Robert Clarkson Clothier

Transcription

>> Narrator: As the Great Recession gripped the nation, North Carolina saw businesses close and unemployment rise to double digits from millworker to corporate executive, none was spared. >> Tasha Phillips: Just a normal day, we were called to the timeclock and we were notified that within five minutes that the company would be closing. >> Benjamin Bryson: I put in over 250 applications in within three weeks and I did not hear back from any industry. >> Ada Bruce: Gosh I used every cent that I had saved. It was like starting all over again. >> James Rife: I'm a veteran I was looking for a job with no prospects, you know the savings account was dwindling. I have a family to support. >> Peter Clothier: We just lived as we could, there was just no future really. >> Narrator: In 2009 the Federal Government enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act a stimulus package to serve those most affected by the recession. As part of the stimulus, under Workforce Investment Act, or WIA, formula funding North Carolina received nearly $80 million dollars. >> Narrator: With the addition of Recovery Act funding, the stateís Workforce Investment Act reached twice as many North Carolinians as it typically serves. >> Narrator: Thousands of job seekers and dislocated workers received employment and training services, gained credentials and found jobs. >> Carl Sturdivant: During my time of unemployment I was able to get in the WIA program and get additional training to help me get a degree to advance my skills in the elevator industry. We projected to or tried to make sure that we were able to make 50 thousand dollars in sales in the first year. However, we are putting up at the end of the year we think we'll be right at at 500 thousand in sales. >> Lynn Barrett: And after finding out that I qualified for the program in a matter of about two weeks I was able to start the driving school to become a professional truck driver. And just a sound piece of mind that you know its not a job its a career. >> Ines Preslar: It helped me alot. This gave me another opportunity. Its hard if they don't help me then really I am so glad they gave me that opportunity. >> Ada Bruce: The new career it has really given me a sense of security because I know that there will always be a job out there. It means alot, it really means alot. >> Peter Clothier: I have been working as a land surveyor for ten years and back in 2009 I was laid off from that. Education isn't cheap. Its a real good deal in the long term but when you are doing it, its expensive you know. Especially when you are doing it you're not employed. Well now things are returning to normal or what you would call normal you know. >> Jim Griffin: Peter was just one of a couple of folks that we have hired through the joblink program this year and with the wage reimbursement program that they have. It took some of the risk away from hiring somebody that might not have the exact skills that we are looking for so from a business standpoint it was very good. >> Narrator: As part of JobsNOW, Governor Bev Perdueís ì12 in 6î Initiative provided education and short-term occupational skills training to North Carolina residents. It offered training in 12 career areas within six months or less. This program touched close to 20,000 North Carolinians. Almost 5,000 people received WIA assistance and 53% of them found jobs. >> Nerissa Newsome: The Workforce Investment Act has been a great success in my life. Students like myself can go to Coastal Carolina Community College. They can get their classes, assistance with their childcare, their tuition, their books, transportation. Look at me now, I have completed the course. I am currently working a full time job with benefits. I have purchased me a house. I have my own car. So it has been very productive and I must say that I am very, very excited and blessed to see that I have achieved all this and I want to go back to school and this time I am able to pay for my own classes. I used the program to benefit me at the time when I needed it and now I'm able to go out on my own and pursue my education. >> Dr. Bodie Dorrance: Rece's training at Coastal was a tremendous benefit because she came in, she came in quite prepared rather than having to train her from the ground up she came in with a certain set of skills and also personal expectations. She is what I prefer to call a super-CA. She's taken a lot of responsibilities off me so I can function throughout the day. >> Benjamin Bryson: I recieved an electrical engineering certificate and an associate's degree in Industrial Systems technology. And after graduating this past December, I found my career here at Eaton Corporation where I love it, I couldn't want for anything more. >> Jarrod Coomer: Hiring Ben after he had come through the program he was able come in, hit the ground running pretty quickly. Typically the position he has takes several months to become very proficient three or four months or more and within in a month and a half to two months, Ben was very proficient. He was able to do jobs on his own at a very fast pace with really high quality. So, hiring him, he has been a great asset with the company thus far and I am expecting him to continue that forward. >> Debra Black: A few years ago I owned a resturant. And due to the economy I had to close it and at the time I was collecting unemployment and Steve McDonald from the unemployment office talked to me about a program that they had which was the WIA which would pay for me to go to school. I went to school here at tri county. We were the first class that offered here at Tri County Community College and it was a 16 week course and graduated in September of 2010. And I got a job with the sheriff's office in December of 2010. Without the WIA program assisting me financially and supportively through the unemployment office I feel at this time that I would be back waiting tables you know just struggling moment to moment to where the how the bills are going to be paid so because of the WIA program I feel that I have succeeded and would not have succeeded without them. >> Sheriff R. K. Louvin: Well, we are always looking for a way to pick up quality people to do this job that we do and also to have that good training. Adn to keep local people looking for and able to obtain a career. So it has been very critical to work with the WIA program to make that happen for us and these people. >> Narrator: Due to significant layoffs in Charlotteís banking and financial services industry, Governor Perdue charged state and local workforce development partners to develop a proactive recovery plan. The Charlotte Workforce Recovery Project included: an entrepreneurship training programÖ. an accelerated certificate program at UNC-Charlotte, a professional career center called ProNet, and BizBoost, an innovative pilot initiative to assist businesses. >> Narrator: In partnership with the North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development, the Small Business and Technology Development Center, the SBTDC, administered an entrepreneurial training program for displaced workers who wanted to start their own businesses. >> Jodi Wright: So when we first just started talking about our business, we found out about fast track through the Small Business Technology Development Center here in Charlotte. We had our business plan when we went to fast trac. At least had an idea of our plan but by going to fast trac we were able to really kind of embellish the plan we had and to make sure we were on track. >> Heather Scovel: Make sure it was a good plan too. >> Jodi Wright: Yes >> Heather Scovel: That was the end of it. To make sure you had a good plan, good solid plan to start your business. But it was all the other outlets besides just the core business plan that we needed. We needed those contacts we needed a direction to go towards. >> Jodi Wright: You know, we were able to get the bills paid, pay the payroll and we are able to now, just now in the last few months pay ourselves. So that's a huge sense of accomplishment for us. Yeah. >> Jodi Wright: Business is not only good but itís fun. We enjoy our business. Weíre tired. >> Heather Scovel: Weíre always tired. Weíve become workaholics. >> JODI WRIGHT: Yeah, And so we just get up every day and just do the best job we can. Thatís what we strive to do and just keep moving forward. >> Narrator: The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte created an accelerated certificate program for displaced professionals, most of whom had at least a four-year degree. >> Derek Frost: I was unemployed for a year and a half in a tough job market here in Charlotte. My counselor was there for me both in person and over the phone and really helped get me into a program such as the Accelerated Project Management Certificate Program at UNC Charlotte which really propelled me to the next level of my education. And I was able to use that in future job interviews. And I firmly believe that that helped me land a job in my next company. So I think by not having the certificate I wouldíve been at a serious disadvantage. And potentially I may have been still unemployed looking for work. >> Narrator: Unlike past recessions, many of the unemployed are highly skilled and come from a variety of business sectors, including manufacturing, finance, technology, accounting, legal, marketing, architecture and construction. >> Steve Partridge: ProNet was started about two years ago as a place for the displaced professional to really call their own. We have never had services, particularly targeting the displaced professional in our job links. So this was a way to sort of create a mini job link just serving the professionals. To date we've served over 3,600 individuals. On average they take seven classes, so you can do the math, it's about close to 25,000 sessions that they've sat in on. We know that those people that come through ProNet get jobs at a higher rate, because the unemployment rate of professionals is much lower. These are our citizens in our backyard, and we want to provide that one-on-one communication, that high touch that allows them to know there's support, there's help, and if they work with us and they're committed to it, they'll get back to work more quickly. We're seeing about 1,700 people a year right now, and we expect that will continue for the foreseeable future. >> Janet Ann Davis Jeter: We became unemployed and I've been in job search probably over 20 months, my interaction with ProNet was a very positive experience. Companies sent their HR people and they taught us all about their hiring process, what they looked for in a resume, and we got to personally meet HR people. So that was a wonderful experience, and it also gave you the people touch that when you're out of work that you don't get day to day. I came here and it was just what I needed for my job search. >> Michael Crutch: I think ProNet actually shortened that transition from one corporation to the other because ProNet actually equipped me with the tools to be successful and not only the job search but once I landed the interview to be successful in the interview. And after landing the position or being offered the position I was also equipped with the negotiating skills around salary, benefits. So ProNet equipped me with all of those tools. >> Todd Sykes: I think businesses really benefit from the individuals that come through ProNet because of the experience level that I am seeing. The folks that I personally have dealt with or other individuals on my team whom have worked at the ProNet Center, these are very seasoned professionals who completely understand the business environment, and they are people that are highly sought after. And in this economy we've got to make sure that they are seen appropriately and know how to be seen. But at the end of the day I think the businesses are getting top caliber candidates coming through their pipelines. >> Narrator: Biz Boost began as a joint effort of the Department of Commerceís Business and Industry Division and the Small Business and Technology Development Center in the 12-county Charlotte region. Biz Boost identifies small to mid-sized businesses, assesses their needs, and provides the appropriate services to help them stay viable and competitive. >> Robert Ray: with the results and the help of the SBTDC, itís been nothing but growth this past year. Profits are higher, expenses are a little bit lower, and we have clearer vision of where weíre going. And We will clearly put down our goals for 2012 and look at it and share them with the SBTDC and see how they can continue to help us going forward. >> Erik Lensch: So the SBTDC and their program really allowed us to streamline our efforts to prioritize where we wanted to go with our marketing efforts and having those MBA students come in and really spend a lot of time understanding our business, a little bit more about our business, and where we wanted to go, and where we wanted to take it. They came in and helped with the development of a plan for how we could take our business to the next level from an international perspective. We have worked with the Workforce Development Program in the State of North Carolina to identify and train employees that we hope will become full time solar installers on our projects. This project is 500 kilowatts, it will be enough to power about 60 homes and we will have a little over 2000 panels when it is all said and done. I like to let people know that these are jobs that cannot really be outsourced to China and everywhere you see a rooftop is an opportunity for a solar installation to take place and for us to employ people in the state of North Carolina. >> Narrator: In the summer of 2009, a youth employment program provided meaningful work experiences to primarily low-income and disadvantaged youth between the ages of 14 and 24. >> Duane Clark: First we taught them basic skills. We worked on math and reading with them. We also worked on life skills with them, resume writing with the kids. We also tried to teach them how to dress for the job and how to act appropriately on the job. Weíre seeing a lot of success especially with kids going back to school and finishing up. We get a lot of drop-outs so a lot of them go back to school, get their GED their adult high school diploma. >> Colleen McEnaney: It was a hard year for my family and to have an opportunity to start working when I wouldn't have otherwise been able to find a job really, really helped because when I came to school here I didn't have to ask my mom for money to help me. I could pay for my books. I used that money for my books and my fees and my meal plan and all that kind of thing and all of the things I needed moving into school and we didn't have to worry about the burden it would put on us. >> Jasmine Phillips: ICare, and the Summer Youth Employment and school year employment has definitely helped me. I know that I wouldnít be in the place that I am right now if I didnít have them. >> Duane Clark: Matt was one of our best students. Heís one of the best kids Iíve probably worked with in the last five or six years. He went on He started out in the summer you program, went on into the regular WIA program. Now he has a full-time job here at Salvation Army. Heís also in a welding class at Craven Community College and doing good and should finish next summer. >> Matthew Boomer: Yes it changed my life cause now I have confidence that I know I can learn and I know I can be better than what I am right now. >> Narrator: The Veterans Initiative Project supported North Carolina communities affected by military base realignments. This project provided training, retraining and skill certification opportunities in high demand, high-growth sectors to eligible veterans and military spouses in the 10-county region surrounding Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. >> James Rife: Iíd been retired from the Navy for about one year and that was after doing 20 years service and looking for a job and I guess due to the recession there just wasnít the jobs around that I thought there would be. I was really surprised to get out with the amount of qualifications that I had in the military and management, the technical know-how for the emergency diving, emergencies, diving medical practices, and things like that. And upon getting out I quickly realized that those skills meant nothing in the civilian world. >> Anthony Roy Thomas: I was a United States Marine. I joined the Marine Corp. in 1999. Got married when I was at 29 palms I'm married to an active duty marine. I found the Veteranís Initiative Project through the VA rep, actually at Coastal Carolina where I went to school. As soon as we moved back here to North Carolina I decided I wanted to go into law enforcement and I needed to get law enforcement trained, because my military training didnít necessarily certify me to be a Police Officer. >> Wendy Walker-Fox: As a program coordinator I donít always have that opportunity to meet with participants but in sitting and talking with them and asking them about the program, a lot of them were very appreciative of the fact that the funds were available. They felt that if the funds were not available they would not have been able to complete their education and then move into the workforce. >> David Turner: The investment that the Veterans Initiative Program puts into you is really a commitment to make sure youíre out eligible to be working in society. They want to get you retrained, they want to do everything they can to have you able to jump right into work as soon as youíre done with school. Then they also help you get job interviews once youíre done. >> James Rife: They paid for my recertification. They paid for my books so I could study for the test and then they paid for mileage as well to go to and from. And for them to do that it was just, it was very important. They helped me do that and then I was able to get up there and do what I needed to do and because of what theyíve done, now I have a very good job. >> Wendy Walker-Fox: The project was extremely successful. Our goal was initially to serve 300 veterans and military spouses. We did surpass that. We ended up serving 331 individuals in that program so it was extremely successful. We were very happy with the turnout and a good number of our participants did move on into long-term employment. >> Narrator: The Rural Community Mobilization Project, administered by the North Community Rural Economic Development Center, promoted community-driven, multi-site responses to the recession and worker layoffs. >> Patrick Woodie: If you look across the state you definitely see harder hit areas than others. This recession is a little fairer than some of the recessions we have had in the past from the standpoint of it really affects everybody in all parts of the state, but there are some parts of our state that are particularly hard hit. And we intentionally focused these projects and looked for grantees that were in the hardest hit areas. Well, the goal really was specifically to address not employed workers in upgrading their skills, but really the unemployed, and workers that were dislocated. We also are able to really talk to employers at a local level, what are you needing, and to identify workforce shortages. For example, in Pitt County, we identified a need for paramedics, which actually are pretty high skilled, high training jobs. A severe shortage. And there were a number of private ambulance services in Pitt County that, you know, documented the need for a dozen or so trained paramedics. And so the local community, with our funding, through ARRA, weíre able to really design a program to meet the needs of those local employers as well. >> Anne Bacon: I think these projects are important on a couple of levels. One is when you put 322 people back to work, that is a huge achievement in these rural communities. We had some of the very highest unemployment rate in counties. Scotland County had over 17 percent unemployment rate during the project. And we were really pleased to be able to make an impact on individualís lives. >> Patrick Woodie: So once the ARRA funds really went away, we evaluated, and we collected data, and numbers, and information on those twelve projects throughout the life of the project. It really helped us document what happened and make the case to our board and to other funders that this was an effort that needed to continue. >> Anne Bacon: I think the last, and maybe most important way these projects have made a difference is that they have created a greater sense of hope. >> Sallie McLean: Most women that come here also they think that they just cannot do it, that they need, that theyíve got to have a support. They think theyíre coming through here just to get one class, the money, and they come in here and get a whole lot of stuff. They come in here and find out who they are and they leave out of here not with a job but with a career because I tell them that a job is just over broke and thatís all that is, just over broke. So we donít do ladies that are just over broke. We do careers in here. I have had no one to fail that came through this program. I had one lady that changed her. She wanted to go into healthcare and then changed it and went into education but she succeeded in that. So Iíve had no failures Iím pleased to say, no failures. They all done good. >> Tasha Phillips: Yeah I was basically forced to make more decisions in my life being that I had a child I had to figure out what to do so I just basically needed a job. I could care less what I was doing. I just needed a job at the time and I went from needing a job to having a career. So Iím loving life. Thereís a ladder I can climb with this program and success I can have as well as support. >> Heather Skipper: If I hadnít taken this training and have the job I have now, honestly I would have probably have moved back in with my parents or my husbandís parents because financially things would have been that bad. And itís just its hard now even with me having a job but I know with not have taken this course and not having a job it would be even harder. We wouldnít have been able to survive on our own. >> Judy Roby: The most rewarding thing right now is the paycheck. Itís being able to support the family, to support my children. This job actually has wonderful benefits and thatís something we didnít have in the past. It just itís a good thing. Itís gratifying to know that Iím supporting our family which is a lot of women donít. Itís always the husband that does it and itís kind of happy for me. And my daughter is on a travel softball team which means we travel at least once a month and you know now weíre able to. You know before there was no way to get her on a team because the cost of it and now weíre able to. Sheís able to do this. >> Jackie A. Ray: Well we are a small area, basically rural but Whiteville is the county seat of Columbus County. But I believe in networking. I just think that we all need to help each other and if I can hire someone locally and Southeastern can help me find that person that worked out to be a great idea and a great thing for this company. >> Leo Daniels: I appreciate all the help because by me being a felon, I was getting turned down a lot. I mean I didnít even want to come out here until another friend of mine that was a felon said job link really helped me. And so I came and I gave it a shot and they really helped me. So itís been a totally change. I mean I ainít doing nothing I was doing three years ago. I donít even think the same. I mean I can run three different types of forklifts. I can weld. And Iím able to take a drug test at any given time. I mean them some of the things I wouldnít have been able to do. >> John Treece: We've been working with Southeastern Community College for a number of years now, with their Job Assistance Program and the Workforce. And Leo was one of those employees that came to us through that program, and he's truly blossomed into an outstanding employee for us. He's here every day. He's dedicated to his work. He's learned his role in the organization in terms of what it takes to be successful. He's an idea guy. He generates good input to the Company to help us improve. And we wish we had more Leos. The real benefit is connecting the employer with the right type of employee, and when those two things come together you have a real formula for success, both for the organization, but also personally for the people coming to work for us. >> Leo Daniels: I really thank them a whole lot. I thank God for I mean just putting in their heart to help. I mean I really do because I think I probably would have gave up. >> Narrator: Although recovery is ongoing, the stimulus package helped the Commission on Workforce Development provide training and career assistance as North Carolinians continue to gain new skills,Ö and find employment. Special thanks to North Carolinaís local workforce development boards and the various partners throughout state, regional, and local government, including economic development organizations and education agencies, that make up the stateís workforce development system.