Chamber To Bring Together Businesses, Employees
The Local Job Center Network Business Services Forum, which is hosted by the McDonald County Chamber of Commerce, will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at 929 S. Business 71 in Anderson.
Tom Murphy believes hiring candidates through a local workforce service has paid dividends for his small business.
Murphy owns AT Machine in Lanagan, a business that he and his wife operate, along with help from two employees hired through the workforce service.
“It’s hard to find qualified people,” he said. “Some excel at this. Some take to it and some don’t.”
As a small business owner that stretches his budget, Murphy found out about the workforce opportunity through a McDonald County Chamber of Commerce member.
He thought it was worth looking into.
Candidates receive on-thejob paid training at no cost to the employer. “It doesn’t cost you any money,” Murphy said.
Once candidates achieve 400 working hours, the employer receives reimbursement for half the wages, he said.
The two candidates he interviewed had already completed a machinist course at a trade school. One was hired in the fall and one
was hired after Christmas.
“I’ve had pretty good luck with the program,” he said.
Across McDonald County, placements also have been made at Stang’s and Mid-Tec, both in Anderson.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act partners strive to help individuals improve their skills and obtain and maintain employment, according to information provided by the Workforce Investment Board of Southwest Missouri.
The program aims to help youth with disabilities develop leadership skills, realize their full potential, and promotes inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of society.
Two hundred companies across southwest Missouri employ the teens through the program, helping them sharpen their social skills and gain business experience.
McDonald County employers will have the opportunity to learn more about the details of the program on Friday at a special forum.
The Local Job Center Network Business Services Forum, which is hosted by the McDonald County Chamber of Commerce, will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at 929 S. Business 71 in Anderson.
Frank Neely with the Workforce Investment Board of Southwest Missouri will speak about the tools and services offered to McDonald County employers.
Participants will learn about candidate recruitment, assessment and prescreening; tax incentives and local wage information; work experience; on-the-job training wage reimbursement; and more.
Neely said the forum will help others learn about job center network services that are free to employers.
In the past, officials have presented job center services at numerous chamber functions in McDonald County, Neely said.
“We hope to make these business services forums annual events in different communities across our seven-county service area,” he said.
To RSVP, email the Chamber at info@mcdonaldcounty chamber.org.