Los Angeles Air Force Base - EL SEGUNDO
Workforce History: The Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB) employs approximately 2,000 active military professionals. Currently, those separating from the military work through the Airman and Family Readiness Center located at the base. The Center provides services that help with the transition from the military to civilian life and employment. The center sees between 20-50 people per month, but unfortunately they are not able to supply continuous assistance for everyone until a job is found.
SBWIB Partnership: The South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB) created a partnership with the Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB) to provide Enhanced Workforce Transition Assistance, which is the first of its kind in the nation. The new
2016 BUSINESS SUCCESS STORIES
program, which began July 1, 2016, offers enhanced transition assistance and provides employment services until the veteran finds a job, even after they have separated from the military. Workforce services are also available for spouses of separating military, which includes spouses of active duty and newly-assigned personnel.
Outcome and Benefits: The partnership is already assisting Air Service men and women at the LAAFB achieve greater prosperity and quality of life for themselves and their families as they make the transition out of the military. The community benefits from the retention of a highly skilled and professional workforce in the Los Angeles South Bay region, which is important for business retention, expansion and economic growth.
Magnetika - GARDENA
Workforce Challenge: Magnetika Inc., is a designer and manufacturer of transformers, inductors and custom magnetic components. As such, procuring qualified and skilled workers has often been a challenge for the Gardena-based company. Facing a dilemma, company representatives reached out to the Gardena for assistance.
In order to maintain their contract with a large aerospace company, and keep several of their employees from being laid off, Magnetika Inc. needed to train employees in a specialist X-Ray system.
SBWIB Partnership: One-Stop staff located a Training Provider on our Intrastate Training Resource and Information Network (I-TRAIN) that was not only able to offer the needed certification, but was available to do it on-site. With one visit, the employees were certified.
Outcome and Benefits: Magnetika Inc. was delighted that they were able to keep several employees while maintaining the criteria necessary to keep their contract and ensure their continued viability within the marketplace.
Home Depot- HAWTHORNE
Workforce Challenge: Home Depot, the home improvement supplies superstore, approached the Inglewood One-Stop Business & Career Center staff with a hiring dilemma. The Home Depot needed to immediately hire more than 100 people for the Pacific Central Region, including several locations in the South Bay Area, including locations in Hawthorne, Inglewood and Gardena, and needed assistance with pre-screening candidates for potential hire.
South Bay Partnership: The Advanced Selection process, which effectively pre-screens candidates to meet the needs of an employer saving them money, time and energy, was offered as a solution to Home Depot’s need. In partnership with Home
Depot, the Inglewood One-Stop hosted a Spring Hiring Event with an expectation to hire approximately 150 individuals. More than 250 individuals were selected to be interviewed by hiring managers from 12 Home Depot locations throughout the area. Of those individuals that attended, Home Depot conducted on-site drug and back-ground screening.
Outcome and Benefits: The Inglewood One-Stop and The Home Depot commented that the hiring event was a huge success with pre-screening individuals, fully identifying 263 qualified candidates, for the overall utilization of the Advanced Selection Process. The event resulted in 123 job-seekers hired on the spot, which placed Home Depot very close to their hiring goal in the course of one day!
Centinela Hospital Medical Center - INGLEWOOD
Workforce Challenge: Postal Plus Business Center, located in Inglewood, has been in business for more than 25 years and provides services for packing, shipping, printing and other business needs. Postal Plus had been using a temp agency for their staffing needs,which over time, became quite costly.
South Bay Partnership: Inglewood One-Stop staff communicated to Postal Plus the range of services offered to businesses, in particular, the Transitional Subsidized Employment Program (TSE), which provides employers labor for
eight months, allowing on-the-job training and time for the business to evaluate the potential future employee. During the first four months, wages are paid entirely through the program. For the remaining time, the employer receives a partial reimbursement.
Outcome and Benefits: Postal Plus was particularly impressed with the One-Stop’s staff and their services. The One-Stop pre-screened these candidates and Postal Plus has hired several of those TSE clients permanently. The hiring of qualified candidates has allowed the TSE participants to discontinue public assistance. Postal Plus has expressed their satisfaction with the partnership and is looking forward to continue using the One-Stop Center’s business services.
M3 Services Inc., - LAWNDALE
Workforce Challenge: M3 Services, Inc., a full-service construction and construction management firm with a branch in Lawndale, has more than 20 years of experience in the industry. Recently, the company’s growth was exceeding its staffing and the need for qualified personnel was proving challenging. M3 Services was challenged by their inability to identify quality candidates due to contract restrictions wherein they were required to hire candidates that live in local Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone).
SBWIB Partnership: For the last three years, Republic Services has partnered with the South Bay Workforce
Investment Board’s, Youth Services Department, to shore up teenagers looking to enter the work place. This partnership and commitment to local area youth, has provided, hands-on training in the specific area of Advance Manufacturing Welding. Most recently, 13 students from local schools were granted the opportunity to pair up with an experienced Republic Services Welder. As a work-experience component to the Bridge-to-Manufacturing program, these students learned how workers repaired metal containers through welding and on through the process of painting and adding fresh decals to recirculate for customer use.
Outcome and Benefits: Thanks to the assistance of the One-Stop staff, M3-Services hired several individuals for administrative assistance and bookkeeping. M3 Services stated that they wish they would have known about the One-Stop services sooner, and will continue to reach out to them should they need additional staffing assistance.
Zephyr Tool Group - INGLEWOOD
Workforce Challenge: The Lomita Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization composed of 350 businesses. The Chamber needed assistance with their front office.
Workforce Solution: The Chamber reached out to the SBWIB for assistance with their staffing needs. As a non-profit organization, the Lomita Chamber was eligible for the Transitional Subsidized Employment program where they could receive assistance for eight months and train someone for their
position. Not only would the organization receive help but they would also help someone gain the skills to make a bridge to employment and if this person should work out, possibly hire him/her.
Outcome and Benefits: One such hire was placed at the Chamber to help with the day to day tasks of answering the phone and assisting
local businesses. She did such a great job that she advanced through the company and eventually became Executive Director.
L-3 Communications Electron Technologies - TORRANCE
Workforce Challenge: L-3 Electron Communications Technologies Inc., an Aerospace and Defense company located in Torrance was in danger of closing down their South Bay location and moving
to Northern California, or out of state. L-3 was facing a potential mass layoff. L-3 reached out to the
City of Torrance, who in turn contacted the SBWIB and others for assistance. The SBWIB, along with partners ProPath, Inc., Southern California Edison, The Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation and the City of Torrance formed a rapid response team to help L-3 demonstrate to their corporate office that it was economically viable for the company to remain in the South Bay Area.
SBWIB Partnership: The SBWIB and partners assisted L-3 in various ways to lower their overall costs. The SBWIB has also partnered with L-3 recently to host 5 youth and young adults ages 16-24 for work-experience learning during the year. The SBWIB is looking forward to a successful partnership with L-3 in the coming months.
Outcome and Benefits: Through the efforts of the SBWIB and its partners, solutions were found to help L-3 keep its doors open in the South Bay Area and hundreds of jobs were saved. In addition, L-3 plans to also hire an additional 200 people in the coming year.
Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce - TORRANCE
Workforce Challenge: The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC) has been deeply rooted within the City’s culture since 1913, within one year of the City of Torrance’s establishment. Throughout the years, the Chamber has grown alongside its city, providing programs and services that have positively impacted the city’s economy for generations. Seventy-five years ago, in 1939, the Torrance Chamber became incorporated as an accredited chamber of commerce.
South Bay Partnership: Today the Chamber is a membership organization comprised of approximately 800 businesses. The Chamber’s mission is to provide for its members by creating
a strong economy, providing networking opportunities, supporting the interests of business before government, taking political action, and promoting the community. Through these competencies, the Chamber helps business to grow and collaborate to assure prosperity for the Torrance Area.
Outcome and Benefits: The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce has been invaluable and has played an integral role in the South Bay Workforce Investment Board’s (SBWIB) partnership with the City of Torrance. Also of importance, is the connecting of the business community with the SBWIB and the referral of numerous employers to the Business Services team. The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce has provided a valuable training environment for the participants of the Transitional Subsidized Employment Program resulting in a mutually beneficial business collaboration.