Work Chatter

Heather Ficht at Oregon’s Midterm Legislative Sesson

Learn what East Cascades Works is all about in this 2.5 min presentation that Heather Ficht (Executive Director) gave during the Open Legislative Midterm Session for Oregon State.
 
If you appreciate all things visual, click this link and see her in action.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit: Don’t Leave IRS Giftcards on the Table

In less than 15 minutes, learn how your company can save between $1,500 - $9,500 in tax credits! The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Guru, Loren Peterson, shares the ins and outs of this program.
**Spoiler Alert** Is it easy? YES! Just two tiny forms!
The job applicant fills out a super short form during the interview process
They qualify (see podcast) and you hire them
You fill out the second form and submit it within 28 days! 
THAT'S IT!
Head to Oregontaxcredit.org to learn more and/or fill out a contact form and that will trigger Loren's team to reach out and help get you started.  
 
Resources:
IRS 8850
IRS 9061

AGC’s Innovative Tik Tok Campaigns, Apprenticeship Hacks, +

Asha Aiello shares the resources available through The Association of General Contractors (AGC)and the direction they are headed in this 10 min overview. 
COVID safety protocols
TikTok Influencer Campaign with @biggieclean (a 20-year-old hazardous material cleaner results):
10,000 referrals to the Build Oregon website!
360,000 video plays
61,000 likes
590 shares
194 comments!
AGC's Build Oregon January Report (some amazing wins in there!)
APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING DIVISION GUIDE TO implementing the Oregon Anti-harassment Plan 
___
Asha Aiello, Director of Member Development and Engagement

Oregon Tradeswomen

Learn about what it takes to be an Oregon Tradeswoman, how to break into it the career, what your earning power will be, and why this could be the best decision you've ever made...
Did you know that most union jobs in the trades provide health insurance and even a Pension! Yes, just like teachers and government employees! As you work your way up the links of specialization your income explodes!  Earning 6 figures is definitely attainable while working with your hands outside! Plus, after years in the trades you love, you can transition into a highly-skilled instructor.
Listen to this brief podcast to learn more about the Oregon Tradeswomen, their instructors, and their students' experiences.

Work in Construction and Earn a PENSION!

I grew up thinking that working in construction was grueling work that couldn't earn you a comfortable life... Boy was I wrong. ** Spoiler Alert ** Not only do workers in the trades earn WAAAAY more than I thought, they also have the golden ticket to retirement... a PENSION!! A guaranteed monthly income for life that you can start drawing from at age 55 and just have to work for the union for at least 5 years to vest! By listening now, you will learn why entering the trades could be the best decision you ever make. 
 
FUN FACTS:
When Dave retires, he will likely draw ~ $9,000 per month (pre-tax) as he sips piña coladas and eats bon-bons... (Not likely, but he could...)
He bought a house when he was 19!
He had zero college debt
He has zero career regrets
His work looks different every day
He loves to use his hands and be outside
He can see the fruits of his labor all over the town he lives and loves
If you start an apprenticeship tomorrow (with local 290) and you didn't know the difference between a hammer and a screwdriver you would still get paid ~ $20 p/hr and after 6 months you would get a $5 raise, then subsequent raises every 6 months thereafter (~2.5%)! 
Pay equity 
Do you need more reasons to seriously look into a career in the trades???

Youth Programs in Central Oregon

This episode lays out free services available to qualifying teens and young adults to help them accomplish their goals and thrive. Josh Lagalo from Youth Compass at COIC and Larry Holeman representing Youth Career Connect share these resources and how to access them. Below are examples of some services teens/young adults may qualify for:
Re-engagement of youth who have dropped out of high school
GED test preparation/fee assistance
Career Counseling 
Housing Assistance
Books/Tuition/Equipment assistance
Paid internship placements
This episode starts with Josh with Youth Compass, if you are only interested in internships with Youth Career Connect you can hop in at 16:03.
Josh Lagalo - Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC)
email: jlagalo@coic.org 
 
Larry Holeman - Youth Career Connect
email: larry@edcoinfo.com 

Youth Programs in South-Central Oregon

This episode lays out free services available to qualifying teens and young adults in Lake and Klamath counties (South Central Oregon) to help them accomplish their goals and thrive. Cara Boyette-Green shares these resources and her individualized solutions plan for each person she serves.
Below are examples of some services teens/young adults may qualify for:
Re-engagement of youth who have dropped out of high school
GED test preparation/fee assistance
Career Counseling 
Housing Assistance
Books/Tuition/Equipment assistance
Paid internship placements
If you are only interested in learning about how internship placement works with Youth Compass in South-Central Oregon skip ahead to 6:45.  
 
To connect and learn more reach out to Cara directly:
email: boyette@klamathcc.edu 
Call/Text: 541-880-2251 
 

The State of Oregon’s Economy

Listen to Oregon State Economists, Josh Lehner and Damon Runberg, explain the status of the Oregon Economy and what's coming next (Recorded during an East Cascades Works Board Meeting in August of 2022). 
If you want to see the visuals they reference in the podcast you can switch over to the video recording on our YouTube Channel. or download the PPTs below:
Josh Lehner
Damon Runberg

WorkSource Oregon’s Employer Services

WorkSource is comprised of numerous organizations that collectively offer employment and training services to job seekers and resources to businesses.
 
EMPLOYER SERVICES
Access to the LARGEST POOL of VETTED TALENT in Oregon
Specialized recruiters
FREE job postings
Invitations to recruitment events
On-the-job training (salary support up to 50% to a max of $5k)
Incumbent Training Program 
Layoff Aversion (salary support)
“WorkSource is a great way to make connections in the community to find candidates that you might not encounter elsewhere. The on-the-job training program is a wonderful way to share the cost burden of training so that businesses can reduce the risk of hiring and hire faster!”
~ Dawn Bernhardt, Chief Human Resources Officer for Laird Superfood

GTA’s Tech Showcase

Meet Kristyn Fix, a new edition to the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) team and their Gorge Tech Alliance guru. She shares with us a bit about the Gorge Tech Alliance and the upcoming Tech Showcase (Sept 28th, 12 - 7:30 pm). While the showcase is an annual event, Fix shares how this year is like none before it. 
To jump to the Tech Showcase section advance to 7:00 min in. 
 
Resources Mentioned:
Google Data Center Grant
 
Contact:
Kristyn Fix 
Gorge Tech Alliance - Events page - Tech Showcase Page

Klamath Basin Oktoberfest

In this interview, Kendra Santiago from the Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA) shares what we can look forward to for this year's reboot of the epic Klamath Basin Oktoberfest - Sept 17th, 2022 from 2 pm - 9 pm! 
Click HERE to learn more and get your tickets 
Visit their Facebook Page,
Oktoberfest Video