Northern Arizona employers gathered at Little America in Flagstaff recently for a learning session presented by The ARIZONA@WORK Coconino County Business Services Team. Hot topics such as “Minimum Wage Expectations and Enforcement in Flagstaff,” and “Internships, Apprenticeships and On-the-Job Training Opportunities for Employers – How You Can Get Paid to Employ People,” and “The Latest Economic Vitality Information from the City of Flagstaff” were discussed. More than 50 people attended, representing 26 public and private businesses, non-profit and government organizations.
Nine speakers gave seven-minute presentations in a “Speed Dating” format. Each presentation was loaded with an abundance of material honed specifically for Northern Arizona employers. If you missed the wealth of information, look forward to the next employer services event in October. In the meantime, here are a few of the free services that were shared at the event, complete with contact information, so you can get started now.
- Free training programs are customized for your employees.
Make use of the ARIZONA@WORK affiliate site at Goodwill Industries near the Flagstaff Mall to have customized training programs designed for your employees. They find the instructor and conduct the job-specific skills training at their location. All you have to do is get your employees there. This is all at no cost to you. Contact Christina Caldwell, regional director of community development, Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, at Christina.caldwell@goodwillaz.org.
- Looking to hire? Here are local, no-cost recruitment options.
Post open employment positions in the largest Arizona workforce database, the Arizona Job Connection (AJC) azjobconnection.gov/ada/r/employer and at NAU’s Handshake nau.edu/career/handshake where you can hire NAU students, new graduates and alumni for part-time work, full-time jobs and internships. In addition, the Coconino County Career Center Employer Services Team can assist you by providing pre-screened, qualified referrals. Cindy Wilson, deputy director, Coconino County Career Center wilson.cindy@gmail.com can help. She can also assist with setting up internships and apprenticeships for your organization.
- Receive tax credit when you hire a veteran.
Earn up to $9,600 in tax credits by hiring veterans. Beyond the financial benefit of hiring a veteran, your organization will also gain from the leadership, teamwork and respect for procedures that veterans bring to the table. Email Steven Flanagan, assistant to Supervisor Jim Parks, Coconino County Board of Supervisors at sflanagan@coconino.az.gov.
- Do you have a “bronze” employee that you know could be “golden” with a bit more skill development?
Because of a collaborative effort of ARIZONA@WORK, the Governor’s Office and the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Arizona Career Readiness Credential (ACRC) is now available at no charge. The credential program offers The Employability Skills Courseware that helps develop skills in the areas of
- Conveying professionalism
- Communicating effectively
- Promoting teamwork and collaboration
- Thinking critically to solve problems
To learn how your employees can enroll, contact Kathy A. Turner, Ed.D., One Stop Operator at OneStopOperator.Coconino@gmail.com .
- Free recruitment tool: “Visit. Discover. Grow. Flagstaff, AZ”
This 16-page, full-color publication and website produced by the City of Flagstaff can be used as a recruitment tool to bring employees from outside the area. The informative piece that was inserted into West Coast newspapers to attract businesses to Flagstaff can now be used by local employers seeking employees. Print the impressive piece from the website at chooseflagstaff.com or contact Heidi Hansen, director, City of Flagstaff at hhansen@flagstaffaz.gov .
Need part-time help?
More than 2,000 NAU students will be looking for part-time work at NAU’s Part Time Job Fair on Aug. 24, 1-4 p.m. Contact Chrissy Spear, NAU employer engagement coordinator Chrissy.Speer@nau.edu to learn how your business can attend this recruiting event.
The ARIZONA@WORK Coconino County Business Services Team is made up of Christina Caldwell, Regional Director of Community Development Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona; Carol Curtis, Director, Coconino County Career Center; Heidi Hansen, Economic Vitality Director, City of Flagstaff; Jeff Jones, Academic Affairs, Dean of Learning Services Coconino Community College; John Saltonstall, Economic Development Manager, City of Flagstaff; Trace Ward, Director, Flagstaff Convention and Visitor Center; Cindy Wilson, Deputy Director, Coconino County Career Center; the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce and CAVIAT, Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry and Technology. FBN
Photo and story by Stacey Wittig