workforceserviceswyomingworkforce.org/_docs/resources/publications/... · immeasurable as these...

The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services is the

state’s newest agency, created in 2001 to build a work-

force that meets the changing needs of Wyoming’s

diverse businesses, citizens and economy.

Workforce Services connects job seekers with jobs and

employers with a skilled workforce.

With statewide resources in Employment and Training,

Business Services, and Vocational Rehabilitation,

Workforce Services can help you find the right job or the

right employee.

FORGING THE LINKSWorkforce Services Connects Human and Economic Development for Wyoming

InsideInsideStart-up Success . . . . . . . . . .page 3

$58,000 investment boosts Shoshoni repair business

Project Paycheck . . . . . . . . . page 4

Worksite partnership pairs up print shop, GED grad

Super Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 7

Workforce Services invests $150,000 in Jackson resort training

Learning the Trade . . . . . . .page 7

Apprentice programs buildWyoming construction industry

WWW.WYOMINGWORKFORCE.ORGWWW.WYOMINGWORKFORCE.ORG

BIG TIRES, BIG BUCKS: Mining equipment, like the miningindustry in Wyoming, is big business. Powder River CoalCompany in Gillette used nearly $34,000 in WorkforceDevelopment Training Fund grants to train workers. Find out more about the WDTF on pages 6 and 7.

THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF

WORKFORCE SERVICESWORKFORCE SERVICESNAVIGATOR JANUARY 2004

THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF

The Department of WorkforceServices (DWS) continues to worktowards its goal of developing a demand-driven workforce responsive to privatesector worker and employer needsthrough linkinghuman and eco-nomic develop-ment.

On July 1,2003 — less thanthree months sinceI first reported towork at DWS —we celebrated ourfirst anniversary ofoperations as a consolidated agency.Since then, I learned quickly of ouremployees’ dedication to providing qual-ity workforce services to the people andbusinesses of Wyoming. Wyoming isfortunate to have so many dedicated pub-

lic servants. As we begin 2004, it isimportant to look back on what we haveaccomplished and look to the future ofWyoming’s workforce development sys-tem.

Vocational RehabilitationThe Disability Determination

Services (DDS), which is housed in ourDivision of Vocational Rehabilitation,earned recognition for being ranked sec-ond out of 54 similar programs in thenation. Social Security AdministrationRegional Commissioner James Everettformally presented the Commissioner’sCitation to Gov. Dave Freudenthal andDDS Program Manager Vicki Johnson ata ceremony last July.

The citation was awarded for exem-plary performance in accuracy, timeli-ness, and productivity in providingexceptional service to Wyoming’s dis-

abled citizens, with an accuracy rate of96.3 percent. Wyoming was one of onlyfive states honored with aCommissioner’s Citation this year.

Meeting Performance GoalsWyoming also was one of 16 states

eligible to receive an additional $750,000in federal funding, thanks to the effortsof the Wyoming Department ofEducation and DWS. The extra fundingis part of a federal incentive program thatencourages states to surpass performancegoals for the Carl D. Perkins Vocationaland Technical Education Act, theWorkforce Investment Act (WIA) Title I-B program, Workforce InvestmentSystems, and Title II Adult Educationand Family Literacy Act programs.Under the incentive program, Wyomingnow has funds to support innovativeworkforce development and educationalactivities. Having all three programsmeet performance goals is a greataccomplishment that must be attributedto the dedication of the staff from bothdepartments and our local partners.

Senior ServicesThe Department of Workforce

Services’ Senior Community ServiceEmployment Program was ranked sixthin the nation for its outstanding place-ment of older workers into jobs. Thestate program, in conjunction with itssub-grantee, Wyoming Senior Citizens,Inc. in Riverton, had a successfulemployment placement rate of 45 per-cent of the older workers in the program.

Workforce Investment Act andWagner-Peyser

Based on its review, the U.S.Department of Labor gave DWS a clean

bill of health, finding our programs incompliance with WIA and Wagner-Peyser Employment Services. Wagner-Peyser is a federal program that autho-rizes the nationwide employment ser-vices exchange system. DWS uses WIAfunding to help adults, dislocated work-ers, and youth find employment thatleads to self-sufficiency through variousservices available at local workforce cen-ters.

The state’s online job bank supportsWyoming’s “Virtual” One-Stop forworkforce services. About 135,000 ofWyoming’s 275,000 workers are regis-tered on the online job bank. About65,000 job seekers and 17,000 Wyomingemployers have used the Wyoming JobNetwork to access services during thepast year. This is a critical tool to work-force development for a workforce sys-tem that covers 97,818 square miles.

Training FundThe Workforce Development

Training Fund received the Friend ofManufacturing Award last August for itstraining assistance to existing and newindustries in the state. The fund has beensuccessful in filling training gaps in highdemand occupations. This year alone,DWS awarded 580 grants - a 2,123 per-cent increase in utilization in the fund’sfirst three years. The 5,857 peopletrained in Wyoming as a result of thefund are significant because they accountfor 3 percent of Wyoming’s workingpopulation.

Workforce Development CouncilWyoming Workforce Development

Council Chairman Charlie Ware testifiedbefore the U.S. Senate Subcommittee onEmployment, Safety and Training, ofwhich Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi ischairman. The testimony focused on thereauthorization of WIA, Wyoming’sworkforce development system, and theimportance of linking economic andworkforce development in rural states.Wyoming is privileged to have a voice inthe process.

Structure ChangesThis past year we also retooled and

streamlined internal operations of the

Navigator - 2 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WYOMING BUSINESS REPORT JANUARY 2004


RAISING THE BARWorkforce Services Wins NationalHonors During Reorganization

Kathy Emmons

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

The Navigator is produced by the BusinessTraining and Outreach Division of theWyoming Department of Workforce Services 122 W. 25th St. Herschler Building 2E Cheyenne, WY 82002 (307-777-8650)

Design by Sean Athey

SHOSHONI — When Riverton-basedfirm BTI Inc/Bighorn Divide andWyoming Railroad decided to expandtheir trucking and rail business, companyofficials were concerned about findingtrained workers.

So they asked the Riverton WorkforceCenter for help.

Company President Cliff Root con-tacted the center, one of 19 regionaloffices operated by the WyomingDepartment of Workforce Services(DWS), to help recruit and train employ-ees for a new rail-car repair venture inShoshoni.

DWS has invested more than $58,000in training the workers for the new facili-ty.

“The Riverton Workforce Centerhelped us find and train our specializedworkforce,” Root says. “This is a goodexample of public-private partnershipsachieving win-win for Wyoming.”

Business ExpansionBighorn Divide and Wyoming

Railroad Inc. is the only fully operatingshortline railroad in Wyoming. The com-pany has trackage rights on 23 miles ofBurlington Northern Santa Fe RR thatextends from Bonneville to just east ofLysite, and also operates 10 miles of its

own track, which includes sidings andmainlines.

The company’s principle business isservicing, loading and switching 5,000sulfur cars from Burlington Resources atLost Cabin, says Root. They also pro-vide railcar weighing, switching,transloading, rail maintenance, and now,rail car repair.

“I believed that expanding into the railcar repair field was a niche that couldbenefit the company and the communi-ty,” Root said.

The new facility, located on 140 acresadjacent to the Town of Shoshoni, holdsup to six rail cars and has a locomotivepit. There are two rail lines runningthrough the facility, which now employs13 workers.

Matching Workforce to EconomicDevelopment

The Riverton Workforce Center staffand the company developed severaloptions for hiring and training a special-ized workforce.

On-the-job training agreementsthrough the Workforce Investment Actwere used to aid the company in offset-ting the initial start-up costs associatedwith the specialized training required forRailroad Certifications of Carman and

specifically, the welding proceduresinvolved in the process.

A $23,000 Workforce DevelopmentTraining Fund grant also was used toobtain specialized instruction for some ofthe workers.

Eleven people were placed on on-the-job training. Tools and other items werealso purchased for the participants toenhance their chances of being successful.

The workers at the repair shop havereceived certification in various phases ofrailroad welding, while others have certi-fications allowing them to perform rail

car inspections and other sensitive indus-try testing.

“The benefit to these workers isimmeasurable as these skills will servethem well now and in the future,” saidBurl Gies, office manager of the RivertonWorkforce Center. “The benefit to thecompany has been the ability to train aworkforce as its needs dictate and at asubstantial savings, keeping costs downduring the expensive start-up phase.

For more information, contact theRiverton Workforce Center, 307-856-9231.

JANUARY 2004 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WYOMING BUSINESS REPORT Navigator - 3


START-UP FUNDING HELPS OPEN REPAIR BUSINESS

Rail-car repair specialists are working in a new facility in Shoshoni, thanks in part to morethan $58,000 in start-up funding from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services.

department to provide improved servicesto customers. The changes focus on cut-ting layers of administration and helpingstaff respond to local customers’ needs.Under a new regional structure, ourworkforce centers and satellite officeswill be more responsible for businessoperations.

We are, literally, in our first year ofoperation under a new structure. The newstructure delivers comprehensive work-force developmental services in partner-ship with state and local small business-es, economic and community develop-ment groups, health and family services,employment, and education-related stateagencies.

Our new structure also aligned pro-grams into five divisions: Administrationand Support, Business Training andOutreach, Employment Services, QualityAssurance, and VocationalRehabilitation. My office includes ourDeputy Director Jim Elias, support forthe Wyoming Workforce DevelopmentCouncil, and the Wyoming YouthWorkforce Development Council, andour six regional managers.

These changes were designed toenhance and smooth the transition ofprograms from four state agencies intoone department. During the last twoyears, the department has continued tosuccessfully offer employment servicesto our customers. That is an incredibletestament to the dedication and work ofthe staff. These structural changes arebased on staff input and are meant tofine-tune the current system.

Our regional management focus will

provide increased flexibility in deliveringcomprehensive and effective workforceservices throughout Wyoming. Moredecisions now will be made locally, withsix regional managers overseeing thedelivery of employment and training ser-vices to customers in their communities.

Our Quality Assurance Division hasbegun applying the Baldrige perfor-mance excellence principles to measur-ing the quality and effect of DWS pro-grams. In 2004, staff members will con-duct an organizational profile identifyingstrengths, challenges, and key businessfactors to successfully serve our cus-tomers.

New StrategiesLast year set the bar for the future of

Workforce Services in Wyoming. It wasa year of transition, new partnerships,and achievement for the employees ofDWS.

We at DWS continue to seek newstrategies to strengthen Wyoming’sworkforce. This next year, we look for-ward to visiting with you in your com-munities and developing solutions tomeet your workforce needs. If youhaven’t visited one of our 19 workforcecenters, drop in during the week of Jan.20-23 and see the services we have tooffer.

Our goal is to provide opportunitiesfor a well-trained, highly skilledWyoming workforce responsive to thechanging demands of the regional,national and global economy. For 2004and beyond, we are committed to creat-ing these opportunities for the people ofWyoming and our future.

Kathy Emmons is director of theWyoming Department of WorkforceServices.

RAISING THE BAR, from 2

CHEYENNE — There’s a newbindery worker at Pioneer Printingwhose job is more than a paycheck.

For 18-year-old Abby Powell, join-ing the print shop crew is bringing“the satisfaction of knowing that I’mactually work-ing.”

For JerryZiemann, presi-dent of PioneerPrinting andStationery Co.Inc., addingPowell to histeam is a proac-tive step for boththe company and the community.

“One of our goals when we camehere was to be involved in communityaction,” Ziemann says. “It helps usbecause it’s an avenue for us to trainsomeone, and find out if they’ll workout. She’s doing a great job and pro-gressing well.”

Powell’s job is the result of a part-nership among Pioneer Printing, theCheyenne Workforce Center, and

Project Paycheck, a job preparationprogram supported by a collaborationof youth services and funding sources,including the State of WyomingWorkforce Investment Act (WIA).Project Paycheck, which targets youthages 14 through 21 who have droppedout of school, is an initiative ofLaramie County Youth ServicesCouncil.

WIA is paying 100 percent ofwages and worker’s compensationrate for the Project Paycheck gradu-ate, explains Monica Cropper, anemployment services supervisor forthe DWS Workforce Center inCheyenne. The WIA funding pro-vides intake services, case manage-ment, subsidized work-based training,funds for General EducationDevelopment (GED) test fees, and ayear of monthly follow-up with partic-ipants, says Dave Griffin, administra-tor of DWS Employment Services.

Cropper says she had Powell inmind when she began searching for aprint shop that would open its doors tothe worksite program.

“She likes to work with herhands,” Cropper says. “She’s verycreative.”

Cropper approached the Ziemannfamily - Jerry, his brother, StuartZiemann, and sister-in-law DianneZiemann. The partners agreed tobecome a worksite for ProjectPaycheck twomonths afterpurchasingPioneerPrinting inOctober 2003.“Since taking ownership of Pioneer,we have increased business by 80 per-cent, most of which has come fromColorado,” Ziemann says. “We arealso workinghard to keepWyomingbusiness inWyoming.Having beenraised inWyoming,we feel wehave a fingeron the pulseof the needsofWyoming.”

Skilledstaff is criti-cal to meet-ing thoseneeds,Ziemannsays.

“Most ofour requiredskills aretrade skills,learnedthroughapprentice programs,” he explains.“We need strong mathematical andmechanical skills, people with dexteri-ty and computer skills. That’s whythis worksite program is such a helpto us. We’re looking for people will-ing to work hard and have a good atti-tude.”

Pioneer Printing enjoys a high staffretention rate, Ziemann adds. “We’revery fortunate. The average personhas been here at least 20 years. Thelongest is Gary Humphrey, with 43years.”

Exposure to career-focusedcoworkers is part of Powell’s on-the-job training. Powell works hard, saysher supervisor, Gayle Mosley. “She’salso a sweetheart.”

An involved supervisor likeMosley makes a big difference inworksite success, says Cropper. “She’steaching Abby those work ethics.”

For more information about WIAand other Workforce Services pro-grams and assistance, contact theCheyenne Workforce Center at 307-777-3700 or the Workforce Center inyour county.

A directory of Workforce Centersappears on page 8.



PARTNERSPioneer Printing, Project PaycheckLaunch Worksite Program

CHEYENNE — Abby Powellwas working a fast-food nightshift and living on her own at age16 when she decided to leave highschool without a diploma.

“I didn’t con-nect withschool,” recallsPowell.

But she want-ed more for her-self. So did herfamily. Powellsays her grand-father, PeteBarajas ofGranite Canyon,urged her tocomplete theGeneralEducationDevelopment(GED) program.She kept herfirst appoint-ment, workedthrough theintake process,and decided tobe one of 14teens chosen for

a spring 2003 Project Paycheckclass. “I figured out that I wantedto be an adult,” she says.

Last May, Powell earned herGED and now appears on track forcollege and a career.

“I want to go to college,” shesays. “I like ink work, abstracts inink, and mixed media. Pastels.And I want a new car.”

Powell credits the life skills,job skills, and academic trainingshe received through ProjectPaycheck and LINK, a teen drop-in center in Cheyenne, for helpingher maintain self-sufficiency.

The bindery apprentice saysshe didn’t know what to expectwhen she began her new job, butrapidly discovered that the con-stant motion and sounds of theprint shop helped keep her movingand focused. Powell feels at homewith her coworkers and has astrong sense of her own future.

“Twenty years down the road, Iwant to be sitting in a nice house,knowing that I worked for itmyself,” she says confidently. “Ican see myself being successful.”

GOALDRIVEN

Abby Powell, 18, of Cheyenne, says her newjob at Pioneer Printing and Stationery Co.suits her personality and her goals. “I can seemyself being successful,” says the aspiringartist.

Jerry Ziemann

GED Grad Finds Focus



COMPETITIVE EDGECOMPETITIVE EDGEWorkforce DevelopmentTraining Fund At Work

The Workforce Development TrainingFund was created during the 1997 GeneralSession of the Wyoming Legislature. Thisfund helps existing and new industries inthe state to train newly hired or currentemployees. Revenues to that fund are gener-ated from interest earned on deposits to theState Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund,which was also created in 1997. In 2003, more than 580 grants have beenawarded, accounting for a 2,123 percentincrease in utilization from the first threeyears of operation. Since the inception ofthe Workforce Development Training Fund,more than 470 businesses in Wyoming have

accessed this program, and 5,857 people —about 3 percent of Wyoming’s working pop-ulation — have received a necessary skillupgrade that allows them to be more pro-ductive and competitive in the workplace.

Because of the success of the program,demand exceeded projections, and the appli-cation process is closed at this time. TheDepartment of Workforce Services antici-pates reopening the process as early as July,2004.

For more information on the 2004Workforce Development Training Fundapplication process, contact Jan Wilson at307-235-3294.

BUILDING BUSINESS: This monument, “A Leaf on a Stream,”was created by artist Vic Payne and cast by Eagle Bronze, aLander art foundry that employs 55 people. The monumentwas commissioned for Cabela’s newest store in Hamburg, Pa.Eagle Bronze utilized $8,200 from the Wyoming WorkforceDevelopment Training Fund to improve welding and metal-chasing skills for 31 employees. “The skills that we needhere are unique,” explains owner Monte Paddleford. “Withthe money and the flexibility the fund allowed us, we wereable to bring in people from outside the state to train onmetal chasing. A specialized welding program was alsoestablished in concert with the metal-chasing program. Ithelped us quite a lot as a small business on another level,too, because using outside staff didn’t cut into production.”Paddleford and his wife, Beverly, were raised in Lander andestablished Eagle Bronze in 1986. Since then, the companyhas become one of the largest monument foundries in thecountry, with pieces commissioned in Dallas, Nashville,Charlotte, N.C., southern California, and closer to home,Custer, S.D. and Cabela’s Inc. outfitters. “We love it here,”says Paddleford, who wants to apply for additional fundingthis year. “We want to be here and grow our business here.”

PALATABLE PROGRESS: Achef prepares an entrée atSnake River Lodge and Spa inJackson, where staff recruit-ment is getting a boost fromthe Workforce DevelopmentTraining Fund. The resortreceived $154,000 from thefund to train 117 employeeslast year. Snake River HumanResources Manager LynneWagner said the grant wasessential in developing team-work among the resort staff,because it helped front-deskand housekeeping employeesunderstand one another’sroles. The results, she said,created “seamless delivery ofguest services.”

HANGING ON: Greg Wilson works for Heart Mountain FarmSupply in Powell, a farm equipment sales and repair business.Heart Mountain used $2,200 in Workforce DevelopmentTraining Funds last year for diverse staff training, includingonline courses. “We also sent sales people to productschools,” says Greg Wilson, business manager for HeartMountain. “We trained a service technician on new equipmentand new managers on their job development.” The results,Wilson says, have helped Heart Mountain through a toughagricultural year. “It’s helped to create a much more confidentworkforce,” he says. “We’ve improved customer relations andit’s helped sales.” Heart Mountain has been in business for 20years, selling Case IH, AGCO Hesston, and Kubota tractorsand farm equipment.

BETTER BY THE DOZEN: Sierra Trading Post received $12,000 from the WorkforceTraining Fund to train 12 customer service associates hired about a year ago in Cody.“We gave them twice as much training as we normally would,” says Bob Koehler, direc-tor of customer service. The employees earned customer service certification after com-pleting a QuickStart program in conjunction with Northwestern Community College inPowell. The more advanced training boosted customer satisfaction, says Koehler, andhelped the new hires stay on course. “We have good retention of those associates,”Koehler says. Sierra Trading Post is an online retail and catalog company, specializingin outdoor gear and equipment.

ROCK SPRINGS — Young and recent-ly widowed, Mandi needed her GeneralEducational Development (GED) cer-tificate to get a job.

Her previous educational experi-ences had not been successful due to avariety of personal problems and shehad spent time living on the streets.Mandi had attempted the GED programa number of years ago, but couldn’t fin-ish.

Mandi entered the GED program atWestern Wyoming Community College(WWCC) in July 2003, determined tocomplete the program and make some-thing of her life. She completed herGED last October and is continuing tobuild her skillsin the program.She also hasbeen acceptedat WWCC forthe springsemester.

Mandi saysthe support shereceived as sheworked towardsher GED wasthe most impor-tant factor to her in achieving her goaland even though she still “doesn’t likemath,” she is now excited about herfuture.

“Trouble reading, writing or speak-ing English can become serious obsta-cles to employment and communityinvolvement as are personal problems,childcare and transportation,” said JamiAnderson, director of developmentalstudies at the college.

The college Learning Center helpsdevelop the literacy skills of residentsof Sweetwater, Lincoln and Sublettecounties. Adult Basic Education, GED

preparation and testing, computer skillsclasses and English language classesare provided by the center to help peo-ple enter college, advance to othertraining opportunities, becomeemployed and participate more fully intheir communities. The center also hasoutreach sites in Kemmerer, Afton andPinedale.

For the last several years, the cam-pus GED program has graduated anaverage of 150 students annually. Lastyear, the number of GED graduates wasup 108 percent over 1998.

Anderson said national statisticsshow a clear link between low literacyskills and poverty.

According tothe NationalInstitute forLiteracy, 43 per-cent of individu-als at Level OneLiteracy (thelowest level)live in poverty,compared to 4percent of thoseat Level 5 (thehighest level).

Three of four food-stamp recipientsperform in the two lowest literacy lev-els.

Individuals at Level One work onthe average only 19 weeks per year,compared to 44 weeks for Level Five.They earn an average of $240 perweek, compared to $681 per week forthe highest literacy level.

“The cost of illiteracy to businessand taxpayers is upwards of $20 billionper year nationwide,” Anderson said.“Having their GED has opened manydoors for the students and significantlyimproved their ability to become

employed and participate in training orcollege to further advance their skills.”

The Learning Center is working ontransitioning more GED graduates intocollege, Anderson said. The centeroffers a one-credit, pre-college classwith the credit sponsored by theSweetwater Board of CooperativeEducational Services (BOCES) for allSweetwater County residents. The sem-inar takes students through the enroll-ment process, and helps them completetheir financial aid paperwork andbecome familiar with the campus.

The Learning Center helpsSweetwater County’s large immigrantpopulation through English languageand citizenship classes, offered by pro-

grams in adult education and computerliteracy. These are multi-level classesand all instruction is in English.

Computer skills are now consideredto be a necessary “literacy” skill, andthe Learning Center has partnered for anumber of years with SweetwaterBOCES to provide basic computerskills to anyone in the community.

Anderson said students learn thebasics of word processing, publishing,email and shopping on EBay, the inter-national auction website. Studentsfrom this program who want additionalskills are encouraged to enroll in col-lege classes.

For more information, visithttp://www.wwcc.cc.wy.us/lcenter/



GED PROGRAM TRANSFORMS LIVES

Adult Basic Education participants Kalaya and Kathy study in the WesternWyoming Community College Learning Center.

Extending a helping hand hasalways been my philosophy of life.TutoringEnglish asSecondLanguage stu-dents was myentry intoAdultEducation. Iadvanced to aneveninginstructor inthe programand then wasgiven an opportunity to move to theadministration of General EducationDevelopment (GED) testing in August1994.

Some 2,000 students have sat forthe exams since that first day. Mostwere grateful for the opportunity to

advance to better jobs and a better wayof life. I am pleased to have had asmall part in their self-improvementprogram.

Dedicated instructors, at WesternWyoming Community College(WWCC) and statewide, work hardteaching the students and using everytool at their disposal to ensure successin testing. Computer programs, class-room instruction, one-on-one tutoring,and diagnostic testing are used to helpthe students understand and overcometheir skill deficiencies.

The pass rate for the GED Programat WWCC has been above the stateaverage for the past five years, exceptfor one year when it was one percent-age point below the average.

Official GED Practice Tests areadministered routinely as part of theassessment of the student’s preparationfor the Official GED Tests. Many stu-

dents choose to put in additional timeand effort in order to achieve a higherscore. Students have ownership intheir studies and counsel with theinstructors almost daily about theirprogress.

The judicial system in our countyoften includes obtaining a GED inorder to complete their probation. Wehave received encouragement fromCounty Sheriff Dave Gray and hisstaff, as well as past sheriffs at theSweetwater County Jail in GreenRiver. Improvement in education isone of the administration’s goalsbecause it reduces the recidivism ofthe inmate population. Plans for thenew county jail presently under con-struction includes a teaching/testingroom specifically for the educationalprogram.

The highlight of the program is thegraduation ceremony, held each May

for all graduates from the current year.Every effort is made to celebrate thestudents’ achievements. The LearningCenter provides cap, gown, and tassel,a Learning Center Certificate ofAchievement, music, speaker and areception.

Watching the graduates as theywalk across the stage is very gratifyingto families and the Learning Centerstaff alike. It makes those long hoursof struggle and testing very worth-while.

Many of these graduates will walkacross the stage again. Depending onthe year, 20 percent to 30 percent ofthe GED graduates can be found in theWWCC student body. Many makegood on their vow to attend collegeand pursue a higher education.

Ruth Beck is a chief examiner forthe GED program at WesternWyoming Community College.

GED EXAMINER EXPLAINS SUCCESS

Ruth Beck

“The cost of illiter-acy to business andtaxpayers isupwards of $20 billion per yearnationwide.”

- Jami Anderson

BY RUTH BECK

JACKSON— Finding qualifiedemployees can be a headache for any-one, much less a new resort openingin a tight labor market.

The Four Seasons Resort JacksonHole faced such a problem whenopening a 144-room luxury ski resortin Teton Village next to the main liftsat the base of Jackson Hole MountainResort.

The Jackson Hole Mountain Resortand Louis Dreyfus Property Groupannounced in 2000 their plans tobuild the resort in partnership withFour Seasons Hotels Inc. The resortwas completed in January after threeyears of construction.

The company’s reputation, coupledwith benefits such as insurance, paid

vacation, and 401K program, initiallyattracted more than 600 applications.Four Seasons plans on hiring a totalof 375 people to work in Wyoming.

The employee search began whenthe construction entered its finalphase last summer. Four Seasons wasin the process of establishing officesand did not have the resources orfacilities to handle applicants. Thecompany sought help from theWyoming Department of WorkforceServices Workforce Center inJackson.

“We were able to offer our ser-vices when the Four Seasons firstcame to our office to set up anemployer account,” said ColleenDubbe, manager of the Jackson

WorkforceCenter. “Ouroffice was able tohelp them meettheir staffingneeds, we wereable to take theirapplications,offer office spacefor interviews,and provide typ-ing tests foroffice staff.”

The FourSeasons placed anad in the localnewspaper and held a job fair. TheJackson Workforce Center also listedsome of the job openings on itsonline job bank, and people from allover the country applied.

Once the applications came in, theresort used the Workforce Center’stwo conference rooms and threeoffices for interviewing about 200

candidates during three full days.Follow-up staffing interviews wereconducted in mid-December at thecenter, as well. A $150,000 grantfrom WDTF assisted in training thoserecruits.

For more information, contact theJackson Workforce Center, 307-733-4091.



Jackson Workforce CenterHelps Four Seasons Recruit

RESORT STAFFING STREAMLINED

The Four Seasons Resort Teton Village offers stellar viewsand room service from staff recruited with the help of theWyoming Department of Workforce Services in Jackson.

CASPER — Adopting a RegisteredApprenticeship Program can helpbusinesses maximize potential whilegaining an excellent return on theinvestment in education and trainingfor their workforce.

Since the mid-1940s, Wyominglabor-management organizations haveused services provided by U.S.Department of Labor’s Bureau ofApprenticeship and Training in devel-oping Registered ApprenticeshipPrograms for their members.

From 1945 to 2003, more than2,000 workers in Wyoming completedapprenticeships as plumbers, pipe fit-ters, electricians, carpenters, iron-workers, sheet metal workers,painters, bricklayers, plasterers,cement masons and laborers.

Today there are more than 300apprentices registered in Wyoming.

Rocky Anderson, secretary of theWyoming Training DirectorsAssociation (WTDA), hopes the num-ber of apprentices continues to grow.

“We have long understood the needto train qualified workers in the con-struction industry and have taken thesteps necessary to make it happen formany years,” Anderson said. “Thegraduates of our programs not onlyfill much needed manpower in theconstruction industry, but also arehighly recruited by related industriesthat recognize the quality of the train-ing our apprentices receive.”

Anderson said WTDA hopes toelevate the understanding of what

these programsoffer to the resi-dents and busi-nesses of the stateof Wyoming. Theassociation’smembershipincludes trainingdirectors from thevarious programs.

Apprenticeshipswithin theWyomingBuilding andTrades programsare self-fundedthrough contribu-tions agreed upon

through negotiations between theworkers and contractors who aremembers of WTDA. In recent years,some programs have been able topartner with the Wyoming Departmentof Workforce Services (DWS) toenhance their programs.

“Our programs train workersthrough extensive classroom educa-tion as well as on-the-job training,”Anderson said.

Each trades program varies in howmuch on-the-job training and class

time is required to reach journeymanstatus. They can vary from two to fiveyears depending on which trade theapprentice is pursuing.

The programs are recognizednationwide as the leaders in trainingfor our industries. All programsinclude extensive safety training aswell as technical training. Most of thecurriculum for the programs are sup-plied by the individual trade’s nationalprogram and are supplemented locallywith additional materials pertinent to

the trade. Journeyman-level instruc-tors, who are well versed in theirrespective trades, teach classes.

The apprentices receive raises asthey reach required levels of trainingwithin the program. In addition totheir hourly pay, they receive compre-hensive health plans for themselvesand their families, and retirementpackages.

For more information, contact theBureau of Apprenticeship andTraining, 307-772-2448.

REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM MAXIMIZES WORKFORCE SKILLS

Kevin Denton, right, is one of about 300 apprenticesthroughout Wyoming.

OPEN HOUSE WEEKJANUARY 20 — 23

You’re Invited!

AftonWorkforce Center350 S. WashingtonAfton, WY 83110307-886-9260Open HouseWednesday, Jan. 218 am to 11 am

CasperWorkforce Center andVocational Rehabilitation Office851 Werner Court Suite 120Casper, WY 82601307-234-4591 WC307-261-2172 VROpen HouseWednesday, Jan. 217:30 am to 10 am

CheyenneWorkforce Center andVocational Rehabilitation Office1510 E. Pershing Blvd.307-777-3700 WC307-777-7364 VROpen HouseWednesday, Jan. 2110 am to 2 pm

CodyWorkforce Center1026 Blackburn Ave. Suite 1Cody, WY 82414307-587-4241Vocational Rehabilitation Office1026 Blackburn Ave. Suite 3Cody, WY 82414307-527-7174Open HouseWednesday, Jan. 219 am to noon

DouglasWorkforce Center126 N. Third, Suites 6 & 7Douglas, WY 82633307-358-2147Open HouseWednesday, Jan. 2111 am to 1 pmVocational Rehabilitation Office135 S. Third StreetDouglas, WY 82601307-358-4688800-866-217-1401Open HouseThursday, Jan. 2211 am to 1 pm

EvanstonWorkforce Center98 Independence DriveEvanston, WY 82931307-789-9802

Open HouseFriday, Jan. 2311 am to 2 pmVocational Rehabilitation Office350 City View Drive Suite 205Evanston, WY 82930307-789-2766800-877-473-7208Open HouseFriday, Jan. 237:30 am to 9:30 am

GilletteWorkforce Center1901 Energy Court, Suite 230Gillette, WY 82718307-682-9313Vocational Rehabilitation Office1901 Energy Court Suite 140Gillette, WY 82718307-682-2672800-877-474-4086Open HouseWednesday, Jan. 213 pm to 6 pm

JacksonWorkforce Center andVocational RehabilitationOffice155 W. Gill Ave.Jackson, WY 83001307-733-4091 WC307-733-6150 VR800-866-293-3742 VROpen HouseThursday, Jan. 223 pm to 7 pm

KemmererWorkforce CenterKemmerer City Hall220 Wyo. Hwy. 233Kemmerer, WY 83101307-877-5501Open HouseThursday, Jan. 228 am to 10 am

LanderWorkforce Center455 Lincoln St.Lander, WY 82520307-335-9224Open HouseThursday, Jan. 2211 am to 3 pmVocational Rehabilitation Office259 Main StreetLander, WY 82520307-332-4465

LaramieWorkforce Center112 S. Fifth StreetLaramie, WY 82070307-742-2153Open HouseThursday, Jan. 227 am to 9:30 am

Vocational Rehabilitation Office710 Garfield Suite 110Laramie, WY 82070307-745-3160

NewcastleWorkforce Center2013 W. Main St. Suite 102Newcastle, WY 82701307-746-9690Open HouseFriday, Jan. 239 am to noon

RawlinsWorkforce Center1703 EdinburghRawlins, WY 82301307-324-3485Open HouseWednesday, Jan. 217:30 am to 10 amVocational Rehabilitation Office212 W. Buffalo Suite 312Rawlins, WY 82301307-324-2238800-877-473-7209

RivertonWorkforce Center422 E. FremontRiverton, WY 82501307-856-9231Open HouseWednesday, Jan. 2111 am to 3 pmVocational Rehabilitation Office609 E. Madison Suite 3Riverton, WY 82901307-856-2393

Rock SpringsWorkforce Center79 Winston Drive Suite 229Rock Springs, WY 82901307-382-2747Vocational Rehabilitation Office79 Winston Drive Suite 121Rock Springs, WY 82901307-362-2770

800-866-858-4125Open HouseWednesday, Jan. 2111 am to 2 pm

SheridanWorkforce Center andVocational Rehabilitation Office61 S. GouldSheridan, WY 82801307-672-9775 WC307-674-6354 VR800-866-423-5989 VROpen HouseThursday, Jan. 2210 am to 3 pm

TorringtonWorkforce Center1610 E. “M” StreetTorrington, WY 82240307-532-4171 Open HouseTuesday, Jan. 203 pm to 6 pmVocational Rehabilitation Office16 18 E. “M” StreetTorrington, WY 82240307-532-4431 800-877-474-7493

WheatlandWorkforce Center956 Maple StreetWheatland, WY 82201307-322-4741Open HouseTuesday, Jan. 2011:30 am to 2 pm

WorlandWorkforce Center1702 RobertsonWorland, WY 82401307-347-8173Open HouseThursday, Jan. 229 am to noon

Background photo: Tensleep Creek, Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming. Courtesy Sean Athey

OPEN HOUSE WEEKJANUARY 20 — 23

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