The Jarvis Workforce Council in conjunction with the Wood County Economic Development Commission and Texas Workforce Commission held a countywide Workforce Stakeholders Meeting Aug. 2 from 3-5 p.m. at the Mineola Civic Center.

Its purpose was to connect local businesses and community leaders with regional workforce representatives and discuss how the community can utilize state-funded programs to address labor needs such as recruiting, skills gaps, and industry-specific training needs.

Participants included academic leaders with Jarvis Christian University, Quitman ISD, Mineola High School, Hawkins ISD, Tyler Junior College and UT Tyler in addition to business and elected representation including UT Health Quitman, Christus-Mother Frances Hospital in Winnsboro, Ozarka, ETEX Telephone Coop, Wood County, Trinidad-Benham Corporation, Reel Inn & Lodge in Quitman, Flint & Steel Coalition, They Got Your 6 Foundation, ENST Texas Workforce, and the city of Quitman. 

Christophe Trahan with the Wood County Economic Development Commission gave the overview of the workforce statistics for Wood County. 

As of Aug. 2, the unemployment rate for Wood County is 4.3%, with 38 individuals within the last 90 days on unemployment benefits. The median income for Wood County is $28,687.

Keith Huddleston with ETCOG gave a breakdown of the available Workforce training funds allocated to Wood County for WIOA programs. The total funding for the fiscal year is $62,225. Workforce has broken down funding for each of their WIOA programs as follows:

• $24,000 for the WIOA Adult Program (ages 25+)

• $14,000 for the WIOA Dislocated Workers Program

• $24,100 for the WIOA Youth Program (ages 16-24)

Programs discussed included Work Experience Internship, On the Job Training and Occupational Skills Training as well as accessing Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Childcare for employers.

• Work Experience Internship pays up to 300 hours so candidates can gain some sort of soft skills.

• On the Job Training provides employers partial reimbursement for wages for the training of new employees. These employees work for the company they are being trained by.

Representatives from Christus-Mother Frances Hospital asked questions on how to retain WEI candidates who they’d want to eventually hire and train to become nursing aides and assistants due to the shortage of staffing within general healthcare.

In part of his response, Stephen Lynch with Workforce Solutions pointed out that candidates are given a soft skills placement test to see which career path is suitable based on the test results, and it will allow Workforce to work with the candidate to match them with an employer who retains WEI or OJT programs to train these candidates. 

Lynch also discussed reverse referrals, when an employer finds an “almost perfect” candidate but couldn’t hire them for unknown reasons, and instead refers them to Workforce for training with any gaps in their skills development.  

• Occupational Skills Training pays up to $14,000 for individuals to receive a degree, training, license/certification. Cheryl Newton with Workforce Solutions highlighted that there are 73 fields that OST candidates can choose from to enter.

•Vocational Rehabilitation Services provides training to employees with disabilities on how to prepare for or to maintain employment, as well as provide training to employers on how to manage employees with disabilities.

• Childcare for Wood County was presented by Emily Pinal, an outreach specialist contractor with BakerRipley. Pinal brought up the lack of childcare access and children in need of services with young parents who are unable to care for them while they’re working and offered what Workforce could do for those who are experiencing these types of issues.