September 05, 2008

Employers

Supporting Image

2008 MAYOR’S SEEDS OF CHANGE SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM

Once again, WorkSource is partnering with the City of Jacksonville and the Chamber of Commerce for the 2008 Mayor’s Seeds of Change Summer JOBS Program. The City of Jacksonville, FCCJ, and other employers are offering part-time jobs to high school and college students ages 16 – 21.

We are currently looking for businesses that are interested in hiring youth. Please download the Summer Jobs Request Form and follow the instructions. For more information or any questions please contact our Youth Business Coordinators LeaVonda Battle (904)798-9229 ext.2218 or Temeka Bridges (904)798-9229 ext.2206

On this site, you have access to information about recruiting events and community resources. You can access labor market intelligence and list and manage your job postings. You’ll also be able to learn more about WorkSource, our partners, our services, and other vital workforce issues.

Through our partners, we provide these comprehensive services that can maximize all of your human resource efforts:

  • Job analysis and employee assessment tools
  • Customized training
  • Workplace education
  • Outplacement services

A Systematic Approach to Recruiting, Hiring and Retention

Northeast Florida employers continue to express concern about the gaps that exist between the skill sets exhibited by potential and incumbent workers versus those required by current and future jobs. In order to address the issue, the State of Florida Department of Education began implementing the Florida Ready to Work Initiative in October 2006. The initiative is designed to address the workforce development needs of both employers and students in Florida. The three step process includes: assessment using ACT’s WorkKeys®, instruction to remediate the workplace skill gaps, and a job profiling process used to identify skill requirements specific to the Florida Workforce.

Using ACT’s WorkKeys® as an assessment tool, the program measures a jobseeker’s job skills as they apply to work. This system provides employers with a consistent, nationally recognized standard of the job skills an individual possess. Jobseekers who become “work ready” can prove their workplace skills to potential employers with the Florida Work Certificate.

Community Colleges, Secondary Schools, Workforce Education Programs, Department of Juvenile Justice, Regional Workforce boards such as WorkSource and many other partners have joined the initiative with great enthusiasm. The University of North Florida, Division of Continuing Education recently has also joined this initiative with the vision of working with employers on the demand side, showing them how to implement the WorkKeys® system into their training and workforce development culture.

The three skills that the Work Readiness Certificate focuses on are:

Applied mathematics, reading for information, and Locating information. The job profile process is facilitator driven and uses subject matter experts in focus groups. This process is used when the company for high stakes decisions such as hiring and training decisions. Businesses are using WorkKeys® in the following ways:

  • Recruitment
  • Selection
    • Pre employment
    • Internal career opportunities
  • Incumbent employee training and development
  • Training program alignment
  • Succession planning and career laddering
  • Job and wage classification
  • Outplacement programs/rapid response

Companies investing in the system can expect the following possible outcomes:

  • Recruiting efficiency by qualifying applicant pools
  • Reduced risk from legal challenges
  • Reduced employee time to competency
  • Improved training programs by aligning curricula

Proven return on investment (ROI) in a variety of categories:

  • Reduced turnover
  • Improved employee productivity
  • Reduction in waste and improved quality

For more information regarding WorkKeys® contact Candace Moody at WorkSource at . For information on profiling jobs at your business, contact Stacy Jarvis, UNF Director of Economic and Workforce Development, 905-620-4254

Information and Referral

WorkSource also gives you information that can help you manage turnover, motivate your employees and access tax incentives that will make a difference to your bottom line. Look to us for information on:

Finding Employees

WorkSource has many ways to help you find the right employee for the right job. You can connect your company to hundreds of thousands of job seekers all along the First Coast and across the nation, take advantage of open listings at our WorkSource Career Services Centers, or post your job openings online. You even can use America’s Job Bank to reach thousands of workers nationwide.

Request a Recruiting Event