Vol. 2, No. 3  |  First Quarter 2017
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Taney County Career Days 
a huge success for students & employers!

This week, employers and community partners gathered at Taney County high schools to participate in Taney County Career Days. 

Nearly 1,500 students from Branson, Forsyth and Hollister had the opportunity to connect with business leaders and gain valuable information about career paths in  Architecture & Construction, Finance, Government & Public Administration, Health Sciences, Hospitality & Tourism, Information Technology and Marketing.

In addition to the Opportunity Fairs, students also received a boost of self-awareness with a touch of humor from motivational speaker Kyle Scheele about how young people can shape the story of their lives and future careers by participating in meaningful work experiences in the community.

Forsyth High School principal, Christian Meier, says this week's events have made a real impression on its student body.

"Taney County Career Days has already shown to be a positive benefit for our students," says Meier. "My teachers and I have heard many students make positive comments about Mr. Scheele's speech and one student who visited the Opportunity Fair has already scheduled an interview with one of the employers. We look forward to working with Taney County Partnership in the future to make this event bigger and better!"

Thanks to all of you who participated and helped make these events a real success! Due to the feedback we've received throughout the week, the Partnership plans on making Taney County Career Days an annual event.

We appreciate all you do to partner with us on the issue of workforce!

Heather Hardinger
Programs and Communications Director, Taney County Partnership
LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT DATA
 
Unemployment numbers in Taney County were about the same in December 2016 at *5.5 % as they were at the same time in 2015 at *5.6%.  Highlights of the Ozark Regional Profile for the month show a slightly higher overall unemployment rate in Taney County than the rest of the region in addition to other economic indicators.  The overall unemployment rate for the Ozark Region in December 2016 was *3.8%.

Unemployment numbers have not yet been released for early 2017. 

Check out the  January 2017  Labor Market Summary of real time labor market analysis for the Ozark Region. This analysis is updated every 60 days. 

We will also share the Workforce Overview data each month on the OnPoint Community Resources page . The overview was most recently updates on March 08, 2017..

 *Rates variable and subject to change
PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES

  


 

The Network's CEO Series: Mary Kellogg, Titanic Museum
Tuesday, March 21 | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Springfield Chamber of Commerce
 
Attention Ignite Branson young professionals! This event is for you. Come to the Springfield Chamber offices for lunch and a CEO Series presentation by our own Mary Kellogg of the Titanic Museum. 

Mary Kellogg was the executive director of marketing and programming for 10 years at CBS before spending 20 years as the Executive Vice President for Television at The Walt Disney Company. Now co-owner of two world-class museums, Kellogg provides leadership for a $20 million operation and oversees the company's Titanic operations in Branson, Mo., and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 

RSVP as a guest for this FREE event here::  http://bit.ly/2mnvDWJ
 
 

Branson J-1 Community Planning Meeting
Wednesday, March 22 | 11 am - 12 pm | Taneyhills Community Library

Please mark your calendars for a planning meeting to discuss Branson student handbooks, bransonj1.com website content, and cultural activities for students arriving soon.  We hope to continue the staple events offered last season, including Welcome Orientations, Thanksoween and J-Day.  

If you or your organization would like to extend any additional opportunities for student engagement, there is certainly room for more events throughout the summer. Student engagement can be as small as organizing basketball pick-up games for students to join, offering English language lessons, a meal, baseball games, etc. 

Initial wave of students will start arriving during the first week of May, so the next 6-8 weeks will be critical in planning for student arrivals and summer activities!  To register, email Abigail Palmer with CENET




Next OnPoint Workforce Collaborative Meeting:
Tuesday, March 14 | 8-9 a.m. | Branson Chamber

Join area employers, service providers and community partners to  to address and develop solutions to the county's Workforce Development issues. We meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month, 8 a.m. at the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. We always have hot coffee and sometimes donuts!

This month, our guest speaker will be Abigail Palmer with CENET, a visa sponsor for the Branson J-1 Program. She will share with us ways that employers and community members can participate in the J-1 Community Group (ISOP) to help plan for the international students' arrivals and summer activities.

Want to be a guest speaker at our monthly meeting to share information related to workforce development in the Tri-Lakes area? Email Heather for more information on how to present at one of our upcoming meetings.
 
 
FREE Webinar: Driving Corporate Culture in Today's Marketplace
Wednesday, March 22  |  1:00 p.m. CST

In the world of human resources and the battle for talent, "It is all about that CULTURE." It seems like every few years or when there is a major shift in the organization someone in leadership starts to ask about the state of the corporate culture and a team is put in place to revamp or fine tune it. Many academicians, HR professionals and business leaders have spent countless hours trying to figure out how to fix or reinvent the corporate culture. 

In this this Spotlight webinar, we will explore why efforts fall short, what the trends are and how you can create alignment and expand ownership. Finally, we will leave you with a one-pager that will help guide you through your journey in tweaking your corporate culture. 
This webinar will cover: 
  • Why corporate culture initiatives fail or fall short.
  • The seven major workplace trends that will impact your company culture. 
  • How to leverage internal resources to identify, embrace and reinvigorate your company culture. 
  • How organizations can align diversity and inclusion to support corporate culture transformation. 

✔️  Register for the webinar   >>   http://bit.ly/2lFix8J
 
The Competitive Advantage of Mindfulness
Everything you need to get started creating a more mindful, high-performing corporate culture.

Over half of Fortune 500 companies now offer mindfulness training to their employees because it not only improves  well-being,  but creates a happy and positive corporate culture as well. 

This FREE Mindful Office Starter Kit gives you everything you need to get started yourself. All you need is a printer and your mobile phone, and you'll be on your way.  

What's Inside:
  • "The Competitive Advantage of Mindfulness" eBook - How the science of mindfulness helps your employees stress less and perform better. 
     
  • "How to Implement Mindfulness Into Your Wellness Program" eBook - Tried and true strategies from 62 leading companies.  
     
  • Mindful Meetings Guide - Print one for every meeting room and have more productive meetings. 
     
  • "Chill Club" Guide for Mindful Teams (Preview) - This sample will help anyone lead groups in mindfulness sessions to foster collaboration. 
     
  • "Be Mindful not Mindless" Desk Guide - A reference guide to help align mindful behaviors with the culture you're creating.

Then listen to this collection of TED Talks and more on the topic of mindfulness, finding your purpose, practicing patience and managing stress:  https://www.ted.com/topics/mindfulness

Become One of Our Contributors

We always welcome new voices and perspectives on economic development, workforce development and related fields! Contact us to find out more about becoming a contributor, providing feedback or suggesting a topic.
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