On behalf of the directors and staff of the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County, I would like to welcome you to our new website, and thank you for visiting.
The “WIB,” as we’ve been calling ourselves lately, launched a new marketing strategy in 2009, including new logos and new approaches to reach both job seekers and businesses. We plan on building on that WIB brand extensively, so that when any Tulare County job seeker is looking for a job, or wants any kind of employment assistance – resume writing, career assessments, creating a training pathway – they first think of contacting the WIB.
Likewise, as businesses become ready to hire again in 2010, we anticipate they’ll look to the WIB for referrals and pre-employment screening, testing, and placement.
The New Year brings with it a new commitment to face the issues head-on that have plagued Tulare County and the Central Valley for far too long. The challenges we know all too well – chronic high unemployment, skills gaps, education budget cuts, local governments in financial crisis, etc. – but with augmented funding from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and new demand-driven strategies, the WIB is more ready than ever before to meet these challenges head on. Being demand-driven means listening to businesses regarding their hiring and job training needs, and utilizing our resources to better prepare our workforce to meet those needs.
As the WIB also enters a new decade, we face many new challenges and opportunities in the county and region, not the least of which is recovering from what economists are now calling the “Great Recession.” Most experts forecast a slow recovery, and new job creation may be sluggish through most of the year. The WIB, however, with a new industry sector focus, will be applying its resources towards not only improving the Tulare County workforce, but identifying all major business climate issues. The various sector committees created by the WIB in 2009 will serve as the “eyes” for those issues, and will help create new strategies to strengthen the growth sectors in the region.
The sector committees created include: Health Care, Agri-Business, Manufacturing, and “Green” Jobs. The Green Jobs Sector Committee is a progressive approach towards developing alternative energy, biofuels, and other important new segments to the regional economy that will also help reduce our impact on the environment while building sustainability in the region. In development, as well, are two new committees that will target Food Processing and Distribution/Transportation.
Perhaps our greatest opportunity in 2010 is the creation of the new Sequoia Valley Enterprise Zone (EZ). This designation will allow nearly all businesses in Tulare County to take advantage of tax credits for hiring new employees – potentially worth up to $36,000 for every new hire – and reimbursement of sales taxes on new equipment. The WIB will be partnering with the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation to market the EZ and we look forward to getting the word out on this important incentive for new and existing Tulare County businesses.
Again, thank you for visiting the new website of the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County. My staff is ready to assist you, whether you are an individual looking for a new career path, or a business looking to find the right people. The WIB looks forward to making 2010 a cornerstone year in the development of the local workforce and regional economy.
