Task force members agree to continue meeting

Web sites to provide meeting place for workers, employers

COLUMBIA BASIN — Even though they've addressed many of the issues they set out to deal with, members of an area employee recruitment task force will continue to meet.

During a series of meetings held in January, to discuss recruitment of employees from within and outside the Columbia Basin area, area leaders identified a number of solutions. They included organizing a job fair at high schools and community colleges for local employers to talk with students about available jobs, salaries and employee expectations, promotion of local job opportunities and educating parents about local career opportunities.

Out of the meetings, an operations task force was formed to address the problems recruiting technical workers and work on the solutions.

At their June 29 meeting, members of the operations task force reviewed the goals from the original meetings.

"We've addressed a lot of these," task force representative Allan Peterson said. "(We) really have covered a lot of ground."

Task force representative Clyde Rasmussen said the meetings will continue in order to keep businesses involved and allow members to share information and concerns.

"We want to keep everybody in the loop with what's going on," he said. "If we don't, everyone's going to get so busy, we'll suddenly be back where we were."

"This is not a one-fix, it's going to be a continuing need, so several members suggested we keep this going," Peterson said.

Rasmussen is working to procure grant money to produce a career guide for jobs and training in Grant and Adams counties. The guide would help students make decisions and understand training needs, he said.

The next meeting takes place in late August or early September, Peterson said.

By that time, two Web sites should be up and running to allow students and potential employees to meet, Peterson said.

The Association of Washington Business is setting up a Workforce College Web site statewide, www.workforcecollege.com, Peterson explained.

While currently set up for training, the site is expanding to provide a link to each participating college and list recently graduated or graduating students by program, for businesses to contact. Businesses would also provide links to their career page.

"It would be a meeting place," Peterson said. "That seems to be the centerpoint, is this connecting workers and employers together, and being consistent."

Another Web site, Career Link, would be the same thing on a more local basis, Peterson said.

When the task force meets again, Peterson said the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce education committee would begin working on improving its Tuesday Tours program, which brings businesses into the schools.

The task force must still work on promotion and recruiting, Peterson said, but those issues are being addressed. Many people are experiencing hiring difficulties across the state, he added.

"What we've got to do is put these programs into place and then perhaps get with local legislators, see what we're doing, see where they can help, how does this fit in with the rest of the state's problems and how can we synchronize to make work in Washington smooth," he said.