Are Half of the Commonwealth's Career Centers Closing?

What I saw on Facebook. Centers to close include Maysville and Ashland. Can't find it anywhere else, though.

What is a career center?

What is a career center?

Basically, they help you with your resume' and try to find you a job.

Basically, they help you with your resume' and try to find you a job.

That seems like a service that is duplicated in several other places?

Isn't that also where you go to sign up for unemployment in most areas?

Isn't that also where you go to sign up for unemployment in most areas?

Yes. Euphemism for "the unemployment office". Voc rehab may also be a part of it.

Maybe now that we have such low unemployment (even though we all know that's bull crap since they convienently don't count those who stopped looking); they don't need as many of these centers now??

State removing workers from Ashland unemployment office, 3

From Robin Webb's Facebook page:

Update on the Department of Workforce Investment as best I know it. There are Federal dollars that are running short and there are adjustments that do need to be made. However, OET employees will not be located at the Ashland/Maysville offices, so in effect the "closure" of that component is correct. There will be local decisions made by local workforce boards, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Office for the Blind, etc., to determine whether or not and in what capacity affected centers will continue to operate.

I am not happy with the location designation for the HUBS, as population centers of Ashland/Maysville seem to be somewhat forsaken. I have not seen any criteria/numbers to justify and have requested same for comparative analysis.

I have a problem with the executive branch of any administration that does not include, educate or inform the co-equal legislative branch of government that is constitutionally charged with budget decisions, in such decision making that affect duly elected representatives districts. Rep. Sinnette, York, Bentley, or myself as the Senator were equally taken aback by this information and the lack of communication regarding same. This is not a good way to do business executive branch and I don't want to misrepresent or overreact, but, you all are making it very hard to be responsive to one's district without adequate input or at a minimum information.

Our local stakeholders are going to have their work cut out for them (us) and the onus is on us to provide the services our people need, and there is no doubt we will find a way to do same.

Executive Communication and legislative relations 101, lawmakers deserve more than a podcast or a press release. I am sorry, I could not help myself. lol

The Office of Employment and Training is funded primarily by federal grants which have been reduced in the preceding years as they are highly tied to unemployment rates which have been decreasing since the Great Recession. However, many people were hired into permanent positions during the low point of employment, but the funding is gone. If there is no money in the account, one cannot keep spending, and the positions should have been eliminated several years ago. Not making light of the impact, but the funding is not there. There are two major grants Wagner-Peyser and the Unemployment Insurance grant that drive the OET as well as a number of smaller specific grants.

One does not have to go to an office to file unemployment and make a claim. That can be done at home or anywhere with internet. A claimant does have an eligibility review required at 6 weeks that to this point has required them to go to an office. Some things like this may be changed to do from home as well, and many of the tools are being enhanced to make it easier on the claimant. Being able to do this from home or a local library should be a win/win. KY is way behind leveraging technology, and a claimant should not have to go to an office to easily process their UI claim. Career services are a related but different topic and are provided under the previously mentioned WP grant as well as a number of other that may apply to veteran's, certain trades, etc. This can also be supported by local Workforce Investment Boards already in existence that are encouraged to fill any gaps created, and they too are funded by the Education and Workforce Development Board. In many ways this eliminates duplicity. Additionally, there are many private tools that are free, so why have taxpayers pay for resources that are underutilized are a duplicate of what a person can already get on their own? Those that need it will still get the assistance they need.

The KY UI trust fund became solvent in 2016 and all federal debt was relieved, and enough collected to satisfy the private debt incurred as a result of the Great Recession thus the surcharge to employers of 1.2% was eliminated Q4 2016, which hardly got notice. Additionally UI benefit amounts are schedule to increase mid-2017 from current $415 by ~8%.

The administration and the Education cabinet have huge plans to boost the capability of the workforce for the betterment of the state and it can be done in different and better ways than has been done in the past as technology and needs have changed. We have to be willing to embrace change.

State removing workers from Ashland unemployment office, 3 others | News | dailyindependent.com

 

We are the biggest city east of Lexington and we’ve suffered massive layoffs with AK Steel and the vendors that service AK Steel,” said state Rep. Kevin Sinnette, D-Ashland.

“I understand the alleged need and necessity to save money, but I see no rationale as to why our office was chosen. It feels like another slap in the face for this region.”

Sinnette, who was at the center of controversy last summer after he and another Democratic lawmaker said Gov. Matt Bevin tried to convince them to switch parties and threatened retribution if they declined, said the decision “feels politically motivated.”

 

 

The 31 career centers affected by the reorganization include offices in Frankfort, Danville, Georgetown, Richmond and Winchester.

The Cabinet has cited a lack of federal funding and trimmed the number of state career centers, which was 75 as recently as 2013, in previous years.

We don't need no stinkin jobs in Ashland! :lol2: