A Q&A

with Dustin Hillebrand, workforce center manager at Job Service North Dakota in Grand Forks. Job Service does more than help people find work

By Andrew Weeks

EDITOR’S NOTE:

GRAND FORKS, N.D. • McKanzie Goss sat across from a computer monitor, tapping a keyboard as she searched for employment opportunities.

Goss, from Grand Forks, N.D., has spent most of her career in the retail business and she didn’t want to change now.

But finding a job wasn’t the easiest task in her book, and so she decided to visit Job Service North Dakota. Besides offering computers where visitors can search employment opportunities, the agency, which has nine locations across the Peace Garden State, has staff ready and willing to answer questions and a number of programs to help the job seeker.

Through its array of services and programs, Job Service North Dakota also helps young people and veterans.

Du stin Hillebrand, workforce center manager of the Grand Forks office, met with Prairie Business and ans wered questions about the agency’s services and programs.

DUSTIN HILLEBRAND, WORKFORCE CENTER MANAGER FOR THE JOB SERVICE NORTH DAKOTA OFFICE IN GRAND FORKS, POSES FOR A PHOTO AT HIS DESK IN JANUARY. HILLEBRAND HAS BEEN WITH THE STATE AGENCY SINCE 2015, AND SAYS JOB SERVICE HAS MORE OFFERINGS THAN WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT AT FIRST ASSUME. IMAGE: ANDREW WEEKS/PRAIRIE BUSINESS

HOW LONG HAS JOB SERVICE BEEN AROUND?

Job Service North Dakota has its roots in the Social Security Act of 1935, when Congress established unemployment insurance as part of an employment security system designed to provide an economic safety net during the height of the Depression.

HOW MANY STATE OFFICES ARE THERE?

DO YOU GENERALLY HAVE A TIME OF YEAR THAT IS BUSIEST AND, IF SO, WHEN IS IT?

Sure, we see seasonal patterns. There are some big industries, like farming and construction, that do a lot of seasonal hiring and layoffs. So spring and fall are typically busy. But really, every day is different. Each Workforce Center hosts employers that come into our offices to hold hiring events either weekly or monthly, and we also have regional multi-industry job fairs twice a year. But we also serve employers and job seekers through a variety of programs that don’t see seasonal arcs.

There are nine Workforce Centers across North Dakota: Grand Forks, Fargo, Wahpeton, Devils Lake, Jamestown, Bismarck, Minot, Williston, and Dickinson. We also have a central office located in Bismarck.

ON AVERAGE ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE USE THE FACILITY?

The Grand Forks office serves about 1,100 people a month on average. We also share space with Vocational Rehabilitation, which is convenient for clients using both services.

IN WHAT WAYS DOES JOB SERVICE HELP PEOPLE FIND WORK?

The most visible way is our website, www.jobsnd.com. All nine of our Workforce Centers are resource centers with computers job seekers can use to look for work, fill out resumes and applications, and file unemployment insurance claims.

Less visible, but still extremely important, are the different programs available to job seekers. Through the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) we provide classroom training, on the job training, and opportunities to build work experience. WIOA is broken into adult and youth programs, so we can really customize the services to each client. We have a program called PRIDE that assists noncustodial parents who are behind on child support to find employment. We have services for people who are receiving Unemployment Insurance, to assist their job search in a variety of ways. And our Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP) helps veterans with significant barriers to employment overcome those barriers. All DVOPs are veterans themselves, which helps build relationships with the veterans looking for work. We also have business services consultants who work with employers to help them find workers. Our staff works hard to bridge the gap between employer and job seeker.

Q. A.

WHAT IS THE GENERAL PROCESS OF FINDING WORK THROUGH JOB SERVICE?

All of the assistance we offer can sound intimidating, but we’re here to make the process easy and help clients navigate. Appointments are not necessary, just walk in and register, and we’ll point you to the right resource, whether that’s a computer to use, a seminar to take or a specialist to talk to. Often, a visit to our Workforce Center is not even necessary. Our website is userfriendly and available 24/7.

Q.

TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE UNIQUE RESOURCES THAT JOB SERVICE PROVIDES?

Job Service North Dakota has an entire Labor Market Information (LMI) department that gathers and receives data from the state and federal governments, and compiles it so we can see trends. This data is so important to the business environment in our state. Many Economic Development Corporations (EDCs) and Chambers of Commerce use information from LMI to work with member companies. In the Workforce Centers we use that data in a lot of ways, for instance, to help clients find career paths with growth.

We have programs to help employers find the right employees. We have multiple programs to help employees learn skills, explore careers and find employment.

We also operate the state’s Unemployment Insurance program.

Q.

A. A.

WHAT ARE A COUPLE OF THE PROGRAMS YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF AND WHY?

All of our programs have an impact on our clients. We have such a diverse clientele it’s hard to compare specific outcomes. I started off as a Disabled Veteran Outreach Program specialist so that program is closest to my heart as a veteran myself. I enjoyed working with veterans daily. I helped a 70-year-old vet find some part-time work because he still had so much to offer, yet he was bored and felt trapped at home. I helped newly separated veterans find their next path after leaving the military, and pointed them in the right direction to find the answers as they filed for disability claims or went back to school. All of that was really fulfilling.

Honestly, every day we see clients at a low point in their lives. Imagine working at a company for 20 years, and then being laid off. Those folks come to our office surprised, hurt, confused, and with no idea what their next step is. Our team works to help them move on through kind words, support, information, referrals, and dedication. We all celebrate when a client that was in tears when we met sends us a card saying they got a job.

Our WIOA and PRIDE programs are the same way. It is amazing how successful clients can be with a little help. Both of those programs have very dedicated team members who invest themselves in the lives of their clients.

Q. A. HOW IS JOB SERVICE FUNDED?

JSND is 98% federally funded through a variety of grants. The other 2% comes from our state legislature.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR YOUR OFFICE WITH THE STATE’S LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE?

This is a problem for our entire state, and solving it is going to take a collaborative effort between the state government and private businesses. Job Service North Dakota is proud to play a role by connecting employers and employees with the best fit. Right now there are more than 15,000 open jobs listed on our site.

WHAT OTHER CHALLENGES DOES THE AGENCY FACE?

Funding can be a challenge at times, but that’s not specific to our agency. Everyone has tight belts.

IN WHAT WAYS DOES JOB SERVICE PARTNER WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY?

The most visible projects are the regional multi-industry job fairs we hold twice a year. In Grand Forks we average 65 employers and about 350 job seekers at each one. Most of our workforce centers hold hiring events for local businesses so they can come to job seekers. In 2019 in our Grand Forks office we held 194 hiring events.

Many of our team around the state sit on different boards to provide insight on workforce solutions. JSND has programs that use income tax withholdings help primary sector businesses fund training for new positions, help employers receive federal income tax credits, and provide businesses with bonds to hire justiceinvolved job seekers.

CONFLUENCE HAS ACQUIRED LAND ELEMENTS, AN ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE FIRM IN DOWNTOWN FARGO, N.D. THIS IMAGE SHOWS ONE OF THE COMPANY’S PROJECTS, THE VA HOSPITAL IN FARGO.

IMAGE: COURTESY OF CONFLUENCE