Working in the

YOUTH EXPO “BUILDING &

TRADES APPRENTICESHIP

PROGRAMS”

The Northern Panhandle Workforce

Development Board, Inc. (NPWDB, Inc.)

sponsored the “2018 Youth Expo – “Building &

Trades Apprenticeship Programs” for WIOA

(Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act)

Youth, ages 18-24 years old. The Expo was

held on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 and

Thursday, November 8, 2018 at the Wheeling

American Job Center.

The purpose of the “Expo” was to introduce

and familiarize participating Eligible Youth with

Training and Educational Opportunities that are

available and being offered for individuals

interested in going into a Registered

Apprenticeship Program in the “Building &

Trades Programs”.

Karrie Mulhern – West Virginia Northern Community

College (WVNCC)

Steve Terry – Ironworkers Union Apprenticeship Program

The NPWDB, Inc.’s Youth Program Provider,

Youth Services System, Inc. (YSS, Inc.) was

responsible for recruiting thirty (30) Youth from

their Year Long Youth Program, YOUTH

OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED!, to the “Expo.”

Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc.

Bi-Annual Newsletter December 2018

Frank Eberhart – Bricklayers Union Apprenticeship

Program

Participating Youth agreed to attend both days

of the “Expo” and successfully complete

program objectives in order to receive a

Certificate of Completion. This meant they

were required to: Increase Work Readiness

Skill Level by No Less than ten percent (10%);

Develop a Resume; Participate in Mock

Interviews; and, Register with the American

Job Center.

Tony Phillips and DJ Eddy – Painters Union

Apprenticeship Program

Daily Sessions were held 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

and the “Expo” Agenda was as follows: Day 1

“Informational Sessions”: Apprenticeship

Training & Education Opportunities; Labor

Market Data Analysis; Job & Employment

Opportunities for Apprentices; Requirements

for Area Apprenticeship Programs; and, Tour

of the “S.T.E.M. Room for Youth.” Day 2

“Career Day”: Resume Writing; Mock

Interviews; and Available Apprenticeship

Training Programs for WIOA Eligible Youth.

Informational Sessions: Job Preparedness;

and, Discussion on How Drug Abuse/Addiction

Impacts an Individual’s Ability to Get and Keep

a Job. Day 2 also included a Tour of the

Ironworkers Local 549 and the “West Virginia

Women Work” facility in Wheeling, WV.

Tiffany Curtis – West Virginia Women Work

Apprenticeship Program

Dave Plutt – Carpenters Union Apprenticeship

Program

Tour of the Ironworkers Local 549

Tour of the Ironworkers Local 549

Tour of the Ironworkers Local 549

Tour of the West Virginia Women Work Classroom

Registered Apprenticeship Programs provide

an excellent alternative to college, as they

provide men and women with a direct path to a

middle-class lifestyle. Programs also provide a

unique type of educational curriculum,

combining on-the-job training with traditional

classroom instruction. Many Apprentices earn

two-year (2) Associates Degrees during their

Apprenticeships, often free of debt. USDOL

says 90% of workers are still employed one (1)

year after completion of their Apprenticeship

Program, earning an average of $55,000 per

year. Over the course of their career,

Registered Apprentices can earn $300,000

more than Non-Apprenticeship Participants.

The NPWDB, Inc. would like to say “Thank

You” to the following Partners and Speakers

who donated their time to our Youth “Expo”:

West Virginia Northern Community College;

Ironworkers Local 549; Carpenters Local 230;

“West Virginia Women Work”; Bricklayers

District Council of West Virginia; International

Union of Painters and Allied Trade; Community

Impact Coalition; Youth Services System, Inc.;

and, American Job Centers.

FIFTH ANNUAL VETERAN

“STAND DOWN”

RESOURCE FAIR

On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, the Fifth

Annual Veteran “Stand Down” Resource Fair

Event was held at West Virginia Northern

Community College (WVNCC’s) Education

Center from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This Event

was FREE to all Veterans and their families.

Members of the Wheeling Veterans “Stand

Down” Association, along with other area non-

profit organizations/agencies, helped to plan

and prepare for this Event. Honor Guards from

the American Legion Post #1 in Wheeling, WV

did the presentation of colors for the Opening

Ceremony. Lunch was prepared by the

WVNCC Culinary Arts Students and FREE to

all Veterans, including their guest, and to

representatives from participating

agencies/organizations.

The primary goal of the Event is to help

homeless Veterans in the region access the

resources needed to regain their highest level

of independence. Its secondary goal is to bring

our community and service providers together,

in a collaborative format, to build relationships

throughout the year that positively benefits

homeless and at-risk Veterans. This one (1)

day Event provides Veterans and their families’

with invaluable information and resources.

During the Event, Veterans received

information on VA Benefits, VA Enrollment, VA

Medical and Mental Help, Surplus Items,

Housing Assistance, Living Will, Job Training,

etc. No Veteran walked out empty handed or

hungry! Almost every Veteran attending took

advantage of the FREE haircuts that were

provided by Tommy’s Classic Touch of

Wellsburg, WV.

In the military, “Stand Down” refers to a

necessary mental and physical break from

combat. Military personnel spend time in a safe

place to rest and recuperate before returning to

the front lines. Today, “Stand Down” is an

Event that provides a safe place for Veterans

and their families to engage with available

community resources.

A special “Thank You” to all of the

organizations who participated in this Event!

NPWDB, INC. SKYPE WITH SENATOR JOE MANCHIN

On Wednesday, July 18, 2018, NPWDB, Inc. Staff participated in a thirty (30) minute Skype Session with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin. Mary Jo Guidi, Regional Coordinator from Senator Manchin’s Office, arranged the Event. Staff had the opportunity to ask Senator Manchin five (5) questions ranging from Federal Funding to the Opioid Crisis in West Virginia. Senator Manchin said that legislatively, job creation is his top priority. He has co-sponsored over 36 Job Fairs in the State of West Virginia. Senator Manchin said that he wants to help find jobs for everyone attending Statewide Job Fairs. He also thinks it’s important to get local educators involved, making sure the education system understands what they should be teaching and the skill sets needed so individuals go into the right individual career path. The NPWDB, Inc. Staff thought it was an amazing opportunity to have the chance to Skype with Senator Manchin, asking him questions and interacting with him. Staff was very impressed with the Senator and how genuinely interested he was in their questions and opinions. Senator Manchin began his tenure as West Virginia’s 34th Governor in January 2005. On November 15, 2010, he was sworn into the

United States Senate to fill the seat left vacant by the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. From his days as a State Legislator to his six (6) years as Governor to his current role, U.S. Senator Manchin has always been committed to connecting with all of his constituents and making service to them his top priority. Success means doing the best we can with

what we have. Success is the doing, not the

getting; in the trying, not the triumph.

Success is a personal standard, reaching

for the highest that is in us, becoming all

that we can be.

Zig Ziglar

NPWDB, INC. YOUTH WORK

EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS

“Work Experience” is one of the fourteen (14)

required Elements for the WIOA Youth

Program. Under WIOA, a minimum of twenty

(20%) percent of funds must be spent on Work

Experience for Youth. Work Experience is a

planned, structured learning experience that

takes place in a workplace for a limited period

of time, and provides youth with opportunities

for career exploration and skill development.

Work Experience can take place in the private

for-profit sector, non-profit sector, or public

sector, and must include academic and

occupational education.

The NPWDB, Inc., in coordination with their

Youth Provider, YSS, Inc., operates four (4)

Work Experience Programs per program year,

which include: The Summer Work Program,

The Fall Work Program, The Winter Work

Program and The Spring Work Program.

Eligible youth residing in Hancock, Brooke,

Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler counties have

the opportunity to participate in these Work

Experience Programs.

The primary intent of Work Experience is to

help youth understand proper workplace

behavior and what is necessary to attain and

retain employment. Work Experiences help

youth acquire the personal attributes,

knowledge and skills needed to obtain a job

and advance in the work place. Work

Experience also serve as a stepping stone to

unsubsidized employment and is an important

step in the process of developing a career

pathway for youth. Each Work Experience

expose youth to realistic working conditions

and task as much as possible.

The NPWDB, Inc. would like to thank all County Commissioners, NPWDB, Inc. Board of Directors, YSS, Inc. and participating youth for

making the 2018 Work Experience Programs such a success!

Josh Kibler & Deysen Leasure Wheeling Housing Authority

Hil-Dar

Deysen Leasure

Wheeling Housing Authority Hil-Dar

Josh Beck

Brooke County Commission

NPWDB, INC. STAFF AND

PARTNER TRAINING

NPWDB, Inc. Staff

On Thursday, December 6, 2018, NPWDB,

Inc. Staff, American Job Center Staff and YSS,

Inc. Youth Opportunities Unlimited! Program

Staff members attended a WIOA and Safety

Training Session at the Wheeling American

Job Center.

Staff attends at least two (2) WIOA and Safety

Training Sessions each Program Year.

Christine Smith, Records Coordinator of the

Safety and Loss Control Committee, presented

a video on “Driving Distractions” for the Safety

Training portion of the Session. The primary

goal of this Safety Training was to educate

Staff on the distractions of Driving, which

includes: Talking on a Cell Phone; Eating and

Drinking while driving; Using a Navigation

System while Driving; and, Adjusting Car

Controls while Driving, etc. Executive Director,

Rosemary Guida; Assistant Director, Erinn

Kittle; and, MACC Coordinator, Gena Saffell

provided updates on WIOA Programs and

Services during this portion of the Session.

Topics covered included: New Organizational

Chart; New/Modified Local Policies; Business

Resource Network (BRN) Grant Application;

Opioid Grant Application; Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);

Employer Services Program; Equal

Opportunity Updates; and, Case Management

Review.

American Job Center Staff

Since this Training Session was scheduled so

close to Christmas, we thought it would be fun

to wear our “Ugly Christmas Sweaters!”

“Nothing in the world can take the place

of perseverance. Talent will not; nothing

is more common than unsuccessful

people with talent. Genius will not;

unrewarded genius is almost legendary.

Education will not; the world is full of

educated derelicts. Perseverance and

determination alone are omnipotent.”

Calvin Coolidge

NPWDB, INC.’S

TRAINING PROGRAMS &

SERVICES AVAILABLE TO

AREA EMPLOYERS

Competing in today’s global economy requires

recruiting, training and retaining the very best

workers. The NPWDB, Inc. offers Employers in

our Region some of the following Training

Programs under the Workforce Innovation and

Opportunity Act (WIOA): Transitional Job; and,

On-the-Job Training (OJT).

What is a Transitional Job? Transitional Jobs

are a type of work-experience the NPWDB,

Inc. offers as an “individualized career service”.

Transitional Jobs are time-limited work

experiences that are subsidized in Private-for-

Profit “High Demand” sectors. Transitional

Jobs provide WIOA eligible individuals with

work experience and an opportunity to develop

important workplace skills by working at least

32 hours per week, earning no less than

$10.00 per hour for a three (3) month period.

The NPWDB, Inc. reimburses the Employer

one hundred percent (100%) of the

participating Individual’s wage rate in a

Transitional Job.

What is On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program?

OJT is a “Wage Reimbursement” Program for

area Employers. A participating Employer is

reimbursed for a new Hire’s wages based on

the following sliding scale: 25 Employees –

60%; 26-50 Employees – 50%; or, 51-More

Employees – 40%. Employers agree to hire,

train and retain the WIOA eligible individual

permanently once the training is completed.

OJT is designed to provide an opportunity for

WIOA eligible individuals to receive training,

skills and workplace knowledge that enable

them to obtain and maintain employment, as

well as to compete for job advancement.

For additional information on Employer

Requirements for Training Programs and

Services, please contact Katrina Dumas,

Employer Services Coordinator, at 304-232-

6280 or katrinadumas923@gmail.com.

“You cannot change the environment, but

you can change yourself.

You cannot change who you are, but you

can change your values and habits.

You cannot change the past, but you can

change the present and future.

You cannot change yesterday, but you can

change today and tomorrow.

You cannot change the fact, but you can

change your attitude.

You cannot change the weather, but you

can change your mood.

You cannot always feel happy, but you can

always put a smile on your face.”

Dr. T.P. Chia

NPWDB, INC. AND THE

BUSINESS RESOURCE

NETWORK

The NPWDB, Inc. has been a Participating

Partner of the Business Resource Network

(BRN) for the past three (3) years.

What is the BRN? The primary goal of the BRN

is to connect Workforce Development,

Economic Development and Education in a

collaborative, seamless and customer-focused

partnership structure to deliver more effective

and efficient business services. Through the

BRN, local Workforce Development regions

from the States of Ohio, Pennsylvania and

West Virginia will develop proactive, strategic

employer outreach. It connects multiple

systems to create a seamless service delivery

system to deliver more effective and efficient

business services, facilitating coordination of

outreach and services and resources across

programs and funding streams in order to

provide coordinated solutions to businesses.

The BRN utilizes the Synchronist System,

which is the only customer relationship

management software in the marketplace that

is built upon evidence of successful business

retention and expansion practices.

Rosemary Guida, Executive Director of

NPWDB, Inc., has been regularly attending

monthly BRN Meetings with Matt Falter,

Project Director of the BRN, and has been

involved with the ARC Power Grant for a BRN

Expansion that includes: The NPWDB, Inc.;

The Region 4 Workforce Development Board

of WV; and, The Southwest Corner Workforce

Development Board in Western PA (in addition

to the Workforce Development Boards of Ohio

Area 16). Monthly meetings are an opportunity

to define businesses to target, brainstorm

particularly challenging solutions a business

SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The West Virginia Department of Health and

Human Resources (WVDHHR) administers the

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

(SNAP). This Program Year, the WVDHHR is

partnering with the NPWDB, Inc. to offer SNAP

Employment and Training Program to the

SNAP recipients in Ohio County. The goal of

this partnership is to provide needed

Employment and Training Opportunities

available through WIOA to SNAP recipients.

The NPWDB, Inc. has hired a SNAP

Employment and Training Coordinator who is

located at the Wheeling American Job Center.

The SNAP Employment and Training

Coordinator is responsible for the following:

Administering and Overseeing the SNAP

Employment and Training Program; Accept,

and work with, eligible Participant Referrals

from the WVDHHR Office in Ohio County for

participation in the Program; Develop

Employment Opportunities in the area for

eligible Participants; and, Assist eligible

Participants with identifying Education and

Career Goals in order to determine

appropriate, needed Training Services.

For additional information, please contact

Rebecca Raspperry or Jodi Fogel, at 304-232-

6280, at the Wheeling American Job Center,

1275 Warwood Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003.

“The first step toward success is taken

when you refuse to be a captive of the

environment in which you first find

yourself.”

Mark Caine

may have, and learn about each partner’s

services and resources.

FREE COMPUTER CLASSES

Regional American Job Centers offer FREE

Basic Computer Classes at their Weirton,

Wheeling and New Martinsville locations.

Classes are designed for those who are

completely new to computers or who feel they

need to have more instruction. Along with

learning about basic keyboarding, internet

navigation, Microsoft Office, etc., classes also

incorporate resume writing, interviewing skills,

customer service skills, and much more!

Mountain State Educational Services

Cooperative (MSESC) Adult Education

Instructors and One Stop Staff conduct these

Classes.

To find out when the FREE Basic Computer

Classes are offered at regional American Job

Centers, please contact Rebecca Raspperry at

304-232-6280.

“Growth is actually contagious, so if you

want to reach your goals, you’ve got to get

around people who are going in the same

direction you want to be going, and you will

catch the success.”

Dr. Henry Cloud

NEW NPWDB, INC BOARD MEMBERS

Thomas Welch Bidell Gas Compression, Manufacturing Manager David McClain Ardagh Metals, Plant Manager Kim McConnaughy Mountain State Educational Services Cooperative, Regional Adult Education Cooperative Tina Rush MARKWEST Energy Partners, Local Government Affairs Representative Debbie Bennett West Virginia Northern Community College, Campus Operations Manager – New Martinsville Tammy Bowers WesBanco, BCM/VP Business Development – Steelton Todd Strickler Sistersville General Hospital, Interim Director of Nursing

LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS

Don Nickerson Ohio County Commissioner Mike Smith Tyler County Commissioner

AMERICAN JOB CENTER TRAFFIC REPORT PROGRAM

YTD (WIOA Program Year 7/1/2018 through 6/30/2019. Dates being reported are 7/1/2018 through 12/31/2018) WHEELING New Customers: 105 Repeat Customers: 4,169 Total: 4,274 WEIRTON New Customers: 57 Repeat Customers: 488 Total: NEW MARTINSVILLE New Customers: 71 Repeat Customers: 930 Total: 1,001 GRAND TOTALS New Customers: 233 Repeat Customers: 5,587 Total: 5,820 “Character cannot be developed in ease

and quiet. Only through experience of trial

and suffering can the soul be strengthened,

ambition inspired, and success achieved.”

Helen Keller

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS

All Partners, approved Training Providers, Staff

and Clients of regional American Job Centers

are encouraged to submit articles, ideas,

success stories, etc. for this Newsletter. Please

contact Christine Smith at the NPWDB, Inc. by

email at npwibinc@gmail.com or by phone at

304-231-1170 to submit items for the

Newsletter.

The NPWDB, Inc. Staff wish you a

Happy and Prosperous New Year!

NPWDB, Inc. / WIOA funded programs are equal opportunity employer programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

TTY/TDD 304-233-8091

The NPWDB, Inc. programs and services discussed in this Newsletter are 100% WIOA funded. No programs or services have been financed by non-governmental sources.