Finding help in uncertain job scene

What’s to be made of the recent employment figures? The U.S. Labor Department reported the number of people seeking jobless benefits dropped by 15,000 to 320,000 in the week ended Aug. 10, the fewest since October 2007. There’ve been fewer layoffs, the Associated Press and other media outlets noted, but hiring remains lackluster. Companies are adding workers, however, at an average clip of 192,000 a month this year.

You could conclude that while the market is still very tight, there are opportunities if you can find them and have the right job skills.

At Goodwill Tulsa, we help connect people to those job opportunities:

• Job Connection: Our job search and referral program helps you find a job that fits your needs and abilities. Services are provided on a walk-in basis, at no charge to all job seekers. You can get help developing resumes and cover letters, tips to improve interview skills, and have access to computers for online job searching and applications.
• TulsaWORKS: The program aims to prepare you for a career and to find employment, while also providing support assistance for the entire family.  We can help ease the stress if you’re struggling with family issues (money, children, etc.), on top of looking for a good job.
• Beyond Jobs: Facilitated by TulsaWORKS, women are connected with the tools needed for career advancement and to achieve personal and career goals.
• Vocational services: Career assistance is available for people with severe disabilities. We partner with Vocational Rehabilitation to provide short term job coaching services to help people with disabilities to find jobs. We also partner with Vocational Rehabilitation to provide a program that helps students in their last year of high school become ready to enter the workforce.

Whichever way employment figures are trending, remember Goodwill® is always working to help people find their way to the right job.

More information

Bloomberg on job data: http://bloom.bg/1d2XZet

TulsaWORKS — http://bit.ly/tulsaworks

Beyond Jobs — http://bit.ly/TulsaBeyond

Job Connection —  http://bit.ly/jobconn

Vocational services — http://www.goodwilltulsa.org/gwt/Vocational_Services.asp

Jobs at Goodwill Tulsa — http://bit.ly/GWTjobs

Going above and Beyond for Tulsa area women

Some people are never satisfied — even with success.
Goodwill Industries International and the Walmart Foundation launched Beyond Jobs in late 2012 with high expectations. The mission was to provide women with tools — such as job training and placement services — to advance their careers, succeed in the workforce, and meet career and personal goals. The Walmart Foundation provided $7.7 million for the program as part of its larger initiative to reach 200,000 disadvantaged women.
In the past six months, the participating Goodwill® agencies have served 4,150 women nationally, and assisted in 1,037 of them becoming employed. Goodwill Tulsa, through TulsaWORKS, has served 49 women and helped place 21 through May.
Nationally, 13 women have reached the 6-month retention goal, one of them a Goodwill Tulsa Beyond Jobs participant. Nationally, two women have achieved income gains. Again, one of them is with Goodwill Tulsa, the same actually: Regina Hawk,  our achiever of the year.
“I am amazed by the effect this grant has made on the lives of our TulsaWORKS women,” says program director Sabrina Ware. “They have become employed while working on becoming financially fit and they are career minded.”
Women like Regina and Alicia Ray  have done well in Beyond Jobs. While they wish to remain anonymous, these women did not want to keep secret what the program has meant for them.

“TulsaWORKS/Beyond Jobs is certainly one of the best kept job searching secrets in Tulsa! When I reflect back on the Life Success training, I am in awe of the advantage this one week gave me during my interview process with the University of Oklahoma. Reality is, by following the advice and tips given to me, my confidence level excelled and my interview process was completed in a manner that demonstrated confidence and knowledge.

Now that I am employed, I wasn’t dropped at the employment door step and left to guess at my success. As the title implies TulsaWORKS/Beyond Jobs not only assisted me in becoming employed, but they have gone the extra mile to ensure my future success in continuing to stay employed!”

Thoughts from another participant:

“At 45 years old I went to prison for the third time, definitely not a retirement plan. While incarcerated on a 10-year sentence, I tried every angle to get some kind of training. Unfortunately — contrary to popular belief — there really [isn’t] training available in the Department of Corrections for Women. …

(I) was given an opportunity to attend classes at Goodwill Industries of Tulsa/TulsaWORKS program. I attended and received certifications in Forklift Training, Employment Essentials, and I am currently enrolled in Beyond Jobs. I have also obtained full-time employment (Yeah, Me!!!). I now have real useable skills … to earn a livable wage. I also know I can support myself and my family without selling drugs to make ends meet. I am stopping my cycle of recidivism.

My self-image and confidence has improved and I know I have support at TulsaWORKS and they really do care about my future! They really want me to win!”

Goodwill Tulsa and TulsaWORKS are proud of the early success, but not satisfied. The program expects to help 230 women locally in the two-year grant period. So, the push continues to get these services to women in our community.

TulsaWORKS holds its next orientation Tuesday, July 2: 10 a.m. on the campus at 2800 Southwest Boulevard, and 3 p.m. at Cornerstone Community Center (5610 S. 41st West Ave.) If you or someone you know could benefit from the Beyond Jobs program, call (918) 584-7291 or read about it online.

“Improving the lives of working women in Tulsa — what an impact!” Sabrina says.