Stories indexed with the term ‘workforce development’

Two items related to workforce development in Washtenaw County were addressed at the Nov. 20, 2013 meeting of the county board of commissioners.

The board gave initial approval to accept $1,154,683 in funding from the Partnership Accountability Training Hope (PATH) program, which is part of Michigan’s welfare system. The funding is for the period from Oct. 1, 2013 through Sept. 30, 2014. The money, to be administered by the county’s office of community and economic development, is meant to help fund training and “job readiness” services to welfare applicants or recipients that are low-wage workers. [.pdf of staff memo describing PATH services] The funding is $5,520 less than the county received last year.

Commissioners also approved bylaws for the county’s workforce … [Full Story]

An initial vote to accept funding for three workforce development programs – totaling about $1.35 million – was taken by the Washtenaw County board of commissioners at their Jan. 16, 2013 meeting. Final approval is expected at the board’s Feb. 6 meeting. The programs are overseen by the joint county/city of Ann Arbor office of community and economic development (OCED), which manages the local Michigan Works! office.

The grants include $1.16 million in federal funding for Partnership. Accountability. Training. Hope. (PATH), an orientation and job placement program for people who are applying for or receiving welfare assistance. The program was previously called Jobs, Education and Training (JET).

The county board also gave initial authorization to a $111,750 increase in federal grant … [Full Story]

The Washtenaw County board of commissioners approved several items related to funding for workforce development programs, administered by the county’s office of community and economic development. The votes took place at the board’s July 11, 2012 meeting.

The board approved an annual employment services plan for programs provided at the Michigan Works! Career Transition Center in Ypsilanti. [.pdf of employment services plan] The plan is required in order to receive federal funding, allocated by the state’s Workforce Development Agency. This year, the county will receive $470,755 for the period from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.

Also approved was the county’s application for $2,548,864 in funding for federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth from July 1, 2012 … [Full Story]

Final approval was given to three items related to Washtenaw County’s administration of the Michigan Works workforce development program by a unanimous vote of the county board of commissioners at their April 4, 2012 meeting. The items received initial approval at the board’s March 21 meeting.

The board authorized acceptance of a $92,309 federal grant to operate a local Michigan Works service center. The primary location in Washtenaw County is the Career Transition Center at 301 W. Michigan Ave. (the KeyBank building) in Ypsilanti. Additional services are offered at the Harriet Street Service Center at 304 Harriet St. in Ypsilanti.

Acceptance of another $16,000 federal grant was approved to fund ongoing professional and partnership development of the local Michigan Works operation.

The third item ratified a mandatory 2012 … [Full Story]

Three items related to Washtenaw County’s administration of the Michigan Works workforce development program received initial approval at the county board of commissioners March 21, 2012 meeting. Final approval is expected at the board’s April 4 meeting.

The board authorized acceptance of a $92,309 federal grant to operate a local Michigan Works service center. The primary location in Washtenaw County is the Career Transition Center at 301 W. Michigan Ave. (the KeyBank building) in Ypsilanti. Additional services are offered at the Harriet Street Service Center at 304 Harriet St. in Ypsilanti.

Acceptance of another $16,000 federal grant was approved to fund ongoing professional and partnership development of the local Michigan Works operation.

The third item ratified a mandatory 2012 “system plan” for the local Michigan … [Full Story]

The Washtenaw County department that Trenda Rusher supervises is undergoing transition, and not just because the long-time workforce development manager is retiring.

At Monday’s annual joint meeting of the two boards that oversee the county’s Employment Training & Community Services (ETCS) department, Rusher spoke of several other changes – from the dramatic growth of revenues, thanks to federal stimulus dollars, to the equally dramatic increase in demand for services, due to Michigan’s economic plight and the implosion of the auto industry.

And as Rusher departs – after nearly three decades with the county, she’s heading to Washington, D.C. to start her own consulting business and to be near her twin daughters – the new county administrator will be looking at possibly reorganizing the operations that serve as a conduit for millions of federal, state and local dollars.

Verna McDaniel, the deputy county administrator who’s expected to replace retiring administrator Bob Guenzel, spoke to ETCS staff and members of both boards on Monday, saying “we will be looking at all options.” No decisions have been made – a planning team will be meeting to lay out a strategy for evaluating what’s next, she said. [Full Story]

As the search gets under way to replace Bob Guenzel, Washtenaw County’s top administrator, two other high-level staff members have announced their retirements.

Trenda Rusher, who has worked for the county for 26 years, is stepping down as executive director of the Employment Training & Community Services (ETCS) department, which serves as the local agency for the state’s Michigan Works! workforce development program. Finance director Peter Ballios will be retiring after 38 years with the county.

Both moves were announced Tuesday morning in an email sent to county commissioners and department heads. Neither Rusher nor Ballios could be reached by The Chronicle for comment.

On Tuesday morning at a joint meeting of the soon-to-merge Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti chambers of commerce, Guenzel told The Chronicle that the county would be conducting a search to replace Ballios. However, at this point they won’t be doing the same for Rusher’s position. Instead, county leaders will be looking at possibly reorganizing the operations that she supervises, he said. [Full Story]