
The event connects local employers with region workforce representatives to learn about available resources and share experiences about local labor shortages.
— Wood County Judge Lucy Hebron
QUITMAN, TEXAS, UNITED STATES, May 26, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Wood County Economic Development Commission (WCEDC) announced today that it will co-host a local workforce networking event with Workforce Solutions East Texas on June 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Instant Offices of Texas at 214 East Goode Street in Quitman.
The event is designed to connect local employers with region workforce representatives to learn about available resources and to share their experiences regarding local labor shortages.
“This is the second time we have hosted one of these events, which speaks not only to the preparation our team did the first time, but also the importance our local employers place on this issue,” said Wood County Judge Lucy Hebron. “It comes at a time when all employers, not just those in Wood County, are struggling to find workers to fill their openings. The problem is the number of unfilled jobs far exceeds the number workers.”
The judge’s point is supported by Dr. Manuel Reyes, Director and Senior Research Analyst of the Hibbs Institute, UT Tyler, who recently noted that, according to recent statistics from April, there are 3.5 million more job openings than unemployed people across the country.
“This is unbelievable because this means you would be able to have 1.5 jobs for every unemployed person,” Reyes recently told the media.
Kim Stacy, the Business Services Manager at Workforce Solutions of East Texas, said her organization is “seeking to ease the pressure on rural communities by partnering with them for recruitment events as well as working in the schools to create opportunities for the youth. Many times, they don’t realize that they can qualify for continuing education opportunities, helping themselves, while helping the employers, who are desperately trying to fill vacancies.”
For more information on the outreach, visit https://www.easttexasworkforce.org/ruralsetgo
About Workforce Solutions East Texas
The Workforce Solutions East Texas Board works in partnership with chief elected officials of the region and is the primary source of local workforce policy. We are proud to serve Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood counties. We are one of 28 local Workforce Solutions Boards located throughout the state.
Texas House Bill 1863, along with provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, sought to integrate various workforce programs under a single policy-making body. The Workforce Solutions East Texas Board was established to oversee this integration and coordination of more than twenty separate employment and training programs in our area. In 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act updated Federal programs, making them even more responsive to our participants needs. A report by the Comptroller’s office in 1995 provided the principles that serve as the cornerstone of workforce development boards:
• Driven by Business and Industry and Labor
• Universally Available
• Locally Designed
• Responsive to Customers’ Needs
• Accountable
About Wood County
Nestled in the Piney Woods of East Texas, Wood County is all of the Texas you expect in a county you’ll love: Active downtown districts, engaging outdoor activities, and friendly neighbors! Wood County is the ideal location for a weekend getaway or extended vacation, starting or expanding your small business, or becoming a permanent part of any of our welcoming communities. Home to Lake Fork—named the #1 bass fishing destination in the nation by Bassmaster Magazine—Wood County also has a variety of attractions to appeal to just about everyone, such as the Mineola Nature Preserve and the Links at Land’s End golf course to name just two. Come to Wood County: “The Texas You Expect in a County You’ll Love!” For more information, visit https://LoveWoodCounty.com.
Holt Hackney
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