CSCC Awarded American Job Centers Contract

Holly Vincent
Thursday, July 20, 2017 12:00 AM
Community, All

Cleveland, TN—Thanks to a grant won in a competitive application process, Cleveland State Community College has been awarded the contract for American Job Center (AJC). Located in the Technology Building on the CSCC campus, the AJC gives a boost to our economy on a daily basis.
            “American Job Centers are an essential part of our community’s workforce and economic development,” said CSCC President Dr. Bill Seymour. “It makes great sense for Cleveland State to be the provider. Since its implementation, it has become a part of one of the most unique and effective consortia of workforce programs on a community college campus anywhere, along with the Cleveland-Bradley Business Incubator, Small Business Development Center, our OneSource Workforce Center and the Cleveland State Advanced Technologies Department.”
            This was a highly competitive selection process with eight proposing entities, and we are thrilled that our partners at the Tennessee Board of Regents institutions submitted the winning proposal and are partnering with us to make sure that jobs and people connect all across the region,” said Susan Cowden, Workforce Director of the Southeast Tennessee Development District.

At the AJC, community members can explore career options, receive training and even find a job that fits their skills. Sponsored by the State of Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, the AJC provides free help to job seekers. A resource room provides job seekers with career counseling, free Internet, employment plan development, resume writing workshops and tools, labor market and employment information and more.

Along with these services for those seeking employment, Cleveland State already provides the following:

• Small Business Development Center, which helps small businesses and entrepreneurs get on their feet
• Workforce Development and OneSource, which provide training to industries and businesses
• Continuing Education opportunities to further train those already in the workforce who seek to grow their careers

To pull together all of CSCC’s workforce improvement efforts, the college created a new position, Assistant Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development. Because of a strong professional background in both business and academics, Patty Weaver was a natural fit for the post.

“I commend Dr. Seymour and administration for their vision to create this position and put me over the SBDC, OneSource and continuing education,” Weaver said. “Now that we have acquired the contract on the AJC, that brings all the parts together where we can create a cohesive workforce and economic development unit by actively collaborating with college and community in initiatives that provide growth and support to local economies.”

With the AJC contract, Cleveland State now houses a cohesive unit for workforce and economic development for Bradley and Polk counties. And according to Weaver, “This has astronomical potential. The possibilities are endless.”

For more information about the AJC, visit them online at careeronestop.org or contact Wendy Stewart, CSCC Counseling Specialist, at (423) 790-5552.