Scholarships:

·         Gina was laid off from her Sales Clerk position at Macy’s in February 2009. As are result of the economy and limited skills, Gina found it difficult to get another job. Through discussion with her MTC employment counselor in Columbia County, she chose to pursue a job in the medical field. She enrolled in classes at Apollo College in Portland to be a Medical Assistant with Limited Radiology. Although she applied for and received a Pell Grant to pay for most of her education, she also applied for a WIA scholarship through MTC to assist with her final term in Radiology.  She received a TOC/OWA funded scholarship through MTC and was able to finish her training.  

During this time she had to take a survival job with a local employer, but was again without employment when that employer shut its doors.  She was able to finish her training but was not able to pay for the state certification tests she needed to work in the medical field. Through MTC, Gina applied for, and received, a scholarship using funds from TOC/OWA’s Regional Economic Impact Grant to pay for her tests. Gina has obtained a job as a Medical Assistant with the understanding she would be getting her certifications. She has scheduled her tests and is preparing to pass the exams.

·         Richard was laid off when his Tillamook County based mobile rock crushing company closed the doors. Through MTC, Gina applied for, and was awarded, a scholarship using funds from TOC/OWA’s Regional Economic Impact Grant As a result, he was able to participate in a CDL program that occurred on weekends; this allowed him to travel only two days a week.  Upon earning his CDL he was hired with May Trucking.  When his MTC employment counselor spoke to him recently, he was in Florida picking up a load to bring back to Oregon: “Amy, it is a lot different than I imagined.  But I love it! Thanks.” 

·         Linda was laid off in Central Oregon from a business services company as a staff accountant.  Although she searched for work, she was finding it difficult to find work without a degree.  Since she was only a few credits away from completing her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, her COIC employment counselor suggested she apply for a scholarship to attend COCC for two required courses.  She was granted the scholarship using funds from TOC/OWA’s Regional Economic Impact Grant and finished those courses. She was hired in a part-time accounting position in May which turned into full-time employment work by the end of summer at a pay rate of $18/hour.

·         Juan was a struggling architect in Bend, who could not find steady employment due to the economy.  With assistance from COIC’s employment counselor, he decided to retrain as a Pharmacy Technician.  COIC provided a scholarship, using funds from TOC/OWA, which allowed Juan to complete the one- year Pharmacy Tech Program at COCC in June, 2010.  Juan is currently working for Rite-Aid Pharmacy full-time with benefits.  He is a single parent who can now provide for his daughter and is happy to be a productive member of society once again.

·         Susie had a long history of Administration in Senior Living facilities.  However, when the economy turned she searched around Bend for work for 18 months and could not secure employment aside from survival jobs as fast food manager.   With assistance from COIC’s employment counselor, Susie decided to return to school for Massage Therapy.  COIC provided a scholarship, using funds from TOC/OWA, which allowed Susie to gain her license as a massage therapist.  Since graduating Susie has opened her own practice and has been very successful.

·         Kristi was laid off from her position at Cessna Aircraft Plant in Bend and decided to retrain in the dental assisting field. Kristi received a scholarship funded by TOC/OWA from COIC.  She completed her certificate and began an internship with Pediatric Dental Associates.  Following her internship, she was hired on full time and is making $15 per hour.  Kristi also received help from COIC and TOC/OWA in the form of support services: as she is a single mother and was struggling to get by while receiving unemployment.  She said that she would not have made it through training without this assistance.

·         Janet lost her job as an assistant manager when the video store in Baker City closed due to bankruptcy.  She took a survival job at a small grocery store and came into the Baker City WorkSource Center, which is overseen by the OWA one-stop operator, to explore her options.  Janet had very low self-esteem due to a rough childhood – an adopted child who suffered verbal abuse before leaving home at 16.  She did not believe that she would ever be able to attend college.  Her Training and Employment Consortium (TEC) employment counselor encouraged her to apply for a scholarship from TOC/OWA’s Regional Economic Impact Grant.  She is now attending classes at BMCC and receiving A’s in her classes.  While the TEC employment counselor tried to congratulate Janet on her hard work, Janet repeatedly thanked TEC and TOC/OWA for the opportunity she’d been given.

·         Larry was laid off from Boise Cascade in La Grande just a few years short of retirement.  Not in a financial condition to retire yet, Larry engaged in job search with assistance from his TEC employment counselor.  Even searching outside the local area, he was unable to find employment.  With encouragement from his employment counselor, he chose to explore new career options and discovered that he had the experience to become a welder with a few certifications.  BMCC had recently received a grant that allowed them to offer welding certification training with no tuition costs.  Larry received two certifications after two terms of training.  Larry’s transportation, lab and certification costs were covered by the DOL National Emergency Grant for laid-off Boise employees applied for, and managed by, TOC/OWA and TEC.  The certifications opened new doors for employment possibilities. Larry is now employed as a welder with a locally owned drilling company.  He feels that he will be able to retire in a financially secure position, but that his job and security would not have been possible without the training and the welding certificates he received with TEC and TOC/OWA’s assistance.

Resume and Job Search Assistance:

·         Cindy is a success story within TOC/OWA’s local area that illustrates how helpful resume and job search assistance can be.  Cindy has a BS degree and was a stay-at-home mom in Deschutes County before taking a job as a cashier at a local retail store where she worked for 5 years. She was laid off from that position in June 2009. She accessed lobby services in the Bend WorkSource Oregon Center, overseen by the OWA as the one-stop operator, as well as Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council’s (COIC) computer, résumé, applications and interviewing workshops for nearly a year. She began weekly meetings with an employment counselor with services included goal-setting, focusing her job search, listing her transferable skills, revising her application materials and targeting specific industries in the area.  Cindy had several interviews and in the end was hired by a local customer care center for a full-time $11.00/hour position.

·         Jane was a former business owner nearing retirement.  She has office management skills as well as a BS degree. She came to the COIC employment counselor at the Bend WorkSource Center, overseen by the OWA as the one-stop operator, seeking job search assistance. She attended résumé, application and interviewing workshops and together the client and employment counselor revised her resume and targeted her job search to office administration.  She and the employment counselor updated her job search methods to include researching the employer, using websites to find work and applying for jobs online. Jane was hired as an office coordinator full-time at $11.75/hour. 

·         Casey came to the Redmond WorkSource Center, overseen by the OWA as the one-stop operator,  in TOC/OWA’s local area, with several barriers to re-employment. He came to the Center after being laid off for approximately eight months from a local restaurant that went out of business.  He had worked for the restaurant for more than six years as a dishwasher and wanted to stay in that line of work, but did not have a resume and his computer skills were low. His appearance standards and social skills, in particular, were large barriers to obtaining a job: his clothes were unkempt and he needed advice regarding personal hygiene.  Nevertheless, Casey was a determined job seeker with a can-do attitude and he regularly frequented the WorkSource for as much assistance as possible. 

Casey attended many of COIC’s job search, resume, and computer workshops and worked closely with many WorkSource partners in the lobby and Debrief areas.  OED and COIC collaborated to help him become more aware of the barrier poor personal presentation offers tactfully and professionally.  Funded by TOC/OWA, COIC helped him get vouchers for clothes at a local used clothing store and provided financial assistance for a new state identification card, new interview clothing and a bus pass to aid in his job search.  He also met with COIC’s disability navigator to help with his job search.  Everyone was incredibly pleased and proud that Casey was hired within two months by a high-end restaurant to work as a dishwasher and prep cook.  He was very thankful for all of the time and support he received at the Redmond WorkSource Center and still stops in occasionally to let us know how much he loves his new job.

·         John was laid-off from a Bend-area machine shop in April of 2010 and had not found many manufacturing jobs for which to apply. He has a high school diploma and 14 years experience as a machinist. At the Bend WorkSource Center, overseen by the OWA as the one-stop operator, John attended COIC’s résumé, applications and interviewing classes. He and his employment counselor worked together on revising his resume for machining and manufacturing positions. He applied to several positions and was hired by a manufacturing company in October of 2010 as a full-time technician at $14/hour.

Coordinating with Trade Act

·         Danielle was laid off from a call center in Central Oregon.  She had little experience in other fields, and did not qualify for UI due to a lack of quarters worked (she was unemployed for several years due to medical issues prior to her call center position).  Danielle was duel-enrolled in WIA and in Trade Act.  She received help from COIC in the form of support services, funded by TOC/OWA, (a bus pass to get to training, for example) and assistance in applying for Trade Act benefits.  She completed her CDL certification and is currently employed as a long-haul truck driver.