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Workforce Bulletin October 23, 2008  Visit the FDL Job Center Newsletter Archives  Printer-friendly newsletter |
Welcome Workforce Bulletin The Workforce Bulletin is a quarterly publication of the Fond du Lac Area Job & Career Center and Berlin Job Center. The intent of the Bulletin is to keep you informed of the changing issues and trends in workforce development, from a local, regional and national perspective, to help your business succeed in a constantly changing marketplace. We welcome your suggestions and feedback. To contact us, click on: bulletin@fdljobcenter.com. Additional business services and resources can be found on our websites at: www.fdljobcenter.com and www.berlinjobcenter.com.
What's Happening November 18 - Understanding Communication Styles An understanding of communication styles can enhance your organizational and personal effectiveness. Linda Wilke, MPTC Instructor, will present communication concepts that can be applied to a variety of areas, including conflict resolution, team building, problem solving and employee relations. "Understanding Communication Styles" will be held on Tuesday, November 18, from 7:30 am - 9:00 am, at the Fond du Lac Public Library. This class is part of the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce ACUniversity series and is open to both members and non-members. For more information and to register, click here: Understanding Communication Styles.
November 19 - Entrepreneur's Connection E-Connect will be held on November 19 from 4 pm - 7:30 pm at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh. This event will provide entrepreneurs and those who dream of becoming entrepreneurs with the opportunity to network and connect on common challenges. Breakout sessions include: Marketing and Sales, Business Plan Competition, Finance, Starting a Business and High-Impact Entrepreneurship. Cost is $30 per person and registration deadline is November 7. To register, go to: http://events.oshkoshchamber.com. For more information, call Melissa at the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 920.303.2266 or go to: www.econnectevent.com.
November 20 - Lean Overview Session Business Operations Excellence Series - Lean Overview Session will be held from 8 am - 12:30 pm on November 20, December 18 and January 22 at Fox Valley Workforce Development Board, Inc., 1401 McMahon Drive, Neenah, WI. Topics to be covered include: Using Value Stream Mapping to find the waste in your processes, Implementing 5S & TPM to identify ways to better organize your work areas, and Establishing a Cellular Workplace with Standardized Work to make scheduling and planning an effective and reliable process. Participate in a hands-on activity that will demonstrate the power of Lean tools. This overview session is offered free of charge and includes training materials and refreshments. For more information, contact Jim Eagan, 920.720.5600, ext. 316; email: jim.eagan@workforceeconomics.org or David DiPietro, 920.720.5600, ext. 308; email: david.dipietro@workforceeconomics.org. To download a registration form, click on: http://www.foxcitiesworks.com/data/file_upload/Lean_Overview_Brochure_Nov_Dec_Jan_09__3_.doc
December 8 - New North Summit and NEW END 2008 Monday, December 8, 2008, is a Date to Collaborate. The New North will hold its fourth annual Summit that morning at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, and the fourth annual NEW END (Northeast Wisconsin Entrepreneur Networking Day) will be held that afternoon at the same location. The partnership of these two events is a unique collaboration that will bring together diverse groups of individuals. Regional economic development is something that is important to everyone living in Northeast Wisconsin: employers large and small, government and non-government organizations. Plans are still underway for this event. For more information and to register, go to: http://www.thenewnorth.com/thenewnorth/home/summit.asp.
December 9 - Running Effective Meetings Streamline your meetings by learning how to define the purpose, set the ground rules, and create a process for the most appropriate payoff. Dave Podeszwa, D.L. Podeszwa & Associates, will present "Running Effective Meetings" on Tuesday, December 9, from 7:30 am - 9:00 am at the Fond du Lac Public Library. One in a series of ACUniversity classes, the session is open to both members and non-members. For more information and to register, click on: Running Effective Meetings.
February 12 - Spring Career Fair on the Fox The 2009 Spring Career Fair on the Fox will be held on Thursday, February 12 from 2 pm - 6 pm at the Kolf Sports Center, 785 High Avenue, Oshkosh (on the UW-Oshkosh campus). The fair is co-sponsored by UW Oshkosh Career Services, Fox Valley Technical College, the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, the Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Center and the Fox Cities Workforce Development Center. For more information, please contact Sarah Kriha, UW-Oshkosh, 920.424.2141, or email: krihas@uwosh.edu.
Resources Northeast Wisconsin Business Plan Contest The Northeast Wisconsin Business Plan Contest is now accepting entries. Entries must be received by noon on January 12, 2009. The top prize is $10,000 and a total of $25,000 in prizes will be awarded. The business must be open by March 9, 2010 in order to receive the prize money. For more information, click on: http://www.thenewnorth.com/thenewnorth/newrep/business+plan+contest/default.asp. For general questions, contact Cathy Huybers, 920.720.5600, ext. 306.
DWD Launches Job Center of WI Site In September, the WI Department of Workforce Development announced the launch of a new free website to meet Wisconsin's 21st Century employment needs that will better connect employers and job seekers. JobCenterofWisconsin.com replaces the State's JobNet system, which was created in 1993 and has become outdated. Employers will still be able to post job openings at no cost, as well as copy and paste text from your company openings. In addition, new employer features include the ability to search for candidate online profiles, choose best matches from a summary list of candidates, and immediately email potential candidates. Additional employer tools on this site include links to: Other Resources, Unemployment Insurance and New Hire Reporting. A second round of upgrades will be added in December, including simplified methods for employers to save job postings. Need an employee? Go to: www.JobCenterofWisconsin.com.
Rapid Response Services The State Dislocated Worker Program in the Department of Workforce Development provides rapid response assistance to workers, companies, organized labor and communities affected by business closings or mass layoffs. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) ensures that employment and training services are made available quickly through locally operated programs and state level rapid response coordinators. The State Dislocated Worker Unit and local Workforce Development Board can provide the following Rapid Response assistance to businesses and communities:
Early intervention is important in developing options and strategies for employers, employees and those communites affected. For more information, please call the Wisconsin Dislocated Worker Unit at 608.266.7406, or in the extended Fox Cities Area, including Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Waupaca, Waushara, Green Lake and Fond du Lac counties, contact the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board at 920.720.5600. All calls will be kept confidential. For additional information, go to: http://www.doleta.gov/layoff/employers.cfm.
Two New Online Finance Courses for Small Business Owners The U.S. Small Business Administration has introduced two new free online finance courses to help small business owners with the basic principles of finance and borrowing. The new self-paced courses, Finance Primer: Guide to SBA's Loan Guaranty Programs and How to Prepare a Loan Package can be found at: www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/index.html under the header "Financing & Accounting." These courses walk business owners through steps that answer questions about what debt financing is, which loan programs are available, what small businesses should know about borrowing money, how to prepare a loan package, and how loan requests are reviewed by lenders.
Spotlight National Disability Employment Awareness Month Every October we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Many events and activities are held to celebrate the talents and contributions that people with disabilities bring to the work force. Joyce Benders, President and CEO of Bender Consulting Services states that the reality of the situation is that only 35% of Americans with significant disabilities who want to work are actually working. Until we commit to taking action, not much will change. It is the way we act every day that matters. Talking about the statistics is a good first step, but action that you take is what matters most. The same goes for National Disability Employment Awareness Month - action - is what matters. Joyce states, "Now we need the implementation plan." Suggestions of immediate steps that can be taken to raise awareness and create a plan of action:
If you have questions or would like information on hiring and/or retaining persons with disabilities, contact Alex Annoye, Disability Program Navigator, Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Center, phone: 920.232.6271, cell phone: 920.410.0702, or email: alex.annoye@workforceeconomics.org.
Workforce Trends Fond du Lac Labor Shortage Survey Now Available Online The results of the recently completed Fond du Lac county labor shortage survey are now available online. The 18 page comprehensive study on the labor force outlook includes graphics, conclusions and recommendations. The project is a collaboration of the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce, the Fond du Lac Area Human Resource Association and Moraine Park Technical College. To download and print the report, click on: 2007-'08 Retirement & Departure Intentions Survey Report. To arrange for a 30-minute presentation of the survey results to your business/organization, contact the A/C at info@fdlac.com or 920.921.9500.
Recession Proof Jobs A recent report from JobFox, JobFox Top 20 Most Recession Proof Professions, identifies professions that have most consistently remained in highest demand over an eight month period from November 2007 through July 2008, during a critical period of economic slowdown. The top 10 ranked in order are:
The technology sector has the most professions in the Top 20, including Testing/Quality Assurance, Database Administration and Technology Executive. The complete list of rankings can be found at: www.jobfox.com/site/employer/pdf/topjobsjuly08.pdf.
Updates New EEO Required Posters EEO required posters were updated in August 2008. For copies of the new posters, go to: http://www.dol.gov/esa/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm.
ADA Amendments Act of 2008 The ADA Amendments Act of 2008, signed into law by President Bush in September, becomes effective January 1, 2009. The reforms will restore the intent of the bipartisan Congress which passed the ADA in 1990 and overturns a decade of jurisprudence that has barred the door to ADA eligibility for many people with disabilities, including diabetes, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, cancer, and intellectual and emotional disabilities. The ADAAA overturns an earlier Supreme Court ruling (Sutton vs. United Airlines) that people with disabilities were not eligible under the ADA if their conditions could be mitigated by medication, assistive technology and equipment, or learned behavioral adaptations. The law also overturns Sutton's holding that a disability must limit more than one major life activity. The bill also clarifies that major life activities include working, communicating, concentrating, thinking, reading, and other activities of central importance. In addition, the bill emphasizes that the definition of disability as "substantially" limiting someone from performing major life activities should be broadly interpreted, whereas the Supreme Court and EEOC had required the restriction be "significant" or "severe." To view a copy of the bill which was signed into law, go to: www.congress.gov, enter S3406 in the Search box, then choose S3406 ENR.
Workforce Publications 2006-2016 Wisconsin's Job Outlook Report Now Available The report analyzing the long term Wisconsin projections data for 2006-2016 is now available on the Department of Workforce Development, Office of Economic Advisors web site at: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/oea/employment_projections/wisconsin/lt_summary.pdf. Highlights of the Projections Report include: Changing demand, technology advancement and global competition will continue to drive the long-term historic shift to the need for more skilled workers. There will be nearly one million job openings between 2006 and 2016. Of these, more than two-thirds will be due to replacement needs. Employment is projected to grow 8.0 percent between 2006 and 2016. Education and health services industry will add the greatest number of new jobs of any super-sector industry. Manufacturing is projected to decline; however, industries within manufacturing will be adding new jobs. Among these are: nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing, furniture and related product manufacturing, and chemical manufacturing.
Labor Market Data Local & State Unemployment Data
For more information, go to: http://worknet.wisconsin.gov/worknet/datablelist.aspx?menuselection=da.
Businesses in the News Area Business Expansions Endries International, Brillion, www.endries.com, plans on creating around 140 jobs over the next three to five years. The company recently added 101,000 sq. ft. of production space and currently has about 550 employees. The company expects to begin hiring toward the end of the year and will be seeking warehouse workers, forklift drivers and other people to work second and third shifts. Kraft Pizza Company, Little Chute, www.kraft.com, is planning a 100,000 sq. ft. expansion and parking lot addition. The expansion is expected to result in 300 new jobs. The Kraft facility is currently 380,000 sq. ft. and employs 730 workers. Full production in the new space is expected to be operational by April 2009. Mid Valley Industries, Kaukauna, www.mvii.com, is planning a $4 million investment, which includes a 23,000 sq. ft. addition and new equipment. The expansion is adding 75 new positions to the company's 82 full-time employees, and the firm is currently hiring. U.S. Oil, Kimberly, www.usoil.com, has purchased about 20 acres in the CE Industrial Park and is planning to build a new company headquarters there. The new office building will bring together about 260 employees now spread around separate facilities in Combined Locks and Kimberly. Wausau Equipment Co. Inc, www.wausau-everest.com, plans to build a new 22,050 sq. ft. testing, assembly and research & development plant in the Town of Fond du Lac. The new plant will cost $2.4 million and will enable the company to create 34 new jobs. Wausau Equipment will receive $221,000 in Enterprise Development Zone tax credits from the WI Dept. of Commerce to accommodate the new plant. For information on tools and resources you'll need to start or grow your Wisconsin business, go to: http://www.forwardwisconsin.org/section13/Wisconsin-Business-Toolkit.
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