Working in the
YOUTH EXPO “BUILDING &
TRADES APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS”
The Northern Panhandle Workforce
Development Board, Inc. (NPWDB, Inc.)
sponsored the “2018 Youth Expo – “Building &
Trades Apprenticeship Programs” for WIOA
(Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act)
Youth, ages 18-24 years old. The Expo was
held on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 and
Thursday, November 8, 2018 at the Wheeling
American Job Center.
The purpose of the “Expo” was to introduce
and familiarize participating Eligible Youth with
Training and Educational Opportunities that are
available and being offered for individuals
interested in going into a Registered
Apprenticeship Program in the “Building &
Trades Programs”.
Karrie Mulhern – West Virginia Northern Community
College (WVNCC)
Steve Terry – Ironworkers Union Apprenticeship Program
The NPWDB, Inc.’s Youth Program Provider,
Youth Services System, Inc. (YSS, Inc.) was
responsible for recruiting thirty (30) Youth from
their Year Long Youth Program, YOUTH
OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED!, to the “Expo.”
Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc.
Bi-Annual Newsletter December 2018
Frank Eberhart – Bricklayers Union Apprenticeship
Program
Participating Youth agreed to attend both days
of the “Expo” and successfully complete
program objectives in order to receive a
Certificate of Completion. This meant they
were required to: Increase Work Readiness
Skill Level by No Less than ten percent (10%);
Develop a Resume; Participate in Mock
Interviews; and, Register with the American
Job Center.
Tony Phillips and DJ Eddy – Painters Union
Apprenticeship Program
Daily Sessions were held 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
and the “Expo” Agenda was as follows: Day 1
“Informational Sessions”: Apprenticeship
Training & Education Opportunities; Labor
Market Data Analysis; Job & Employment
Opportunities for Apprentices; Requirements
for Area Apprenticeship Programs; and, Tour
of the “S.T.E.M. Room for Youth.” Day 2
“Career Day”: Resume Writing; Mock
Interviews; and Available Apprenticeship
Training Programs for WIOA Eligible Youth.
Informational Sessions: Job Preparedness;
and, Discussion on How Drug Abuse/Addiction
Impacts an Individual’s Ability to Get and Keep
a Job. Day 2 also included a Tour of the
Ironworkers Local 549 and the “West Virginia
Women Work” facility in Wheeling, WV.
Tiffany Curtis – West Virginia Women Work
Apprenticeship Program
Dave Plutt – Carpenters Union Apprenticeship
Program
Tour of the Ironworkers Local 549
Tour of the Ironworkers Local 549
Tour of the Ironworkers Local 549
Tour of the West Virginia Women Work Classroom
Registered Apprenticeship Programs provide
an excellent alternative to college, as they
provide men and women with a direct path to a
middle-class lifestyle. Programs also provide a
unique type of educational curriculum,
combining on-the-job training with traditional
classroom instruction. Many Apprentices earn
two-year (2) Associates Degrees during their
Apprenticeships, often free of debt. USDOL
says 90% of workers are still employed one (1)
year after completion of their Apprenticeship
Program, earning an average of $55,000 per
year. Over the course of their career,
Registered Apprentices can earn $300,000
more than Non-Apprenticeship Participants.
The NPWDB, Inc. would like to say “Thank
You” to the following Partners and Speakers
who donated their time to our Youth “Expo”:
West Virginia Northern Community College;
Ironworkers Local 549; Carpenters Local 230;
“West Virginia Women Work”; Bricklayers
District Council of West Virginia; International
Union of Painters and Allied Trade; Community
Impact Coalition; Youth Services System, Inc.;
and, American Job Centers.
FIFTH ANNUAL VETERAN
“STAND DOWN”
RESOURCE FAIR
On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, the Fifth
Annual Veteran “Stand Down” Resource Fair
Event was held at West Virginia Northern
Community College (WVNCC’s) Education
Center from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This Event
was FREE to all Veterans and their families.
Members of the Wheeling Veterans “Stand
Down” Association, along with other area non-
profit organizations/agencies, helped to plan
and prepare for this Event. Honor Guards from
the American Legion Post #1 in Wheeling, WV
did the presentation of colors for the Opening
Ceremony. Lunch was prepared by the
WVNCC Culinary Arts Students and FREE to
all Veterans, including their guest, and to
representatives from participating
agencies/organizations.
The primary goal of the Event is to help
homeless Veterans in the region access the
resources needed to regain their highest level
of independence. Its secondary goal is to bring
our community and service providers together,
in a collaborative format, to build relationships
throughout the year that positively benefits
homeless and at-risk Veterans. This one (1)
day Event provides Veterans and their families’
with invaluable information and resources.
During the Event, Veterans received
information on VA Benefits, VA Enrollment, VA
Medical and Mental Help, Surplus Items,
Housing Assistance, Living Will, Job Training,
etc. No Veteran walked out empty handed or
hungry! Almost every Veteran attending took
advantage of the FREE haircuts that were
provided by Tommy’s Classic Touch of
Wellsburg, WV.
In the military, “Stand Down” refers to a
necessary mental and physical break from
combat. Military personnel spend time in a safe
place to rest and recuperate before returning to
the front lines. Today, “Stand Down” is an
Event that provides a safe place for Veterans
and their families to engage with available
community resources.
A special “Thank You” to all of the
organizations who participated in this Event!
NPWDB, INC. SKYPE WITH SENATOR JOE MANCHIN
On Wednesday, July 18, 2018, NPWDB, Inc. Staff participated in a thirty (30) minute Skype Session with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin. Mary Jo Guidi, Regional Coordinator from Senator Manchin’s Office, arranged the Event. Staff had the opportunity to ask Senator Manchin five (5) questions ranging from Federal Funding to the Opioid Crisis in West Virginia. Senator Manchin said that legislatively, job creation is his top priority. He has co-sponsored over 36 Job Fairs in the State of West Virginia. Senator Manchin said that he wants to help find jobs for everyone attending Statewide Job Fairs. He also thinks it’s important to get local educators involved, making sure the education system understands what they should be teaching and the skill sets needed so individuals go into the right individual career path. The NPWDB, Inc. Staff thought it was an amazing opportunity to have the chance to Skype with Senator Manchin, asking him questions and interacting with him. Staff was very impressed with the Senator and how genuinely interested he was in their questions and opinions. Senator Manchin began his tenure as West Virginia’s 34th Governor in January 2005. On November 15, 2010, he was sworn into the
United States Senate to fill the seat left vacant by the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. From his days as a State Legislator to his six (6) years as Governor to his current role, U.S. Senator Manchin has always been committed to connecting with all of his constituents and making service to them his top priority. Success means doing the best we can with
what we have. Success is the doing, not the
getting; in the trying, not the triumph.
Success is a personal standard, reaching
for the highest that is in us, becoming all
that we can be.
Zig Ziglar
NPWDB, INC. YOUTH WORK
EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS
“Work Experience” is one of the fourteen (14)
required Elements for the WIOA Youth
Program. Under WIOA, a minimum of twenty
(20%) percent of funds must be spent on Work
Experience for Youth. Work Experience is a
planned, structured learning experience that
takes place in a workplace for a limited period
of time, and provides youth with opportunities
for career exploration and skill development.
Work Experience can take place in the private
for-profit sector, non-profit sector, or public
sector, and must include academic and
occupational education.
The NPWDB, Inc., in coordination with their
Youth Provider, YSS, Inc., operates four (4)
Work Experience Programs per program year,
which include: The Summer Work Program,
The Fall Work Program, The Winter Work
Program and The Spring Work Program.
Eligible youth residing in Hancock, Brooke,
Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler counties have
the opportunity to participate in these Work
Experience Programs.
The primary intent of Work Experience is to
help youth understand proper workplace
behavior and what is necessary to attain and
retain employment. Work Experiences help
youth acquire the personal attributes,
knowledge and skills needed to obtain a job
and advance in the work place. Work
Experience also serve as a stepping stone to
unsubsidized employment and is an important
step in the process of developing a career
pathway for youth. Each Work Experience
expose youth to realistic working conditions
and task as much as possible.
The NPWDB, Inc. would like to thank all County Commissioners, NPWDB, Inc. Board of Directors, YSS, Inc. and participating youth for
making the 2018 Work Experience Programs such a success!
Josh Kibler & Deysen Leasure Wheeling Housing Authority
Hil-Dar
Deysen Leasure
Wheeling Housing Authority Hil-Dar
Josh Beck
Brooke County Commission
NPWDB, INC. STAFF AND
PARTNER TRAINING
NPWDB, Inc. Staff
On Thursday, December 6, 2018, NPWDB,
Inc. Staff, American Job Center Staff and YSS,
Inc. Youth Opportunities Unlimited! Program
Staff members attended a WIOA and Safety
Training Session at the Wheeling American
Job Center.
Staff attends at least two (2) WIOA and Safety
Training Sessions each Program Year.
Christine Smith, Records Coordinator of the
Safety and Loss Control Committee, presented
a video on “Driving Distractions” for the Safety
Training portion of the Session. The primary
goal of this Safety Training was to educate
Staff on the distractions of Driving, which
includes: Talking on a Cell Phone; Eating and
Drinking while driving; Using a Navigation
System while Driving; and, Adjusting Car
Controls while Driving, etc. Executive Director,
Rosemary Guida; Assistant Director, Erinn
Kittle; and, MACC Coordinator, Gena Saffell
provided updates on WIOA Programs and
Services during this portion of the Session.
Topics covered included: New Organizational
Chart; New/Modified Local Policies; Business
Resource Network (BRN) Grant Application;
Opioid Grant Application; Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
Employer Services Program; Equal
Opportunity Updates; and, Case Management
Review.
American Job Center Staff
Since this Training Session was scheduled so
close to Christmas, we thought it would be fun
to wear our “Ugly Christmas Sweaters!”
“Nothing in the world can take the place
of perseverance. Talent will not; nothing
is more common than unsuccessful
people with talent. Genius will not;
unrewarded genius is almost legendary.
Education will not; the world is full of
educated derelicts. Perseverance and
determination alone are omnipotent.”
Calvin Coolidge
NPWDB, INC.’S
TRAINING PROGRAMS &
SERVICES AVAILABLE TO
AREA EMPLOYERS
Competing in today’s global economy requires
recruiting, training and retaining the very best
workers. The NPWDB, Inc. offers Employers in
our Region some of the following Training
Programs under the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA): Transitional Job; and,
On-the-Job Training (OJT).
What is a Transitional Job? Transitional Jobs
are a type of work-experience the NPWDB,
Inc. offers as an “individualized career service”.
Transitional Jobs are time-limited work
experiences that are subsidized in Private-for-
Profit “High Demand” sectors. Transitional
Jobs provide WIOA eligible individuals with
work experience and an opportunity to develop
important workplace skills by working at least
32 hours per week, earning no less than
$10.00 per hour for a three (3) month period.
The NPWDB, Inc. reimburses the Employer
one hundred percent (100%) of the
participating Individual’s wage rate in a
Transitional Job.
What is On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program?
OJT is a “Wage Reimbursement” Program for
area Employers. A participating Employer is
reimbursed for a new Hire’s wages based on
the following sliding scale: 25 Employees –
60%; 26-50 Employees – 50%; or, 51-More
Employees – 40%. Employers agree to hire,
train and retain the WIOA eligible individual
permanently once the training is completed.
OJT is designed to provide an opportunity for
WIOA eligible individuals to receive training,
skills and workplace knowledge that enable
them to obtain and maintain employment, as
well as to compete for job advancement.
For additional information on Employer
Requirements for Training Programs and
Services, please contact Katrina Dumas,
Employer Services Coordinator, at 304-232-
6280 or [email protected].
“You cannot change the environment, but
you can change yourself.
You cannot change who you are, but you
can change your values and habits.
You cannot change the past, but you can
change the present and future.
You cannot change yesterday, but you can
change today and tomorrow.
You cannot change the fact, but you can
change your attitude.
You cannot change the weather, but you
can change your mood.
You cannot always feel happy, but you can
always put a smile on your face.”
Dr. T.P. Chia
NPWDB, INC. AND THE
BUSINESS RESOURCE
NETWORK
The NPWDB, Inc. has been a Participating
Partner of the Business Resource Network
(BRN) for the past three (3) years.
What is the BRN? The primary goal of the BRN
is to connect Workforce Development,
Economic Development and Education in a
collaborative, seamless and customer-focused
partnership structure to deliver more effective
and efficient business services. Through the
BRN, local Workforce Development regions
from the States of Ohio, Pennsylvania and
West Virginia will develop proactive, strategic
employer outreach. It connects multiple
systems to create a seamless service delivery
system to deliver more effective and efficient
business services, facilitating coordination of
outreach and services and resources across
programs and funding streams in order to
provide coordinated solutions to businesses.
The BRN utilizes the Synchronist System,
which is the only customer relationship
management software in the marketplace that
is built upon evidence of successful business
retention and expansion practices.
Rosemary Guida, Executive Director of
NPWDB, Inc., has been regularly attending
monthly BRN Meetings with Matt Falter,
Project Director of the BRN, and has been
involved with the ARC Power Grant for a BRN
Expansion that includes: The NPWDB, Inc.;
The Region 4 Workforce Development Board
of WV; and, The Southwest Corner Workforce
Development Board in Western PA (in addition
to the Workforce Development Boards of Ohio
Area 16). Monthly meetings are an opportunity
to define businesses to target, brainstorm
particularly challenging solutions a business
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The West Virginia Department of Health and
Human Resources (WVDHHR) administers the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP). This Program Year, the WVDHHR is
partnering with the NPWDB, Inc. to offer SNAP
Employment and Training Program to the
SNAP recipients in Ohio County. The goal of
this partnership is to provide needed
Employment and Training Opportunities
available through WIOA to SNAP recipients.
The NPWDB, Inc. has hired a SNAP
Employment and Training Coordinator who is
located at the Wheeling American Job Center.
The SNAP Employment and Training
Coordinator is responsible for the following:
Administering and Overseeing the SNAP
Employment and Training Program; Accept,
and work with, eligible Participant Referrals
from the WVDHHR Office in Ohio County for
participation in the Program; Develop
Employment Opportunities in the area for
eligible Participants; and, Assist eligible
Participants with identifying Education and
Career Goals in order to determine
appropriate, needed Training Services.
For additional information, please contact
Rebecca Raspperry or Jodi Fogel, at 304-232-
6280, at the Wheeling American Job Center,
1275 Warwood Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003.
“The first step toward success is taken
when you refuse to be a captive of the
environment in which you first find
yourself.”
Mark Caine
may have, and learn about each partner’s
services and resources.
FREE COMPUTER CLASSES
Regional American Job Centers offer FREE
Basic Computer Classes at their Weirton,
Wheeling and New Martinsville locations.
Classes are designed for those who are
completely new to computers or who feel they
need to have more instruction. Along with
learning about basic keyboarding, internet
navigation, Microsoft Office, etc., classes also
incorporate resume writing, interviewing skills,
customer service skills, and much more!
Mountain State Educational Services
Cooperative (MSESC) Adult Education
Instructors and One Stop Staff conduct these
Classes.
To find out when the FREE Basic Computer
Classes are offered at regional American Job
Centers, please contact Rebecca Raspperry at
304-232-6280.
“Growth is actually contagious, so if you
want to reach your goals, you’ve got to get
around people who are going in the same
direction you want to be going, and you will
catch the success.”
Dr. Henry Cloud
NEW NPWDB, INC BOARD MEMBERS
Thomas Welch Bidell Gas Compression, Manufacturing Manager David McClain Ardagh Metals, Plant Manager Kim McConnaughy Mountain State Educational Services Cooperative, Regional Adult Education Cooperative Tina Rush MARKWEST Energy Partners, Local Government Affairs Representative Debbie Bennett West Virginia Northern Community College, Campus Operations Manager – New Martinsville Tammy Bowers WesBanco, BCM/VP Business Development – Steelton Todd Strickler Sistersville General Hospital, Interim Director of Nursing
LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
Don Nickerson Ohio County Commissioner Mike Smith Tyler County Commissioner
AMERICAN JOB CENTER TRAFFIC REPORT PROGRAM
YTD (WIOA Program Year 7/1/2018 through 6/30/2019. Dates being reported are 7/1/2018 through 12/31/2018) WHEELING New Customers: 105 Repeat Customers: 4,169 Total: 4,274 WEIRTON New Customers: 57 Repeat Customers: 488 Total: NEW MARTINSVILLE New Customers: 71 Repeat Customers: 930 Total: 1,001 GRAND TOTALS New Customers: 233 Repeat Customers: 5,587 Total: 5,820 “Character cannot be developed in ease
and quiet. Only through experience of trial
and suffering can the soul be strengthened,
ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
Helen Keller
NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS
All Partners, approved Training Providers, Staff
and Clients of regional American Job Centers
are encouraged to submit articles, ideas,
success stories, etc. for this Newsletter. Please
contact Christine Smith at the NPWDB, Inc. by
email at [email protected] or by phone at
304-231-1170 to submit items for the
Newsletter.
The NPWDB, Inc. Staff wish you a
Happy and Prosperous New Year!
NPWDB, Inc. / WIOA funded programs are equal opportunity employer programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
TTY/TDD 304-233-8091
The NPWDB, Inc. programs and services discussed in this Newsletter are 100% WIOA funded. No programs or services have been financed by non-governmental sources.