One-stop centers offer many services to the unemployed

Twenty-five years ago, the Missouri Division of Workforce Development office, then called the Job Service, had one primary duty: accept applications for unemployment benefits.

Under today's new setup, one-stop career centers offer job and labor market information, education, training and transportation for eligible individuals. The programs are aimed at getting out-of-work people back on the job more quickly.

The setup allows people who have lost their jobs to file for unemployment and get help finding a new job all in one place.

Missouri was included in the second wave of states to kick off the five-year program created under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. WIA is designed to develop a work force that consistently meets employers' needs for workers.

This is important in today's weakening labor market conditions. Although Missouri and the Southeast Missouri area unemployment rates have remained steady, there are some worsening signs: layoffs at BioKyowa, the closing of hat producer Paramount in Marble Hill and layoffs at Solar Communications in Perryville.

In recent weeks, rapid response teams from the Cape Girardeau office have worked with more than 300 employees, more than 135 at the Paramount, 50 from Solar Communications, 45 at BioKyowa and a number from a Caruthersville nursing home and Biltwell Manufacturing, a pants manufacturer at Farmington.

"We explain to the employees the benefits and training available to them," said June O'Dell, training manager with the Private Industry Council, a group that works in conjunction with the state employment office. "We haven't tracked everybody yet, but some of the Paramount workers have found jobs, and others are looking into training programs to start the first of the year."

Cape Girardeau County unemployment figures have ranged from 3 to 4 percent over the past few months, with October numbers, the most recent available, showing about 1,100 without jobs. Perry County has the lowest unemployment in the area, ranging between 2 and 3 percent.

Help for handicapped

O'Dell said she is excited about the newest accessible resource area at the DES Career Center, 760 S. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

"We're offering some innovative services for those handicapped by poor hearing or sight and looking for work," she said. "The new telephone relay system allows clients to dial a number, and the answering party's remarks will be printed on the screen."

The hearing impaired can type a message in return and carry on a conversation. Larger keyboards are available for the visually impaired, with one of the keyboards in Braille.

The new resource area is the newest service, one of many offered at the center.

The Workforce Investment Board is another component of aid given the unemployed through the state and also is housed in the Kingshighway office.

"The WIB is still a new organization," said Ron Swift, who serves as president and CEO of the WIB of Southeast Missouri. The board, which includes 47 members, is made up of businessmen and business women and leaders from various public sector groups.

"Fourteen partnering organizations have connections with the center," said Swift. "And several of them have offices here."

Across Missouri

Career centers are located throughout Missouri. Job seekers are given access to Internet-ready computers where they can enter online resumes. Job seekers are provided proficiency testing, employment counseling services, vocational training information, veterans services, and Job Corps information.

Employers can obtain information about qualified job seekers, tax credit programs, job fairs, and informational seminars. Labor market information as well as unemployment insurance benefit information is also available in each of the offices.

"It's all working," said Steve Fuemmeler, manager of the Division of Workforce Development's Cape Girardeau office. "Computerization allows us to connect workers with employers and vice-versa."

Those who are unemployed can make their once-a-month stops at the center now and be out in 15 seconds, noted Fuemmeler. That used to take an hour or two.

Fuemmeler said the program had experienced an 80 percent success rate since the dislocated worker program was inaugurated in Missouri in 1983. Although local numbers were not immediately available, about 80,000 workers have found new employment out of the 100,000 dislocated workers who have participated in the program.

Other partners who have connections at the one-stop center at Cape Girardeau include: East Missouri Action Agency, Job Corps, Adult Extended Learning, SPIRALS Job Training Program, Missouri Jobs Employment and Training, Missouri Mentoring Partnership, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Child Support Enforcement, Parents Fair Share, Division of Family Services and Division of Employment Security.

rowen@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133