Stewards of Good Works

Whatever you do, work heartily,

as for the Lord and not for men.

(Colossians 3:23)

I have said it before, but I am blessed to operate in many dimensions, which allows me to develop perspectives from opposite sides of many situations. The morning after my last blog post on skills training programs from a job seeker's viewpoint, I was invited to visit an employer looking to improve the skills of their existing workforce. I had this ride along experience in conjunction with my new friends at the Workforce Investment Network.

My first impression of the company: This is a family owned business, employing around 300 employees. Some of the entry level jobs are material handlers or warehouse related, but the organization employs more skilled trades such as machine operators, maintenance workers, CDL drivers, etc. Located in a low-to-moderate income community, the company is known for its stewardship. They offer on-site GED classes for some of their employees who did not finish high school. The justification is to provide avenues for growth for employees looking to advance into higher wage jobs internally as a deterrent to experienced staff leaving.

For the record, these are not low wage jobs. This particular WIN business services manager was there to inform the employer of state grants available to offset training costs. She spoke of one of the on-the-job training initiatives to retool employees making less than $15 for internal advancement, and the company leadership proudly shared that few people in their organization made less than $15/hour. This company prided itself for its retention record. Once people were hired on, they rarely left because the corporation provided opportunities for team members to learn in order to earn more. In this case, the employer was looking for support in finding a provider of custom training for on-site maintenance skills development program. They wanted technical training on their processes and equipment for their incumbent staff.

Similar to something I said in a post a couple of weeks ago, this is a company that I would not have noticed as a potential employer when I was younger. The brand does not have a catchy jingle or a recognizable logo. The company does not make a product that I would ever come across in retail. However, the work environment is clean, safe, and most importantly, theirs was a company culture of teamwork and stability. It is the type of company I wish I could have worked with to gain shop floor experience.

My takeaway of this employer visit is that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of small businesses like this. Those who have the privilege of working for the company know the leadership as stewards of the community. Perhaps not a major employer in the region, the company exists as an employer of choice in the community in which it operates by those who know. They provide incentives for training and advancement not simply because they are told to; they do it because it is the right thing to do. Who are some of the stewards of good works and good jobs in your community? Feel free to comment or send me an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Help for Good Works

…to whom much is given, much is required.

(Luke 12:48)

It is amazing how your perspective changes based on your exposure. Since I have become more active in workforce readiness, I view situations and see things differently than I may have in the past. Last week, I was in a big box retailer and I was so impressed with the salesman, I initiated a conversation with him about his career path. Last night, we were in a fast food restaurant and I witnessed a working mom's children in the dining area, waiting on her shift to end. My immediate response was to inquire about other types of work or skills she had. Before, I might have been oblivious to their circumstances.

Today, I am learning more about the resources available to help those in need to retool their skills and training in order to find better paying jobs. I will admit, the last time I lived in Arkansas and needed help finding a job, I referred to the agency as the “unemployment office.” Today, the assisting organization is called the Arkansas Workforce Board, which offers various programs ranging from industrial readiness training (to equip potential employees with the basic skills needed to succeed in a manufacturing or warehouse work environments) to on-the-job or incumbent worker training (to improve the employees opportunity for advancement at a specific company. Oftentimes, these training programs are of little to no cost to the employees. To find out more about Workforce Investment activities in Arkansas, visit http://workforceinvestmentworks.com/workforce_board_info.asp?st=AR. For other parts of the country, visit http://www.servicelocator.org/onestopcenters.asp.

After registering with a service center, it is important for job seekers to visit the local Workforce office and establish a relationship with the career counselors, who are available to help with navigation through the employment process. They work with the employer services team to understand the real needs of the local companies, and in many cases, have relationships with the human resources officials making hiring decisions. In other situations, they may have the ability to set up job fairs or specific training that allows motivated job seekers to personally meet prospective employers. I am a firm believer in human relations and relationships. (One of my biggest pet peeves in the reliance of algorithms to get selected as a best qualified candidate because I know that one wrongly selected keyword, or equivalent, and you will be eliminated from the possibility.) So after meeting with people like the young man and the single mother mentioned earlier, in addition to giving them my card, I also share the cards of my esteemed friends from the Workforce Investment Networks.

Since I have become more exposed to the local employment resources, I have met many people who have a passion for helping others and a mission to give back. I smile when I look at how my journey of finding my purposed work has taken me down a different path of helping others to find better paying jobs.  How are you giving people in your community information about improving their skills and finding opportunities to advance into higher wage jobs and occupations?  Feel free to comment or send me an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.