Erin Glass and Kelly Davis presented on behalf of the South Central Oklahoma Workforce Board, describing the services and resources that the board provides to businesses as well as job seekers.The Rotary Club of Chickasha met Thursday, May 18, 2023. Rotarian Mitch Williams led the club in singing "Taking Care of Business".
Rotarian Ron Sanders, the club's RYLA coordinator, presented a brief update. He also brought Allison Couch, who participated in RYLA last year but had not had the chance to talk about her experience at the camp.
Allison Couch, RYLA 2022 participant, with Rot. Ron Sanders.
In other announcements:
- Dan Proctor Awardees were recognized.
- The last Rotary Roll Call event of the 2022-23 school year has concluded. Between Lincoln and Grand Elementary, 158 students had perfect attendance, and 28 students won bikes.
As Rotarian of the Day, Trina Southard introduced the speakers, Erin Glass and Kelly Davis of the South Central Oklahoma Workforce Board. The SCOWB serves eight counties (Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Jefferson, McClain, Stephens, Tillman) and operates three Workforce Centers in Duncan, Lawton, and Chickasha.
Kelly Davis, left, and Erin Glass of SCOWB.
Glass and Davis described the Workforce Center as a "one stop shop" for employment services. They stressed that it serves employers as well as employees—both are necessary to fill labor market needs. SCOWB is part of the statewide workforce board (Oklahoma Works).
Currently, employers are facing a labor shortage even as unemployment stays very low. One of the ways the board is looking to address this issue is by connecting employers to untapped sources. These include veterans, dislocated workers, justice-involved individuals, youth, and people with disabilities. There are benefits, resources, and tax credits available to businesses who employ these workers. As a matter of fact, people with barriers to employment have a higher retention rate and will stay at a position longer.
Another way the board assists businesses is helping them adapt to a more contemporary understanding of employment. This includes training businesses in making their hiring advertisements and process skills-based rather than credential-based. In many cases, quality candidates may be discouraged from applying because while they may have the job skills, they do not have the formal credentials asked for in a job posting. The board also assists with incumbent worker training—training existing employees to fill higher-level positions in the same firm—and apprenticeships.
These services are all provided at no cost to the employer. A full list of business services can be found on the SCOWB website.
Lunch was provided by Cotton Patch Cafe.