Annual Report 2022 - 2023

Message From the WDB Board Chair

Throughout the program year 2022 -2023, there were many successes, but also some challenges. While employers were trying to rebound from the COVID pandemic, some employers struggled retaining and finding new employees who were ready to go to work. Although the COVID pandemic had significant impact on everyone, it also introduced new technologies that allowed employees to work from home. This new teleworking option was desired by many as they saw it as a path for better work/life balance. People preferred employers that offered this option and would leave to seek this out. Many businesses were left scrambling to create solutions to both retain their existing workforce but also find new employees. Industries that were not conducive to working from home were left searching to hire employees that were willing to show up on-site every day to do their jobs. Despite these challenges, we were able to assist many employers in connecting with people seeking employment through hosting over 55 employer recruitments and offering 48 employers On-the-Job Training (OJT) opportunities (333 participants) to help train their new hires. Through the many OJTs, we reinvested over $2 million back into our local economy.

Since employers and job seekers had adapted to new online technologies and meeting platforms, we used these more often to communicate. We provided workshops on Microsoft Teams or Zoom, aired our weekly Job Squad announcements on Facebook Live streaming, and expanded our social media to include 11 different accounts with Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube for America’s Job Center of California (AJCC), Employers’ Training Resource (ETR), and our EPIC young adult program. Promoting our services to our customers through online platforms and social media has been very successful as we now have over 40,000 account followers across all platforms. Getting the word out electronically has helped our events and recruitments to be well attended and our training programs to have a record number of enrollments. In addition, we plan to re-vamp our websites to provide real-time performance data, an updated list of services, and instructions to access our services and to be a more user-friendly platform for our customers.

We continued to provide employment and training services to employers and various job seeker populations: farm workers, justice-involved, CalWORKS recipients, veterans, adults, dislocated workers, and young adults. Businesses often used our Employer Hotline to get direct and professional answers to their most pressing Human Resources questions. ETR enrolled 584 job seekers into a variety of career training programs that assisted them in obtaining full-time employment once completed. Many took advantage of other services like using our resource rooms, job search assistance, employment workshops, typing tests, job referrals, and more to help them reach their personal employment goals.

As we move into program year 2023-2024, we plan to continue incorporating the online technologies that emerged during the COVID pandemic to reach those in need of our services. We look forward to helping additional job seeker populations and locate new businesses that would benefit from our no-cost employer services.

Thank you,

Alissa Reed

WDB Board Chair

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 STATEMENT

To create the most effective and responsive workforce develpoment system in the country

AJCC PARTNERS & LOCATIONS

COMPREHENSIVE ONE-STOP CENTERS

Bakersfield

1600 E. Belle Terrace

Bakersfield, CA 93307

Ridgecrest

540 Perdew Ave., Suite B-2

Ridgecrest, CA 93555

SPECIALTY SITES

Business Center

1129 Olive Drive, Suites C & D

Bakersfield, CA 93308

EPIC Center (Young Adult Center)

2211 H Street

Bakersfield, CA 93301

AJCC AFFILIATE SITES

KERN COUNTY

Delano

707 Main St. Suite #5

Delano, CA 93215

Lake Isabella

5540 Lake Isabella Blvd., Suite E-3

Lake Isabella, CA 93240

Oildale

1129 Olive Drive, Suite H

Bakersfield, CA 93308

AJCC AFFILIATE SITES

MONO COUNTY

Mammoth Lakes

1290 Tavern Road, Suite 229

Mammoth Lakes 93546

Walker

107384 South Highway 395

Walker, CA 96107

AJCC AFFILIATE SITES

INYO COUNTY

Bishop

1360 N. Main Street

Bishop, CA 93514

PARTNER SERVICES SITES

Lamont

8300 Segrue Road

Lamont, CA 93241

Mojave

2300 Highway 58

Mojave, CA 93501

Shafter

115 Central Valley Highway

Shafter, CA 93263

Taft

119 North 10th Street

Taft, CA 93268

2022-2023

WORKFORCE PARTNERS

Bakersfield Adult School

Bakersfield 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

Mono County Social Services

Proteus Incorporated

SER -Jobs for Progress, Inc.

Taft College (West Kern Community College District)

Tehachapi Unified School District

JOB SEEKER SERVICES

PROVIDING the SERVICES YOU NEED

• Resume workshops

• Interviewing techniques

• Job Search Assistance classes

• Career clothing closet

• Typing certificates

• WorkKeys assessment

TRAINING & ASSISTANCE

• Individual assessment of skills and interests

• Career counseling and planning

• Extensive job preparation and planning classes

• Career training in occupations with projected growth

• Incentives for businesses to train you while on the job

INFORMATION YOU ARE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES YOU WANT

• Access to current job openings

• Job fairs and employer recruitments

• Data on wages and salaries in the labor market

• Entrepreneurial and small business information

• Filing unemployment insurance benefits

• State disability forms

• Computers, printers, internet access

• Telephones for calling about jobs

• Faxing of resumes or applications

• Copying of your resume and certificates

• Referrals to other community resources

• Direct line to file Unemployment Insurance claim

EMPLOYER SERVICES & RESOURCES

POST JOB OPENINGS

CalJOBS is an internet-based virtual job center available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Post unlimited job listings, search resumes, contact potential applicants and gain maximum exposure for your available jobs. For more information, visit www.caljobs.ca.gov.

INDIVIDUALIZED RECRUITMENTS

Let us handle your large-scale recruitments when you need to fill multiple positions. We can do it at any of our comprehensive locations or at your location for no fee.

LAYOFF AVERSION

We can assist you to coordinate services and strategize cost-saving alternatives to avoid downsizing or closing your business.

TARGETED INDUSTRY TRAINING

The AJCC Network, in partnership with education providers, can assist with targeted industry training programs designed to fill your immediate labor shortages and help you build a pipeline of skilled workers.

WORK-READY RECRUITS

We can coordinate and schedule candidate interviews and assist with pre-screenings, skills assessments and information on candidate background checks.

888.201.5817 ~ ETR NO-COST HR HOTLINE

Get expert advice, guidance, and support for your business. Monday - Friday (8am - 5pm).

PY 2022-2023 PERFORMANCE ADULT

DISLOCATED WORKER

TRAINING ENROLLMENTS

High

Pharmacy Technician

Kern Community College District

LVN to Associate Degree Nursing Program- BC

Physical Therapist Assistant- BC

Radiologic Technology-BC

Registered Nurse-BC

Vocational Nursing- BC

EMPLOYER RECRUITMENTS

Alliance Ready Mix

Amazon

Bakersfield Family Medical Group

Bolthouse Farms

Burrtec

Buttonwillow Warehouse Co.

C&J Well Services

Califia Farms

California Dairies

Care N Compassion

CDCR

City of Bakersfield

Continental Labor & Staffing Resources

E&E Foods

Eagle Mountain Casino - Porterville

Exact Staff

GAF

Greenfield Union School District

Grimmway Farms

GWC Italia

Hall Ambulance

Kern County Sheriff's Office

Kern County Probation Department

Kern Health Systems

Kern Medical

Key Staffing

NAVFAC

NAWC Weapons Division

NAWS - China Lake

OnPoint Gym

Opportunities For Learning

Panama-Buena Vista USD

PCL Construction

Quinn Company

Opportunities For Learning

Panama-Buena Vista USD

PCL Construction

Quinn Company

Rand/MID CAL Labor Solutions

Randstad

Recology

Ross / DD's Discount

Special Explorers Center

Sunrise Brands

TA Petro

Tasteful Selections

The Burlington Assisted Living and Kern Village

Transportation Security Administration(TSA)

Trans-West Security

UniSea

USDA - Forest Service

Valley Achievement Center

Winn Companies

Wonderful Company

CAFE 1600

Bakersfield Adult School

Culinary Arts Program

LABORERS of the HARVEST

PAID Job Training to help candidates obtain a well-paid job while they help feed hungry families.

RECYCLING LIVES

Job readiness training with transitional jobs. Participants who successfully complete this program will have the skills to work in the warehouse & logistics industries.

BITWISE INDUSTRIES

Paid Work Experience

VALLEY BUILD

MICROBUSINESS

A $2,500 Covid-19 relief grant for eligible microbusinesses.

Multi-Craft Pre-apprenticeship training (MC3)

Pre-Apprenticeship Readiness Program offered in partnership with local Building Trade Unions. Classroom and hands on training, specific to the trades is provided by the local Trade Unions. At the conclusion of the Pre-Apprenticeship program, all students will receive Certificate of Completion for the class training. CPR/First Aid, OSHA 10 and HR Sexual Harassment/Diversity from the Kern County Building Trades Council.

FARMWORKER OUTREACH EVENTS

Outreach events for no-cost services and training programs available for Farmworkers and their dependents.

WDB MEMBERS

Business

Laura Barnes

Associated Builders & Contractors

Leo Bautista

Kern Oil & Refining/The Wonderful Company

Kelly Bearden

CSUB Small Business Development Center

Richard Chapman

KEDC (Kern Economic Development Corporation)

Greg Gutierrez

Truitt Oilfield Maintenance Corporation

Nick Hill Ill

Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce

Ian Journey

Journey Engineering Inc.

Greg Knittel

Centralize HR, LLC

Dr. Anita Martin

Martin and Foster Consulting

Brenda Mendivel

Bakersfield Family Medical Center

Clare Pagnini

Driltek Operating LLC

Alissa Reed

Kern Oil & Refining

Jay Tamsi

Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Todd Yepez

PCL Industrial Services, Inc.

Michele Warren

Golden Empire Transit

Economic and Education Community Development

Aaron Ellis

Employers' Training Resource

Teresa Hitchcock

Employers' Training Resource

Priscilla Varela

Department of Rehabilitation

Shelly Tarver

Employment Development Department

Randy Martin

Covenant Community Services

Jeremy Tobias

Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK)

Dr. Dean McGee

Kern High School District

Norma Rojas-Mora

Bakersfield College/Housing Authority

Dr. Trudy Gerald

Kern Community College District

Labor

Steven Gomez

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Refrigeration Local 460

Chris Gonzales

SMART Sheet Metal Local #105

John Adams

Operating Engineers Local 12

Brian Holt

IBEW Local #428

John Spaulding

Kern, Inyo, Mono Counties Bldg & Const. Trade Council

John Moralez

Teamsters Local Union #87

Alissa Reed

KIM Building Trades Council

WE ID ENTIF Y

SKILLS GAP S

To m e e t t he ne e d s o f e m p lo y e rs.

WE CONNECT

SKILLED JOB SEEKERS WIT H HIRING EMPLOYERS.

W E B R I N G TH E

COM M UN I TY TOGE TH E R

Thro ug h b o a rd s a nd c o m m it t e e s t ha t d e t e rm ine p o lic y st ra t e g y a nd p rio rit ie s in w o rkfo rc e.

WE CONV ENE

WE BRING MONEY

TO THE REGION

F ro m fe d e ra l, st a t e lo c a l g o v e rnm e nt a l fund ing so urc e s.

WE D ESIGN, F UND , D ELIV ER and MEASURE THE P ROGRAMS

t o inc re a se o p p o rt unit ie s fo r jo b se e ke rs a nd so lut io ns

Co m m unit y p a rt ne rs a nd e d uc a t o rs t o c re a t e im p a c t ful w o rkfo rc e d e v e lo p m e nt p ro g ra m s

WE ID ENTIF Y

WORK TO. . .

~ GUIDE P ARTNERS

~ UNDERSTAND NEEDS

~ CONDUCT RESEARCH

~ MEASURE RESULTS

~ AWARD F UNDS