FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: CANDICE RUUD, 253.213.2960
TACOMA, Wash. – Three local organizations have been awarded certification for quality from the Pierce County Workforce Development Council (WDC), a stamp of approval that shows they’ve undergone rigorous training and have committed to a high level of service and performance.
That certification means when a job seeker or worker walks into a certified WorkSource Pierce site seeking help to find a job or advance in their career, or when an employer walks in looking to recruit new hires, they’ll know they’re walking into a site that provides services that exceed customer expectations, meeting high standards established by the WDC. Think of it like walking into a FTD flower shop or ISO certified manufacturing company.
The three sites that have earned certification are the WorkSource Pierce Job Center on South Cedar Street in Tacoma, the JBLM WorkSource Affiliate Site at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region WorkSource Affiliate on South 27th Street in Tacoma.
All three sites offer skills assessments for job seekers, job search and placement help, career counseling, information on local job listings, links to job training and education, and help with resume writing, among other services.
The WorkSource Pierce Job Center goes a step further, partnering with more agencies and offering a broader array of services. As a full service job center, it’s a one-stop shop for job seekers and companies looking to hire.
The Job Center offers individualized services, such as evaluating job seekers to figure out any barriers to employment they may have, working with them to develop an individualized employment plan, as well as offering career counseling, career planning and financial literacy services.
That site operates in a partnership with ResCare, Career Path Services, Washington State Employment Security Department, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Adult Basic Education.
But it’s not only for job seekers. Full service sites like the WorkSource Pierce Job Center also are geared to help companies looking to hire: They offer resume screening, a full array of background and drug screening for job candidates, reference checks, and can help get the word out that a business is hiring.
“Congrats to all the partners of WorkSource Pierce Job Service Center for being certified as the premier place to go for employment services,” said George Iranon, CEO of Career Path Services. “We are proud to work alongside you.”
The JBLM site is set up to help transitioning service members, their spouses and family members find work as the whole family transitions out of military life. Major partners at the site include Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council, Washington State Employment Security Department, Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, Career Path Services and Joint Base Lewis-McChord Family and Transition Services. The key partner at the Goodwill affiliate site is the state Employment Security Department.
“It is the toughest and most rigorous certification process in the state of Washington, and we’re a better program because of that,” said Mark Sullivan, Senior Planning and Strategy Advisor for the state Department of Veterans Affairs, a partner in the certification of the JBLM site.
“On behalf of the Pierce County Workforce Development Council, we are extremely impressed with these three partnered sites for their commitment to quality and continuous improvement as they prepare our workforce for family wage careers, and as they assist local businesses to access the qualified talent they need to remain globally competitive,” said Linda Nguyen, CEO of WorkForce Central.
WorkForce Central strengthens the Pierce County economy by identifying skill gaps between jobseekers and employment opportunities, fostering data-driven decision making, and connecting workforce development partners into a cohesive, collaborative and effective network.
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