Workforce centers “taking care of business”

RBC I In recognition of the 2.7 million men and women who make up Colorado’s labor force and the more than 168,000 private sector businesses that make up the state, this September is workforce development month, an annual tradition in Colorado.Throughout the month, Colorado’s Workforce Centers (a network of state and county-run employment offices) will be teaming with the Department of Labor and Employment to provide a variety of special events. Job fairs, open houses and a variety of seminars will be offered across the state during September.This year, a special outreach is being made to employers. Although Workforce Centers are a well-known resource to many businesses, they are still an untapped resource for many others. The theme of this year’s offerings is “Taking Care of Business.” The hope is that during September more businesses and human resource offices will learn about the wide range of services available free of charge at their nearest workforce center.Workforce centers can assist businesses inn Recruiting pre-screened and qualified applicants;n Understanding market trends that help in decision making;n Training employees for new job duties;n Offsetting the costs involved in hiring and training workers;n Minimizing the negative impact of business downsizingn Making the right decisions to ensure a competitive edge;n Accessing information on tax credit opportunities;n Understanding labor laws, Workers’ Compensation and other requirements during September, Workforce Centers across the state will be holding a variety of workshops, open houses and “roundtables” for employers, each designed to assist the business community. Among them:n A/D Works! serving Arapahoe and Douglas counties will hold several hiring events including a Wells Fargo hiring event Sept. 6.n The Craig and Steamboat Workforce Centers will host several “employer field trips” on Sept. 14-15 which will showcase their employer services.n Jefferson County Workforce Development will hold a small business resource event on Sept. 16.n On Sept. 23 the Larimer County Workforce Center will be holding one of the largest employer events, the 26th annual September Symposium, at the Fort Collins Hilton. n Workforce centers serving eastern Colorado will hold a series of employment discrimination law seminars for employers Sept. 26-30.n Employment Services of Weld County will hold both a hiring event and educational forum specific to the oil and gas industry on Sept. 29.More information about these or any of the other events planned can be found by visiting the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s website www.colorado.gov/cdle and clicking on “calendar of events” starting Sept. 1. For a map of all workforce centers across Colorado, visit the Department of Labor and Employment’s website and click on the “divisions” link.