Chairman: Butch Jones
Vice-Chairman: Venita McLean
Secretary: Everett Brumbelow

Executive Committee:
      Butch Jones, Gilmer
Venita McLean, Dade
Everette Brumbelow, Floyd
Dan Penland, Murray
Mark Ezzell, DOL, Haralson
Steve Hawkins, Bartow
Add Layson, Gordon

Youth Council Chairman:
Angie Douglass, Floyd

The second day of the retreat members attended a training session presented by the National Association of Workforce Boards titled "The Marriage of Economic Development and the Workforce System." The course consisted of three modules designed to increase awareness about economic development and partnering on workforce issues.

Module 1 provided information on the world of economic development; module 2 provided information on the workforce system as a basis for discussing similarities and differences; and, module 3 provided a framework for collaborative action.

The final morning consisted of a discussion on the Strategic Plan and the progress of the past year. The next planning steps were discussed and assignments made to various committees for further implementation.

Improving Access to Georgia’s One Stops

A training session on how to better serve customers with disabilities in our One Stop centers will be held for all WIA providers s on October 19, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. at Heritage Hall in Rome, Georgia. The meeting, sponsored by Cobb Works, will be presented by the firm of Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC. Griffin-Hammis specializes in community rehabilitation improvement, job creation and job site training, employer development, Social Security benefits analysis and work incentives, self employment feasibility and refinement, management-leadership mentoring, and civic entrepreneurship.

The discussions will be on possible misconceptions we may have concerning those with disabilities and their work capabilities. Please forward to CVRDC the number attending from your organization by Oct. 1, 2004. tmorgan@cvrdc.org. 

Chattooga High School Community Service Team Earns National Ranking

The Chattooga High School Community Service Team, who took state honors, also placed 9th in the nation at the Denver Future Business Leaders of America Conference. Congratulations to this group and to FBLA Sponsors, Claudia Bagley and Eleanor Brown. And, also to Jim Dean who works behind the scenes with this group and with the Youth Success Academy at Chattooga HS.

WIA Participant Wins National Accounting Competition

Northwestern Technical College and WIA participant, Teri Hill, received top honors at the national conference of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) held in Denver, Colorado. PBL is a professional association for students pursuing business careers from colleges and universities across the country. Teri won the organizations national championship in accounting.

The test consisted of 100-questions to be completed in 60 minutes. It required the students to not only know the material well, but also to be able to recall and use it in a short period of time. Teri credits her accounting instructor Doug Cooper with making the difference. "He didnt just teach us how to memorize things, but how to know what truly is behind the way accounting works."

Teri was very appreciative of the assistance she received in both financial aid programs and from the Workforce Investment Program. Originally from Mount Vernon, Illinois, she plans to pursue her career in business, and hopes to stay in the Northwest Georgia area.

On-Line Training Through Southeast DBTAC

The Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC) has developed an on-line course called At Your Service: Welcoming Customers with Disabilities to Your One Stop. Over 6500 people from 1600 organizations have taken this FREE course. The course is designed as an educational tool for One Stop personnel, but is also useful to employment and training centers, educators, employers, etc. The course can be accessed at www.wiawebcourse.org.

Dates to Remembe

• Southeastern Employment and Training Conference Fall 2004, September 19-22, 2004, Lexington, KY. For information visit: www.seta.org.
• Career Development Facilitator (CDF) Training will be held in Dalton beginning September 2004. Sessions will be 3 days per month through January 2005. Location will be Dalton State College. For more information visit: www.kennesaw.edu/coned/ideas/career_ development_facilitator_training_schedule.htm. 
• The Northwest Georgia Workforce Investment Board (WIB) meeting will be held at BJs Restaurant in Calhoun, GA on Wednesday, September 15, 2004 at 12:00 noon.
• The Northwest Georgia Workforce Investment Board Youth Council will meet on Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at 12:00 noon at BJs Restaurant in Calhoun, GA.
• The Workforce Summit 2004 will be held in Orlando, FL at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. The event dates are September 21—23, 2004. For more information call 1321-690-5352.
• The Region 3 Workforce and Economic Development Summit hosted by the US Department of Labor—Atlanta Region and the State of Florida will be held October 57, 2004. Location: The Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando, Florida. For registration information visit www.floridajobs.org/USDOL/default.htm.

A Successful Referral

Upon applying for TANF in 2000, Melanie Long was referred to the New Connections to Work and the WIA programs for career assistance. Enrolling in Northwestern Technical College, Melanie chose the drafting program as her career of choice. "Drafting is where math and drawing come together," Melanie stated. Since she was good in math and loved to draw, she knew she was in the right field.

Melanie was faced with numerous obstacles while trying to complete her drafting program. Her apartment burned, her car broke down, she had sick children and child care issues. A single mother of four, Melanie was determined to get off welfare and a make a life for herself and her children. She took advantage of any and all services offered to her, such as Welfare to Work, Wheels to Work and the Family Crisis Center. Her determination paid off, and she graduated in December 2002. She has been employed at Consolidated Technologies, Inc. (CTI) in Chattanooga, TN, as a designer drafter since January of 2003. Melanie would like to thank all who helped her reach her goal of independence.

Melanie is an excellent example of a referral system that works.

WCTC One Stop Career Center

Mel Fain, of West Central Technical College One Stop Center, is looking ahead at "Working for Georgia". Recently, Mel and joining partner agencies have taken another look at Strategic Planning for the future direction of the Full Service Comprehensive Center. One goal has been to evaluate the customer and market focus with the internal and external customer.

Mel, along with Mark Ezzell, Cedartown Career Center recently visited Jennie West, President of the Haralson County Chamber of Commerce to invite her to serve on the WCTC One Stop Executive Committee. They also joined the Haralson County Existing Industry and Small Business Committees in order to collaborate new ideas for local business services.

Thru the involvement of West Central Technical College in economic development, the Haralson/Polk Employer Committee, and the Chamber of Commerce, the West Central One Stop Center is pushing for innovative ideas for the employee and the employer.