P.O.W.E.R. Collaborative Network
Meeting Summary
January 14, 2009

The City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center brought in the New Year for the P.O.W.E.R. Collaborative Network (PCN) with a triumphant meeting.  As January's meeting host, they provided an outstanding presentation sharing a foundation for environmental improvement from green job and training opportunities.

We want to thank Kim McKenzie, Director, City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center, for her generous support to make this meeting possible.  We want to especially express our appreciation to each of the terrific staff members that made everyone feel so welcome including Deborah Daniels, Henry Smith, Kim Powell, Jo Tenner, Reginald Allen, Collee Fields, and Krystal Smith.

Robert T. Mejia, Employment Services Manager, South Bay Workforce Investment Board for the California’s Green Workforce Coalition gave a great overview on the importance and activity for developing a skilled green workforce.  This coalition is actively connecting its members with information on sustainability, climate change legislation and green jobs.

The PCN members were quite appreciative of the handouts provided by Mr. Mejia on the state occupational employment projections for green jobs through the year 2016.  Mr. Mejia can be reached by email at robert.mejia@sbwib.org

Cliff Gardner, Case Manager, JVS Marina Del Rey WorkSource Center provided an outstanding report on his organization’s solar power panel installation and construction program.  The JVS Marina Del Rey WorkSource Center has a partnership with Santa Monica City College for laid-off workers and others effected by a reduction in workforce with a 3-½   week program.  The program includes solar panel review, construction safety, technology, industry vocabulary, plus students receive a certificate to assist with job placement.  Mr. Gardner can be reached by email at cgardner@jvsla.org

Wally Aguilar from the California Employment Training Panel (ETP) shared verbal information about the Talent Transfer program that the JVS Marina Del Rey WorkSource Center and Santa Monica City College on their delivery of green job training and placement.  The Internet link that follows describes the State of California’s 15% discretionary fund programs such as Cal GRIP, At-Risk Youth, Talent Transfer  programs (construction and finance industries), and others.   It includes data about the grantees, their proposals and other requests for proposals, plus ETPs commitment.

http://www.edd.ca.gov/Jobs_and_Training/WDSFP_Workforce_Development_Solicitations_for_Proposals.htm

Dean Jones, CEO, Southland Partnership Corporation, opened the meeting by reminding everyone the importance of sharing job and training referral resources in order to provide the maximum community service available for the County of Los Angeles.  Although most agencies receive no credit for referral outside of their respective job partners, it is imperative for improving our socioeconomic situation that PCN use this network to help everyone, particularly our clients.

To that extent, he reminded everyone to take advantage of the no-cost community job announcement web site, www.ISartOnMonday.com for a complete resource of active training and job programs.  This community service program is part of the non-profit public benefits provided by the Southland Partnership, which enhances the PCN member’s ability to extend opportunities to a much broader base of job seekers and employers, in order to better reach and meet the needs of all southern California organizations and businesses.  This technology tool is receiving 100,000 site visitors each month. Mr. Jones’ office number is (310) 637-7248, or email POWERSOLA@aol.com

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The next PCN meeting is Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 10 AM – Noon, hosted by the Personal Involvement Center, Inc. – Healthy Marriage. [8222 S. San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, CA 90003] Our hosts are Tanya McDonald, Arecelia Sandoval asandoval@oicservices.org & Barbara Lynn. blynn@picservices.org

PCN Meeting Attendees for January 2009

Alphonso Reed, Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC)

Andrea Estrada, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County

Annie Labady, California Employment Development Department

Arecelia Sandoval, Personal Involvement Center, Inc. – Healthy Marriage

Ava Archie, Job Developer

Barbara Lynn, Personal Involvement Center, Inc. – Healthy Marriage

Bernard Edwards, Let’s Take A Look Enterprises

Beverly Butler, Los Angeles County Community Senior Services Title V

Billy Williams, Los Angeles Urban League

Brenda Silas, Los Angeles, County Department of Social Services

Cliff Gardner, JVS Marina Del Rey WorkSource Center

Collee Fields, City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center

Cynthia Patrn, City of Long Beach Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network

Dassie Kenney, City of Compton

David Dirks, Harbor Interfaith Services

Dean Jones, Southland Partnership Corporation / P.O.W.E.R. Collaborative Network

Deborah Daniels, City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center

Deidra Vandiegriff, New Directions

Delores Frisby, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County

Deserine Estrada, Los Angeles Unified School District – CRB

Duffy Leahy, Volunteers of America

Elizabeth Ing, Mentors International

Elvira Arellano, SASSFA Worksource Center

Erika Cuellar, Wings of Refuge

Fernando Godinez, US Vets

Gail Coyne, East Los Angeles College

Gary Wright, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)

Gene Persip, Community Build Inc.

Grace Zee, Personal Involvement Center

Greg Clayborn, Farmers Insurance

Henry Smith, City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center

Howard Pratt, Pratt and Associates

Hugo Oscar Olivares, Excel International

Jamie Gutierrez, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)

Janaya Thomas, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County

Jane Alcala, US Probation Department

Jennifer Franks, Mentors International

Jeremy Jackson, East Los Angeles College

Jo Tenner, City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center

Joan Samuels, WorkSource Hollywood

Joseph Lewis, El Camino College Compton Community Educational Center

Josie Starling, Wings of Refuge

Joy Tsuhako, Social Security Administration

Katie Wong, Los Angeles Unified School District

Kim Powell, City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center

LaVonté Jackson, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County

Maria Mata, Los Angeles County Community Senior Services Title V

Maria Navarro, SASSFA Worksource Center

Marquise Brown, Long Beach Job Crops

Mike Chattom, NABSIO

Mindy Owes, RAFT Inc.

Monica Pecot, Community Career Development

Neil Rosen, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)

Noemi Soto, Coalition for Responsible Community Development

Nylis Milner, Los Angeles County Community Senior Services Title V

Officer Kirk Madison, Los Angeles Police Department

Onica Ross, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)

Pat Atitebi, Lutheran Social Services

Regina Lee, El Camino College

Reginald Allen, City of Compton CareerLink Worksource Center

Rigmar Morales, Union Bank of California

Robert Hamm, Los Angeles Unified School District

Robert Mejia, South Bay Workforce Investment Board-CA's Green Workforce Coalition

Rosalind Taylor, L.A. County Department of Public Social Services

Rose Cote, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)

Ruben Valenzuela, Asian Rehabilitation Service

Rudy Barbee UniteLA/Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Sal Barajas, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County

Sharon Cruse, Purple Reign Life Skills Center

Sheila Wiley, Jobing.com

Susan Tenner, Los Angeles Unified School District

Tabenyang Ndipagbor, L.A. County Department of Public Social Services, GAIN I

Tom Joyner, Workplace Hollywood

Veronica Mendoza, Goodwill Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County

Veronica Yépez, Career Advancement Academy

Victor Gomez, Abram Friedman Occupational Center

Vikki Westerskov, SoCal ROC

Vladimir Jefferson, City of Compton

Wally Aguilar, California Employment Training Panel

Walter Hines, Financial Network Investment Corporation

Yalonda Wade, El Camino College

 

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PCN started in January 2001, focused on job coordination for community residents in order to assist in public & private sector work placement.  The PCN members are community builders serving to identify, nurture, & mobilize local assets by enhanced networking to rejuvenate economies, strengthen business investments, & ultimately build up civil society.  The PCN meets monthly sharing job recruitment, funding, training, workforce projects, & other related topics at various member locations.

P.O.W.E.R. - Partnership Opportunities With Economic/Educational Resources