Workforce
Development Board of Oswego County
Wednesday,
January 17, 2008
‘The Business Development Committee shall identify and
monitor the business services to be provided through the system, oversee public
relations about business services, convene focus groups and community
roundtables for identifying future workforce needs as related to economic
development, identify available funding and assist in grant writing for
employer training needs, and produce the State of the Workforce Report.’
Present: Mike Treadwell, Connie Smith, Bruce Phelps, Wagner
Dotto, Joe Fiumara, Eric Behling Staff:
Nancy Bellow, Nick Della Penna
Mike Treadwell called the meeting to order.
1) Approval of the October 17, 2007 minutes
Bruce Phelps moved to approve the minutes. Eric Behling. The minutes were approved.
2) Training Update- Nick Della Penna
Nick updated the committee on the training activities supported by the system. There were no customized training programs the second quarter of the Program Year, which started July 1, 2007. We have invested $143,408 in On-the-Job Training (OJT) contracts. The largest contracts are Birds Eye Foods (12 trainees) Novelis (9 trainees), and Interface Solutions (9 trainees). OJT’s are planned with Northeast Biofuels when operations begin in June.
Sharon Chevrolet has applied for an Advance NY grant for $15,000. They will use the funding for a variety of training programs for more than half of their employees.
The Fulton One-Stop Center hosted a major on-site recruitment for Novelis in December. Applications were taken for 189 people, with 117 interviewed.
3)
Business Services Team Update- Nick Della Penna
Nick presented the
Business Services Report for the quarter ending December 31, 2007. We are having difficulty sourcing some of
the information need for this report.
The centralization of the Job Bank in Utica has resulted in a loss of
local communication with area businesses.
OSOS is yielding incomplete data on job order placements. Nick will discuss these issues with Chris
Weaver. The current report may have to
be revamped.
OJT proposals have
been completed for 14 positions at Northeast Biofuels. Job Placement Network Disability Mentoring
Day was held on Oct. 24. Ten
individuals participated with 9 area employers. One-Stop staff, CNYAHEC and 1199 union representatives met with
130 employees of A.L. Lee Memorial Hospital on Jan. 4 to explain the services
available to them.
The One-Stop
Center is handling applications for the Super WalMart in Granby. Thus far, 270 people have been hired out of
330 anticipated openings. The Center is
also working with laid-off Syroco employees who reside in the County. Center staff will be working with NYSDOL on
Rapid Response for New Process Gear and met Jan. 15 with employees of Penny
Curtis.
Sure Lock has
contacted us about help in hiring up to 10 additional workers. Mike Treadwell suggested he and Nancy work
together to coordinate training and other services that be available to George
Broadwell for the proposed Convention Center in the City of Oswego.
4) Business
Customer Satisfaction Survey – Nick Della Penna
Surveys results
for the September quarter were reviewed.
Four businesses responded from the 15 surveys mailed out. Results were very favorable. December quarter results will be available
at our next meeting.
5) Strategic Plan- Nancy Bellow
Nancy updated the committee on the Strategic
Planning implementation. Northcoast Software
has completed downloading the data from the Career Ladder Maps to the
website. We will now add a few video
snippets and a section to feature select jobs.
We will then test the site with 2 youth groups before going ”live” on
March 1. We will then begin a series of
presentations to community stakeholders.
Our local area is part of a Central New York
consortium that received a 13N grant from the NYSDOL. We will receive $10,000 from these funds to revive the Energy
Institute this summer. The program
instructs high school and middle school teachers how to introduce students to
the principles of Energy.
Nancy also stated that SUNY Oswego will be receiving
a $300,000 earmark arranged by Congressman McHugh for the establishment of
Center for Energy Education and Economic Solutions.
6) Next Meeting Date- April 23, 2008