Economic development is a process of improving the economic well-being of a community. Individuals, entrepreneurs, entities and agencies work together to create an environment in which ideas and inspiration are developed into goods and services that the public wants to buy or employ. As you may imagine, such activities are powered by relationships. Local and regional economic development partners work every day to support businesses and entrepreneurs. One of many collaborative partnerships is the ARIZONA@WORK Coconino County Business Services Team (CCBST), which will bring its third Employer Resource Event to Flagstaff from 9-11 a.m., Thursday June 21, at Little America.
Readers have seen ARIZONA@WORK or Business Services Team in print over the last couple of years associated with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Automotive Technician Pipeline/Summit, or Internship Development, or Employer Resource Events, among others. What readers may not know is that the CCBST is a dynamic team of local and regional partners that are innovating workforce development solutions. The team exemplifies successful collaboration and partnership at work. The Coconino County Workforce Development Board recently recognized the CCBST for innovating and developing Best Practices. The events and accolades are a testament to the team’s ability to collaborate and willingness to work.
It’s interesting to note who is on the team and how it fits into the community and the economic development network.
The CCBST is comprised of leadership from Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, Coconino County Career Center, CAVIAT, the City of Flagstaff, the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, Coconino Community College and the Department of Economic Security. Goodwill Industries of Central and Northern Arizona Regional Director of Community Development – North, Christina Caldwell, leads this dynamic team in the development and delivery of programs. The resources provided by the team are vast, as the team members collectively cover the entire region effectively. Some of the services provided by the CCBST include:
- Customized recruitment services
- Job postings in the Arizona Job Connection (AJC)
- Skills Assessment
- Hiring Events
- Employee Development Programs
- Customized Training and Skills Upgrading
- On-the-Job Training (OJT)
- Apprenticeship Programs
- Internship Programs
- WEX – work experience opportunities
- Business Support Resources
- Labor Market Insight
- Rapid Response Services – Layoff assistance for employees and employers
The CCBST serves the local business community by providing resources that assist employers with finding and developing a qualified labor pool. Aligning services with economic development allows CCBST to bring additional information and resources that meet the unique needs of our business community. To achieve this goal, the CCBST is positioned as a subcommittee of the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) as well as a premier team supporting local employers through ARIZONA@WORK. From this position in the economic development network, the CCBST has been able to deliver the events mentioned earlier such as the CTE Automotive Summit or the Employer Resource Events. However, there is still more to come.
Upcoming initiatives, programs and developing events include the following: an Employer Resource Event on June 21; monthly Employer Information Sessions; participation and support of the regional Internship Network 2018; and recruitment support for law enforcement including the Flagstaff Police Department and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. For more information on the CCBST, contact Christina Caldwell at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona at 928-556-5109 or Christina.Caldwell@goodwillna.org. FBN
By John Saltonstall
John Saltonstall is the Business Retention and Expansion manager for the City of Flagstaff.