S O U T H B A Y W O R K F O R C E
I N V E S T M E N T B O A R D
A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
Meet Robert Devers – Hermosa Beach
Workforce Challenge:
Until 2017, 53-year old Air Force veteran Robert Devers was a successful member of upper management at Virco Manufacturing in Torrance serving as Chief Technology Officer. But when the company changed directions in its operations Robert was let go. He went back to consulting in the IT field but still sought to gain full employment.
Workforce solution:
While utilizing the services of the Employment Development Department in 2019, Robert was referred to the South Bay One-Stop Business & Career Center Torrance. After completing an orientation session his case manager helped him enter a course so he could earn Project Management and Six Sigma Black Belt Certifications. He also received numerous job leads and was invited to interview for some quality positions.
Outcome and Benefits:
Armed with a greatly enhanced resume, Robert interviewed with Avasant in El Segundo and was hired in the position of Sr. Director of IT Strategy and Transformation. He credits his professional certifications for enabling him to deliver the best results to his clients.
“You can’t go wrong checking out the free services that are available at the Torrance One-Stop. You can gain valuable skills and get a lot of job opportunities thanks to the staff.”
Meet Kim Brisco
Workforce Challenge:
When 52-year old Kim Brisco was laid off from her job in the Mental Health & Substance Abuse Treatment field in the summer of 2018, she realized that she needed to improve her job search skills and gain employment quickly so she could meet the needs of her three children, pay rent, and make car payments. CalWorks was helpful but not providing enough.
Workforce solution:
Kim turned to her local GAIN office and soon found out about the Transitional Subsidized Employment (TSE) Program. Her caseworker referred her to the South Bay One-Stop Business and Career Center in Gardena. She
was enrolled in the Job Club by her case worker. While working with the center’s TSE coordinator, Kim was able to develop Microsoft Office skills and learn organizational structures, which helped her to understand various functions such as payroll and problem solving. She also learned interviewing techniques and how to improve her resume.
While participating in her Paid Work Experience at Gardena One Stop, she received excellent training and continued advice/guidance on job retention & LinkedIn strategies. Kim was appreciative of all the help.
Outcome and Benefits:
After eight months, the Gardena One-Stop Center offered Kim a full time position as Administrative Assistant to the TSE Coordinator starting at $15.67 an hour.
“My Grandmother always taught me that a closed mouth don’t get fed. I knew what my challenges were but wasn’t afraid to seek out help. I’ve come so far from where I was. The resources are there at the One-Stop you have to reach out and don’t give up.”
Meet Brittany Head – Torrance
Workforce Challenge:
Brittany Head, a 32-year old mother of five children had been a successful self-employed Health Educator/Project Specialist for 22 months. But early in 2019 she had to close her business due to an economic downturn and the loss of the contract with a company that had partnered with her. After applying for 60 positions in health education and two unsuccessful job interviews Brittany realized she lacked Six Sigma and Project Management certifications.
Workforce solution:
Being ineligible for unemployment benefits and unable to gain employment for eight months, she turned to the South Bay One-Stop Business Center Carson and after participating in an orientation session, she was assigned to a case worker and together they came to the realization that she would have to gain Six Sigma Project Management Certification to be more competitive in the job market. Brittany was determined to be eligible for a WIOA grant and enrolled in Six Sigma Lean Black Belt with Project Management training at New Horizon Career Development Solutions.
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Outcome and Benefits:
Several weeks after earning her certifications, Brittany secured employment as a Health Education & Quality Coordinator at Memorial Care – Seaside Health Plan earning $36.06 an hour plus benefits.
“With the services I received from the One-Stop staff and the grant to cover my training, my hopes and dreams came full circle. If you ever become unemployed get to the Carson One-Stop because the staff is so helpful and professional and their services were always timely and their directions and instructions were clear and precise.”