Hello employers, employees and job seekers, welcome to the ICD Workforce blog. I'm Gina, the Adult Programs Manager here at the Institute for Career Development (ICD) and the purpose of this blog is to discuss all things Workforce. My goal is to share with you what I learn, discover and stumble upon that will shed some insight on today’s job market, employability and job search.
We all know that in this rough economic time obtaining employment is more challenging then ever. According to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, California has reached an escalated unemployment rate of 11.2%. Locally, Santa Clara County has an unemployment rate of 10.8%. With no clear end to this bumpy road in sight we must all prepare for the challenges and uncertainties that such a difficult time brings. Job seekers try to increase their marketability as they scurry to seek out and obtain the scarce job openings that are out there. Current employees are juggling additional responsibilities, often taking on the workload that was once allocated to two or three people. Employers strategize on how to get meet the same productivity goals with a leaner workforce. We are all feeling the pressure!
Here at ICD we deal with this reality everyday because workforce development is what we do. Our staff works diligently to assist people with barriers to employment in successfully obtaining and retaining employment. We provide our clients with vocational training, employment counseling, job placement assistance and soft-skills development opportunities. We believe that career success requires more then technical skill attainment; therefore our holistic approach to vocational training provides an array of services all geared towards making our clients ready to take the leap back into the workforce, armed with the tools to succeed.
As we continue to keep a watchful eye on job market trends, employability skills and best practices, I will share with you what my staff and I assess, consider and ponder as we assist our clients in reaching their career goals.
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