BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
 Investing in Economic Prosperity!
 
Workforce Assistance Center celebrates the opening of our new site
 Local dignitaries and officials from partnering agencies joined us for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of our new facility located at  2037 W. Cleveland Avenue, Madera. 
Spring Job Fairs
Each year the Madera County Workforce Assistance Center coordinates a  spring job fair in Oakhurst and Madera bringing hundreds of job seekers to connect with dozens of employers. Attendees had the opportunity to find a new job or career, network with local employers, and discover other valuable resources and services related to employment and training.
 



A visit from Representative Jim Costa to our center
Representative Jim Costa toured our facility on Friday March 31

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A Glance At Our Organization 
The Workforce Development Board (WDB) is a team of private and public sector partners who share a common mission committed to the economic health of Madera County by providing leadership and guidance resulting in a quality employment and training system. The Workforce Development Board is the convener and facilitator for the programmatic oversight of the local workforce development system through the America’s Job Center – Madera County Workforce Assistance Center.
 

The Madera County Workforce Investment Corporation (MCWIC) is a 501c3, non-profit corporation, responsible for the operational and fiscal oversight of the local workforce
development system in Madera County and is the designated operator of the America’s Job Center – Madera County Workforce Assistance Center.
 

The Workforce Assistance Center is a partnership of community agencies specializing in meeting a variety of needs from job placement to public housing. Workforce Assistance Center is a One Stop community resource center that makes it easier for customers to
obtain information on a variety of programs and services.
 
 
Free HR Hotline
 
The Madera County HR hotline is designed to handle questions from employers regarding Human Resource issues such as:
•ADA and other accommodations in the workplace
•Hiring and Firing Do’s and Don’ts
•Paid Sick Leave Laws
•Wage and Hour Laws
•Employee Handbook Policies

Take advantage of this excellent resource!

This hotline is funded by the Disability Employment Accelerator Project.
Unemployment Rate

April 2017

Madera County...........................................8.5%
California....................................................5.1%
US................................................................4.1%

The unemployment rate in Madera County was 8.5% in April 2017, down from a revised 9.9% in March 2017, and below the year-ago estimate of 9.7%.  This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 4.5% for California and 4.1% for the nation during the same period. 

Source: EDD May 2017 release of the Madera  Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
On-the-Job Training Program

The On-the Job Training (OJT) is a great program that enables businesses to hire employees and receive a reimbursement for a portion of the participant's wages.  During the 2016-2017 fiscal year, our program provided local employers a savings of $75, 720.  Nineteen participants were hired and twelve employers benefited from this program.

Business 30-Second Training Series and Resource Guide
  The Business 30-Second Training Series and complementary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can assist in retaining and accommodating existing employees who experience onset of a disability.

Disability Employment Initiative Business Resource Guide May 25 2016 
Top two Industry Sectors in Madera
Public Admin/Education Services - 3,790 jobs - average salary (2015) $50,635
Health Care - 2737 jobs - average salary (2015) $52,978

Data source: Dun & Bradstreet