FCCC breakfast organized | Indie Ledger – Maysville Online

FLEMINGSBURG — Workforce development solutions and tips were recently presented to the Fleming County Chamber of Commerce.

On Thursday, June 13, a FCCC breakfast was held at Fleming-Mason Energy. Chamber members received breakfast courtesy of Jill Price Grier of Jill’s Spare Thyme Treats and listened to guest speaker Denise Dials.

Dials, a Fleming County High School graduate, is the director of workforce development at TENCO and presented members with information about what the company strives to do and how it does it.

“The U.S. Department of Labor gives us an overview of what kind of restrictions our guidelines are, and then that goes to our state workforce development board,” Dials said.

She said the governor is taking federal dollars, painting the big picture of the state and looking at what could solve workforce issues.

There are statewide projects that are then narrowed down to the local workforce development board, Dials said.

“I will acknowledge that the local workforce development board has 20 members. We have members from all 10 counties represented by the TENCO workforce board and what our goals are or what we do is we sit down and we take the plan of the State and we reduce it even more,” Dials said.

She said it’s important for the community to be part of strategic goals and plans, including what businesses need and what individuals in the community need.

“We sit down and develop a strategic plan that identifies some goals that we’re actually working toward,” Dials said.

According to Dials, approximately $4 million to $6 million is allocated each year to improve labor services spread across 10 counties. She further said the work is done through Kentucky Career Centers and there are four in all 10 counties.

“The Kentucky Career Center is, you know, really where the rubber comes in, I mean, that’s where our staff works, that’s where they take the strategic goals that our board of directors has developed and implements them,” Dials said.

She said there is a corporate board representative that represents each of the regions, such as the Buffalo Trace region.

Scholarship funds are distributed through individual services and Dials said, “We provide scholarship assistance to ensure people can enter and stay in the workforce in high-demand jobs.

She said they also offer workshops and information where they can help with applications and do mock interviews.

They work with recovery, reentry and expungement clinics to help people re-enter the workforce, according to Dials.

“Kentucky, and particularly the eastern part of Kentucky, where our labor force participation rate is, is well below 50 percent in a lot of our counties in particular and then overall,” Dials said .

She said about 90 to 95 percent of the services provided are free and are also the largest free workplace resource for job seekers and employers.

“So when a job seeker comes in and needs a workshop, there is no cost for them to come and take the workshop. If a company comes in and needs help with recruitment or retention, there is no charge for companies to come in using the workshop. the services we have,” Dials said.

Some of the resources provided include recruiting assistance, job placement assistance, and workforce data for economic development.

Dials said the workforce website is for the community for recruiting, interviews, hiring events and company highlights.

“One of our goals is to create a one-stop shop where you have a contact, through our business services coordinator, and you attend a career fair or hiring event. You know, we make it easy, we can make it easy for you,” Dials said.

She said there was space in their career centers that could be used for interviews if the space was needed.

Placement assistance is offered where screening and assessment tools are offered, including highlighting individuals who meet the requirements explained by Dials.

“One of the things we have in our career centers is we have case managers, that case manager will work with the people who come into the career center to make sure they are ready to work,” Dials said.

Work-based learning and on-the-job training are also offered to help gain job skills for high-demand jobs before the individual begins working for a company.

“We have a work experience program for our youth ages 16 to 24 and we have one right now for our summer, for the summer it’s about getting some kids interested,” Dials said .

According to Dials, economic development is also offered to businesses that are coming to the area and may need workforce information.

Dials explained a free federal bond program and said, “The federal bond is essentially limited liability insurance that costs you nothing and goes through the state. »

She said it is liability insurance of up to $25,000 that protects employers against a variety of topics, including theft and counterfeiting. Veterans services are also offered to the veteran population and those at the career center can also assist those with disabilities.

Mentoring programs are offered to young people with work-based learning and Dials said: “We do a lot of workshops with them to prepare them for the role of work, uh, and then we also help them with things such as, uh, connecting them directly. to jobs at the end.

According to Dials, the mission of TENCO’s workforce development councils is to assist community and industry leaders as well as economic developers.

“To facilitate positive solutions to workplace issues and improve the economic well-being of the region,” Dials presented.