Chamber Commits To Workforce Development

The Indiana County Center For Economic Operations, Representative Dave Reed, and the Indiana County Team Pennsylvania CareerLink sponsor major job fairs.

According to chamber chairman Jim Miller it doesnt matter whether you say In Indiana County Opportunities Abound So Stick Around" like former chairman Bob Marcus says it or Building Indiana County One Job At A Time" like Representative Dave Reed says it, the important thing is that the chambers focus has shifted to workforce development in Indiana County. Miller told the chamber board of directors at their September that by January 1, 2004 he expects to see expanded KOEZ opportunities as well as an added KOIZ and hopefully a KIZ opportunity or two. He continued by saying that thanks to Mike Duffalo and ICMSA water and sewage projects continue to expand across the county and based on Commissioner Chairman Bernie Smiths testimony to the State Transportation Commission this past Thursday our transportation infrastructure is finally taking shape. Miller said that it is his opinion that Indiana County has definitely begun to appear on more radar screens. So whats missing? Miller said, Were out of the double digit unemployment figures, and we still have a capable and dedicated workforce looking to grow and expand. At this point I think that jobs, jobs, jobs" might be just as important as location, location, location. The chamber needs to offer Indiana County employers a premier opportunity to capitalize on the countys available labor pool." And according to Miller the plan is to do just that. On Thursday October 2 and Friday October 3 the Indiana County Center For Economic Operations, Representative Dave Reed, and the Team Pennsylvania Indiana County CareerLink are partnering to put together Job Fair 2003". Miller said, On October 2 well be at the Rustic Lodge in White Township and on October 3 well be at the former WyoTech cafeteria/student union in Blairsville Borough. Both days we will operate from 9:00am-9:00pm. Participating employers will be furnished with an 8 table and three folding chairs. The rest is up to them," said Miller.

Miller said, What I want to tell Indiana County employers is to be as creative as they like. Do whatever you think you need to to attract job seekers who will be attending the job fair. Have employment literature, job descriptions, job applications, etc. The skys the limit. We will have a main registration area at each entrance and we will have each job seeker provide basic contact information as well as some indication as to what kind of position they are seeking and are most suited for.

Following the job fair we will distribute all of that information to employers who participate. In addition, through our preliminary marketing and advertising we will encourage job seekers to come prepared with completed contact information sheets (as mentioned earlier) as well as resumes and any other information that they think will be useful to them in securing a job. We want this to be a useful down and dirty" job fair. We want to match employers with qualified employees, and at the end of the day we want to have created jobs!" Miller went on to suggest to Indiana County employers that they cannot afford to miss this opportunity, even if they do not currently have available positions, he advises them to look to the future, fill the hopper, collect the information that they need so that when a position becomes available theyre one jump ahead.

Miller challenged the chamber board by saying, Have you been doing your own job fairs or recruiting campaigns and just havent met the mark?" Our plan is to provide the critical mass; the rest is up to the employer. The Indiana County Center For Economic Operations, the Team Pennsylvania Indiana County CareerLink, and State Representative Dave Reed are committed to bolster our workforce with this all important job fair opportunity. Thats all there is to it."

Miller urged employers to contact the chamber office at 724-465-2511 to get more information about the job fair or to request the necessary registration information. Miller also said that information is available online at www.indianacounty.com/chamber/jobs_jobs_jobs.htm. Were urging employers to have their registrations completed by September 22", said Miller. Miller added that a complete information packet would be included in the September 15 chamber member mailing. He also stressed that an employer need not be a chamber member in order to participate in the job fair. This initiative is open to any employer in the county," said Miller.

Membership chairman Frank Holuta reported the following new chamber members for the month of August: J.B. Communications, Lemmon Trucking, Indiana Auto Glass, and ComCast. Holuta said that chamber membership currently stands at 1,036.

Chamber Relations Committee chairman Bob Kanick told the board that his committee was excited that the next Chamber Business After Hours event on Thursday September 25 and said that it was going to sponsored by Chestnut Ridge Inn On The Green in Burrell Township. Kanick said, This has been a dream of ours for several years, we just werent able to pull it together in terms of scheduling opportunities. But now were there!" Kanick also told the board that his committee was beginning the preliminary planning for Expo 2004 scheduled for Saturday January 24 at the Indiana Mall. In his report to the board chamber president Dana Henry said that plans were being finalized to co-sponsor, along with the Blairsville Improvement Group (B.I.G.), a seminar to be presented by Dr. Kenneth Stone, Professor of Economics at Iowa State University at the Blairsville High School on Wednesday October 1. Dr. Stone is best known for his retail outlooks and his Wal-Mart community business impact studies. Dr. Stone will discuss what it takes to successfully compete with the big box" companies. Henry said that seminar participants would be able to learn about the impact that super centers have on small business and some of the things that they can do to compete with new strategies and proactive actions. Registration for the seminar is at 5:30 p.m. and the seminar itself will run from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Henry said that pre-registration is required and that registration forms can be obtained at the chamber office or in Blairsville by contacting either Linda Gwinn or Jack Clark, both board members with the B.I.G. organization. Henry also said that Dr. Stone made his presentation in Indiana back in 1995 just prior to the opening of the Wal-Mart Super Center in White Township.

The next meeting of the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce board of directors is scheduled for October 15.