundless opportunities. The Kern Recovers Small Business Forgivable Loan Program (former name: Kern Small Business Relief Program) provided $30 million in forgivable loans of up to $75,000 each to local small businesses like restaurants, gyms, and salons to directly mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19. While similar to the federal Payroll Protection Program, the county’s program provided increased flexibility and was available to local small businesses making under $5 million in annual revenue, with less than 50 employees, and those small businesses that were unable to qualify or obtain assistance through the State COVID-19 business relief program.
Personal Protective Equipment Program As local business started to reopen, we continued to hear that the greatest barrier to opening is access to PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). In an effort to assist local business and use the County’s purchasing power to benet our community, Kern County allocated $5 million in funding to purchase PPE supplies such as: disposable face masks, disinfectant wipes, vinyl gloves, and gel hand sanitizers.
Was primarily designed to assist business impacted by the earthquakes which occurred in Ridgecrest and Trona in July of 2019. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the KIM WDB submitted a modification to the WIOA 25 Percent Dislocated Worker Additional Assistance (AA) Grant for the Ridgecrest Earthquake Disaster that was awarded in November 2019 in the amount of $304,500. The modification, which has been approved by the State, will broaden the geographic service area of the grant to include all of East Kern County and redirect remaining grant funds to dislocated workers that have been displaced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant period ends in March of 2021.
Employer Engagement Workshops Eastern Kern County ETR / AJCC held a few Engagement Workshops in Eastern Kern County where Employers were invited to hear all about our services available to them to recruit, hire, train new employees with cost incentives, as well as services to help when their businesses were having to lay off staff or close their doors.
Employers’ Training Resource and the Kern County Libraries partnered with the County to be distribution sites through (16) different locations. Eligible businesses (those with fewer than 200 employees and a physical location in Kern County) were able to come to any of these distribution points and receive goods at no-charge and up to a pre-determined limit. Up to date over 1,927 Businesses and over 46,000 Employees have benetted from the program.
Non-Profit Grant Funds Program Non-Prot entities play an important role in supporting our local economy, addressing unmet needs of the most needy in our society, and improving the quality of life in Kern County. Many of these entities rely on fundraisers and donations which have been eliminated or greatly reduced due to COVID-19. This program was designed to support Non-Prots organizations that were nancially impacted by COVID-19 and unable to participate in the Kern Recovers Small Business Forgivable Loan Program. The program awards grants of $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000 and will be issued to Non-Prot Organizations to benet residents throughout Kern County and minimize the over concentration of benets in any one geographic area relative to population.
COVID-19 Supportive Services Assistance Grant -1187 In response to COVID-19, the Governor announced the availability of additional WIOA funds to help impacted workers and businesses with re-employment, supportive services for basic needs, and Rapid Response activities. Funding is eligible to Individuals impacted by COVID-19, with an emphasis on workers that were either laid-off; had a reduction in hours or pay; subject to quarantine; had to provide care for another; or had to start teleworking. Supportive services included $400 or $800 to cover necessary equipment to telework (e.g. computer, internet, etc.), housing, utility assistance, and transportation costs.
WORKFORCE SERVICES FOR
EMPLOYERS
80+ EMPLOYER RECRUITMENTS • Aerotek
Targeted Industry Training The AJCC Network, in partnership with education providers, can assist with targeted industry training programs designed to fill employers’ immediate labor needs and help build a pipeline of skilled workers.
• Aii Staffing Solutions • Amazon • AppleOne • Bakersfield Family Medical Center • Bakersfield Fire Department • Blanc Vineyards
Business Services Representatives Housed within the AJCC locations are Business Services Representatives, whose primary focus is providing placement services to all industries, and who specialize in the areas of Healthcare, Energy & Natural Resources, Logistics & Manufacturing and Public Sector Infrastructure (Construction). This team of professionals is available to post job openings, screen applicants and coordinate or schedule interviews. They can also assist with customized job recruitment events to fill multiple positions at once.
• Bolthouse Farms • CA Dept. of Corrections & Rehabilition • California Land Management • California Mentor • CALPIA • Chennai Express • Code Precast Products, Inc. • Community Action Partnership of Kern • Conduent • Continental Labor & Staffing Resources
2019- 2020 233 OJT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
$
21.55
AVERAGE WAGE FOR PARTICIPANTS
47 EMPLOYERS WITH OJT CONTRACTS
On-the-Job Training SAVES EMPLOYERS TIME AND MONEY ON HIRING & TRAINING COSTS The On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program is designed to assist employers who are not able to fill their labor force needs with currently skilled workers. Employers may use an OJT to hire new employees who qualify for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding which is administered by ETR. Once the employer selects their new hire, ETR will establish a training contract with the employer. Then upon completion, employers will get reimbursed a portion (50-90%) of the employee’s wages or salaries during their training period.
• Copper River Seafoods • Countryside Market & Restaurants • Delano District Skilled Nursing Facility • Delano Regional Medical Center • Department of Rehabilitation • E&E Foods • Edwards Air Force Base • Employment Development Department • EMPower Culinary Staffing Solutions, Inc. • Exact Staff • Express Employment Professionals • F.I.E.L.D - Cesar E. Chavez Corps • Fuzion Energy • Golden Empire Transit District • Good Samaritan Hospital • Grimmway Farms
BIG SAVINGS = A WINNING PARTNERSHIP
• Grocery Outlet • H&R Labor Contracting • Hall Ambulance Services
$1.16 M SAVED BY EMPLOYERS
- Employers get to decide who they want to hire - They train the employees according to their business specifications and needs - Employers decide who they choose to retain as permanent employees after their OJT training period
• Higher Grounds Home, Inc. • Icicle Seafoods, Inc. • Johnson Screens, Inc. • Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services
AJCC can handle small to large-scale recruitments for employers when they need to fill multiple positions. These no-fee recruitments can be hosted at any of our comprehensive locations or at the employers’ location. AJCC also assists by coordinating and scheduling candidates for interviews, pre-screenings, skills tests and assessments.
• Kern County Sheriff's Department
Rapid Response / Layoff Aversion Our Rapid Response Program encompasses activities to avert a layoff, or to plan and deliver services to enable dislocated or under-employed workers to transition to new employment as quickly as possible, to manage their careers following a permanent business closure or mass layoff. We provide labor market information, training opportunities and referrals to employers with current job openings for laid off workers. Our Rapid Response team can also come to the aid of employers to explore alternative strategies to layoffs through such avenues as: retaining and/or retraining existing employees or building relationships with other programs, organizations, community resources or other partners.
• Kern Health Systems • Kern Medical • Kern Valley Healthcare District
PY 2019-2020
WARN Letters
# of Affected Employees
Rapid Response Orientations
July - September
14
410
66
October - November
7
926
643
January - March
19
1,713
6
April - June
115
7,411
54
TOTALS
155
10,460
769
• Key Staffing • Los Angeles Police Department • Matrix Services • Maxim Healthcare Services • McDonald's • McFarland Unified School District • Mid-Cal Labor Solutions • Murray Family Farms • NAVFAC • North Kern South Tulare Hospital District • North of the River (NOR) • O'Reilly Auto Parts • Panama-Buena Vista Union School District • Patriot Environmental Services • PCL Construction • Placement Pros • Pros Incorporated • Randstad • Round Table Pizza • R-Ranch in the Sequoias • Seven Oaks Country Club • Spectrum • Subway • Superior Grocers • TA/Petro • Taco Bell • Tasteful Selections • The GEO Group • Thomas Refuse Service • U.S. Census • UniSea • United Staffing Associates • Volt Workforce Solutions • Walmart • Wellpath • Wonderful Citrus
City of Arvin Community Job & Resource Fair
2019-2020
MAIN EVENTS
This Inaugural event took place in July of 2019 in the City of Arvin’s Veterans Hall. The event had (10) community resource partners and (22) local hiring employers who provided useful resources and job opportunities to over (600) job seeking Arvin & Lamont residents. Because of its great success to the City of Arvin decided to make this an annual event and wanted to schedule its second event for May of 2020, but due to COVID-19, the event was postponed and was held virtually in October of 2020.
Farmworker Appreciation Day and Resource Fairs in Delano & Bakersfield
DisABILITY Movement Showcase & Resource Fair Every year the month of October is recognized as “National Disability Employment Awareness Month” to enhance inclusion, create opportunity, and break barriers. In 2019, to increase awareness in our community, AJCC partnered with Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and the HIRE - Bakersfield Committee to offer a specialized event for people with disabilities to connect with local employers. The event also recognized and celebrated those employers who continue to hire individuals with disabilities and those clients with success stories. The event was open to the public and those in attendance received information about community resources that offer training opportunities, employment support, educational services, and recreational activities for people with disabilities .
Annual events held in Delano and Bakersfield to honor and appreciate the local farmworkers and their efforts to bring food to the tables of so many. Presentations are provided to educate farm laborers on new laws that protect them, health concerns, sickness prevention, and heat stroke prevention. Training opportunities are also shared for those interested in leaving the fields for other careers. Employers and community based organizations were available to connect with those in attendance.
NAVFAC Rapid Hiring Events After several large earthquakes in the Eastern Kern County area, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) – Southwest held several rapid hiring events to find talented and skilled civilian workers to repair and restore China Lake Naval Base. NAV/FAC continues to use our AJCC services to host recruitments and promote current job opportunities.
Veterans Stand Down Events in Bakersfield, Taft & Kern River Valley
Education to Workforce Summit 5 t h Annual event provided for all WIOA partners, educational partners, training programs, employers and job seekers to discuss the transition from education and training into the world of work, to share the current trends and needs of the local workforce and to honor those that have found successful job opportunities through the career pathways provided to them.
Panel #1 “Entrepreneurship as a Career Pathway” Introductions to the Workforce – Career Mapper, Internships, Entrepreneurship Opportunities. The Kern County Veterans Stand Down has traditionally been taking place the second Thursday in October for over 20+ years in Bakersfield. It is a day set aside for Veterans in need, especially those that are homeless or at-risk. During the events Veterans have the opportunity to link up with various community resources and services to obtain lunch, groceries, pet food, clothing, shoes, backpacks, grooming services, haircuts, hygiene kits, medical services, and other Veteran benets. The 2019 Bakerseld event had close to (110) registered service providers offering no-cost assistance to over (600) Veterans and their dependents. Some even had the opportunity to appear before a judge at a Veterans Court. “Veterans Court allows Veterans an opportunity to get their fines dismissed for community service and, if ordered, to receive mental health assessments, counseling and/or treatment” In January of 2020, two additional Stand Down events took place in the Kern River Valley (4thAnnual) and in Taft (Inaugural event).
Panelists: Richard Chapman from KernEDC; Kelly Bearden from CSUB-SBDC; John Paul Lake from KITE; Jacilyn Elliott from KHSD/Virtual Enterprise; Dave Teasdale from KCCD; and Dr. Mohsen Attaran from CSUB
Panel #2 “Progressive Innovations in Preparing Our Future Workforce” Early College, Dual Enrollment, Pathways Aligned to College & Industry, and Inmate Education.
3rd Annual Kern County CareerEXPO
Panelists: Aaron Ellis from ETR/AJCC; Mark Wyatt from BAS & The Job Spot; Jennifer Patino from CSU-Bakersfield; Steve Watkin from Bakersfield College; Leo Bautista from Kern Oil & Refining Co., and Brian Miller from KHSD-ROC & CTE Programs
AJCC & ETR partnered with Kern High School District, CSU Bakersfield, Bakersfield College, and several community organizations to create this great event for students to become aware of careers that many don't know about and that are available in their community with local Employers. The event spotlights and connects our local youth to education, training, and employers to help them make plans for their futures in our community. Our event held in March of 2020 had over (4,000) attendees and (100) Businesses & Schools.
We had Jeff Hoffman, global speaker, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Priceline.com as our Keynote Speaker and Terry Solis, Director of Geekwise Academy, a Division of Bitwise Industries.
Kern County Education to Workforce Summit Award Winners. Pictured from left to right are:
Nestor Veloya, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Bianka Pantoja, Sean Heredia, and Teresa & Jimmy Leal from PROS Inc.
Nestor Veloya
Elizabeth Gonzalez
Nestor Veloya came to the US in 1990 from the Philippines to live in Delano, CA. Nestor has worked for several employers over the years including Paramount Citrus, McDonald's and Sears Logistics Services but has been laid off from each due to lack of work, downsizing, or relocation. Frustrated with his employment options in Delano, Nestor found work in Alaska for six years, but returned to Delano after he got married. He found work as a Shipping Coordinator with Wonderful Citrus but was again laid off.
Since the age of 13, Elizabeth has been interested in the medical eld after being diagnosed with diabetes. She was referred to the Kern High School District, Career Resource Department – Careers Schools Success Program after graduating High School with no work experience and unsure of what she wanted to do with her life.
Program Support Specialist for Proteus, Inc.
While receiving unemployment benets he was directed to America's Job Center to look for work. There he found out about the Proteus Ofce Automation class and enrolled. Nestor was a great student and assisted others so well that Proteus hired him as a full-time staff as a Program Support Specialist position to teach the Wasco classes. “I want to thank my Proteus Family and ETR for giving me the opportunity to work, for giving me the training that I needed to succeed in life.”
Medical Assistant & Educator for Bakersfield Family Medical Group
Elizabeth was enrolled in the Medical Front Ofce Classes where she learned medical terminology, HIPAA rules, billing, coding, patient registration and scheduling and completed 500 hours of work experience in a medical ofce. Then she decided to enroll into Bakerseld Adult School's Medical Assistant Program to further her medical skills and education. After receiving her certication, she became employed with Bakerseld Family Medical Center as a Medical Assistant and Educator. “The rst person I want to thank is my mom, because without her this wouldn't be possible, she actually would encourage me a lot to just keep going and to keep following my dreams.”
SUCCESS STORIES Sean Heredia
PROS Inc.
Although being hard of hearing, Sean graduated from Bakerseld College with an Associates of Arts Degree in American Sign Language and worked as a Teacher's Aide assisting the professor and students. Sean was referred to America's Job Center for their Disability Employment Accelerator Grant Program to assist him in nding employment opportunities to match his education.
PROS Inc. is an employer that has seen the ups and downs of the oil industry and have weathered the storm by investing in their employees. Experienced oileld workers were hard to nd as they were either already employed or pursuing other lines of work so PROS Inc. chose to be proactive in training and developing their employees to keep them. Partnering with ETR/AJCC to utilize the OJT program they were able to give new employees a job and get nancial assistance for the cost of training them.
Direct Care Aide Kern County Autism Center
Sean worked with staff to prepare a resume and develop interview techniques to get him job ready. He was then referred to the Kern County Autism Center, where he was ultimately hired as a Direct Care Aide. In his new position he works with Autistic Adults to help them navigate their lives and their personal needs. As some of them are nonverbal he is teaching them American Sign Language to help them better communicate with him and others. “One of the biggest obstacles in nding a job, is nding an Employer who is educated about deaf culture and knows that they can work, and not just someone with a disability who can not.”
2019-2020 Outstanding Employer of the Year
This program worked so well for them that they have hired and kept over (40) employees. Along with offering competitive wages and training their new hires to become fully trained, PROS Inc. has not only improved the lives of their staff but has also improved the economic conditions of the community. “I would denitely recommend America's Job Center's services to other employers, especially those that have specic training needs, it allows that company to specically train to their industry.”
1600 E. Belle Terrace Bakersfield, CA 93307 www.americasjobcenterofkern.com Tel: (661) 325-HIRE The AJCC & WIOA are an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.