LAKEPORT ? Questions from the Lake County Board of Supervisors focused on the effectiveness of employment services offered at the Lake County One-Stop Tuesday during a discussion about the office”s future.
The office offers services and training programs for jobseekers, businesses, dislocated workers and youth. While explaining the office”s services, NCCC Program Manager Pamela Tellez told the board the county”s unemployment rate had jumped to 16 percent. Supervisor Rob Brown asked how many people had been employed as a result of the employment aid offered at the One-Stop.
“We carried over 200 people into July 1 (2008), enrolled almost 700-plus since July 1, and served over 900 people since that time, and people are getting jobs all the time,” Tellez said.
Tellez said she could bring back statistics about how many people who received employment services were successfully placed in jobs. She told the board the agency performs outreach and tries to match jobseekers with employers who are seeking applicants.
Information about the One-Stop and Employment Development Department is available online at www.co.lake.ca.us. Under the “Residents” menu at the top of the screen, scroll down to “Community Resources,” then click on “Employment and Training.” For more information, call the One-Stop office at 263-0630.
“That”s part of our responsibility up here ? to make sure we use whatever resource we have available to get the information out there to help these businesses and match them up with employees. If there”s a possibility of getting that information, maybe our unemployment rate would still be double digits, but it wouldn”t be 16 percent,” Brown said.
The office administers public funds for workforce development and employment services from the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 through a partnership with the state Employment Development Department. A non-profit arm of the North Central Counties Consortium Inc. (NCCC) operates the office. After three years of operating the One-Stop, NCCC is expected to issue a request for proposals for future management of the office.
The board supported Lake County Social Services Director Carol Huchingson”s intention to submit a proposal to operate the One-Stop.
“Through our knowledge of community resources and current funding options, our long-standing relationships with partner agencies and our well-trained staff, we are uniquely positioned to provide exemplary services to or community and to avoid any duplication of services,” Huchingson wrote in a memo to the board.
Tellez said after the discussion that the request for proposals was expected soon, but did not know when to expect it.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
