Bringing People & Opportunities Together
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Agriculture is Big Business
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Agriculture is all around us in Ventura County, acres of strawberries, citrus and avocado orchards, but have you ever thought of the professional opportunities in agriculture? Farming and farm-dependent businesses provide an estimated 43,000 jobs in Ventura County, generating $2.2 billion in revenue and $76 million in indirect business taxes annually. WDB members
Laura Martinez
, Director of Human Resources, Ventura Pacific Company, and
Rosa Serrato
, Director, Talent Strategies, Reiter Affiliated Companies joined KVTA host Tom Spence to talk about career pathways in agriculture.
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A Lot Riding on 2020 Census
By Rebecca Evans & Vanessa Bechtel
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Ventura County has a population of about 850,000. An estimated 251,000 are at risk of not being counted. Out of the over 3,000 counties in the U.S., Ventura County ranks as 59th most at risk of an undercount in the 2020 Census. Close to $2 billion or more in funding for our community over the next ten years is projected to be lost due to an undercount — that is, if we fail to take action as a community. How does this impact you? Federal funds help to pay for an assortment of critical infrastructure programs including rural and industry development loans, senior services, policing agencies, civil rights enforcement, childcare…
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Meeting of the Minds 2019
California Workforce Association
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WDB Members
Jesse Cuevas
,
Kathy Harner
,
Tracy Perez
,
Laura Martinez
,
Carolyn Vang-Walker
and WDB Executive Director
Rebecca Evans
participated in the 2019 Meeting of the Minds in Monterey Conference. For over 20 years, CWA has brought together an impromptu think tank of individuals from across the broad spectrum of workforce and economic development and education to consider “outside” points of view. The intent is to draw lessons from other disciplines and from the cutting edge of business to help us create better outcomes and more impact. “I was honored to represent the WDB and United Staffing Associates at the California Workforce Meeting Of The Minds Conference,” said Tracy Perez, WDB Chair, “I felt so privileged to be part of building a ‘Strategy to Reality’ with these amazing local workforce development leaders!”
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Welcome New WDB Board Members
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The WDB welcomes two new members;
Captain Kirk Lagerquist
is Chief Staff Officer with the United States Navy at Naval Base Ventura County. He has served in the Navy for almost 25 years. His military assignments have taken him around the world. “Our partnership with the Workforce Development Board is integral to service members and their families’ transition to civilian employment. I hope to continue the close connection between NBVC and WDB, to be a conduit for employment opportunities on the installation as well as those throughout the county,” said Lagerquist. With more than 16,000 employees, NBVC is the county’s largest employer.
Laura Martinez
is an HR professional with 25 years’ experience and is currently the Human Resource Director at Ventura Pacific Company, a lemon grower and packer in Oxnard. “Agriculture is a thriving industry here in Ventura County. As a board member, I want to be part of representing agriculture and industries as a whole,” said Martinez.
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Welcome New WDB Staff Members
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The WDB is pleased to announce two new staff members;
Norman Albances
, Workforce Development Manager. Norman comes to us with ten years’ experience working for the Orange County Workforce Development Board. He is a graduate of UC Irvine and received his Master’s in Public Administration from Cal State Long Beach. Norman is a Certified Workforce Development Professional through the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and recently achieved his Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma Process Improvement.
Andrea Sanchez
, formerly with the EDD at the AJCC, also joins the WDB as a Workforce Development Manager. Andrea brings ten years of experience working as a Program Manager with EDD and WIOA programs, including Jobs for Veterans Grants, Migrant Seasonal Farmworker Outreach Program, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and Employer Services including recruitment and hiring events. She has a BS in Business Management from CSUN.
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Committee Focus: ‘Ventura Beach Marriott’
Running a “Green” Hotel
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WDB Hosts Regional Roundtable
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The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County hosted its first Ventura Region Roundtable for Workforce Development on August 28, 2019. The focus of the roundtable was to have dialogue around how to serve English Language Learners by leveraging Workforce Development, CalWORKs, CalFresh Employment & Training, Adult Education and other programs. Both local and state partners were in attendance. Most notably, State partners included representatives from the State Labor & Workforce Development Agency, California Department of Social Services, and California Adult Education Program.
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Tune in to Tom Spence on KVTA 1590-AM for the next Workforce Wednesday, October 23, at 8:30 AM
Topic: Prison to Employment Update
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The Workforce Development Board administers federal Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act funds that help to support America’s Job Center of California locations and other free adult, youth and employer programs and services in Ventura County.
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Join the WDB Conversation
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