Ventura County Works

In this episode, you'll learn about the HRCC: SB 1 Program. The HRCC program aims to advance careers in the building and construction trades as a reliable pathway to the middle class for disadvantaged Californians via multi-craft pre-apprenticeship training. Rebecca Evans, Executive Director, Workforce Development Board, Ventura County, Dawn Boulanger, Executive Director San Luis Obispo County (SLO) Workforce Development Board and Ray McDonald, Executive Director Santa Barbara (SB) County Workforce Development Board discuss the investments being made in pre-apprenticeship training partnerships and reveal how they are collaborating across regions.

This episode, originally recorded as a Workforce Wednesday segment for KVTA Radio, features a conversation with representatives from two vital organizations in the community, the County of Ventura Area Agency on Aging and our local food pantry, Food Share of Ventura County. Discover the supports and resources that are available to those in need, during the holiday season and beyond.

On March 22, 2021, the Employment Development Department announced that Workforce Development Board of Ventura County was awarded $350,000 for the Disability Employment Accelerator (DEA), a grant funded through the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act. The goal of the grant is to promote employment strategies for People with Disabilities. This program also creates linkages and engages businesses to develop work-based learning programs for People with Disabilities with significant barriers to employment and addresses the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Linda Lara, Disability Employment Navigator, Managed Career Solutions, joins the program to share more details.

Youth are the future workforce and make up a large portion of the service industry and entry-level employees. During this pandemic, youth are the most impacted population with about 17% receiving unemployment. Since the beginning of the pandemic in Ventura County, according to data from the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD), 60,530 youth ages 18-24 applied for Unemployment Insurance in Ventura County. The number of youth unemployment insurance claims represents nearly 17% of the whole county's total claims. For this reason and many more, it's important to outreach to the youth in our community.

Joining the program to talk about Ventura County Youth Careers Program are Alex Renteria, Sr. Mission Services Manager, Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and Patty Cervantes: Mission Services Supervisor, Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara .

This episode features a conversation with Rosa Serrato, Director of Talent Strategies for Reiter Affiliated Companies in Oxnard, CA.

Rosa shares her perspective as a member of the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County and discusses Reiter Affiliated Companies and their role in the local region. Discover the challenges to obtaining the talent that Reiter and the larger agriculture sector needs right now and different occupational opportunities available in agriculture for the local workforce.

Stephen Yeoh, Chief of Peace of Mind for Un1teee, discusses stepping into the role of Vice Chair of The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County. He also shares his perspective on the top workforce talent needs in the Information Technology (IT) service sector now, and what he sees as potential needs in the near future.

In this episode, originally recorded as a Workforce Wednesday segment for KVTA Radio, Steve Thompson, Assistant Principal, Ventura Adult and Continuing Education and Amy Tyrell, Chef and Case Manager, Ventura Adult and Continuing Education, join the program to discuss the Prison to Employment (P2E) program, which helps build career pathways and reduce recidivism.

In this episode, originally recorded as a Workforce Wednesday segment for KVTA Radio, Jacqueline Govea, Center Director at California Employment Training discusses the English Language Learner Program.

In this episode, originally recorded as a Workforce Wednesday segment for KVTA radio, you'll hear the details about the County of Ventura Farmworker Resource Program.

In this episode, originally recorded as a Workforce Wednesday segment for KVTA radio, you'll learn about the High Road Construction Careers program. Discover the program details, and how it will help disadvantaged workers develop a career path in an in-demand field.