Community Management Team (CMT) Core Group Meeting Minutes August 2, 2012

In Attendance

·         Jim Morton, Human Resource Council

·         Vida Wilkinson, Missoula College (formerly the College of Technology)

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Michelle Parks, Childcare Resources

·         Shannon Willhite, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

Agenda

Full CMT Group Meeting Agenda

The Full CMT Group Meeting will be held Tuesday, September 18, 2012 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the Mountain West Bank Community Room. The meeting will feature a brief “round robin” session focusing on the major initiatives or challenges each CMT partner organization currently faces (no more than 3 minutes per organization). Other agenda items include information on the Missoula Area One-Stop System, updates to contact information, a joint CMT Pinterest project, and planning of a future Community Resources Fair.

Community Resources Fair

The Community Resources Fair will be held on November 15 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Lifelong Learning Center. In addition to CMT Partners, several non-CMT member organizations will be invited to provide information about their services, including Partnership Health Center, Western MT Mental Health and Addiction, Missoula Aging Services, Missoula Housing Authority, Missoula Aging, and the Poverello Center. The Community Resource Fair will be open to the general public. Organizations will be grouped into these possible categories:

·         Employment

·         Housing

·         Education and Training

·         TANF/SNAP/Medicaid/Healthy MT Kids

·         Health

·         Family Support Resources

One-Stop Re-certification Process

Draft re-certification documents were reviewed by the Core CMT group. Documents are available for public comment until Tuesday, August 14 at http://swib.mt.gov/OneStop_Resources.asp. As all CMT Partners are a part of the One-Stop System, members are encouraged to comment on the proposed changes that affect the system.

Updates

Michelle – Child Care Resources

Child Care Resources is fully staffed and gearing up for the new legislative session. CCR has seen people lose access to needed resources after exceeding the income limits on the sliding fee scale, due to the $0.30 increase in minimum wage last January. The sliding fee scale has not been updated to reflect the minimum wage increase. Additionally, providers have been working under the same rates since 2009; the number of child care providers is dropping.

Compliance with federal error rate reporting requirements has kept CCR staff busy.

Jodi – Lifelong Learning Center

Outreach is going well. Since 2002 when the current version of the GED test was introduced, 354 people have started but not finished or passed, according to the Lifelong Learning Center’s data. Roughly one-third of those people are close to passing the test. When the new version of the GED is introduced in 2014, anyone who hasn’t passed the entire GED test will have to start again. The LLC is looking at several methods to reach those who haven’t completed the test to urge them to complete it as soon as possible.

Vida – Missoula College

A new centralized advising center is coming online, and the CNA course remains popular. Collaboration is in the works between the Lifelong Learning Center, Missoula College (formerly the College of Technology) and the School of Extended and Lifelong Learning at The University of Montana. “Missoula College University of Montana” is now the official name of the former College of Technology in Missoula.

Jim – Human Resource Council

The school lunch program in Mineral County will continue through the end of next week. HRC continues to help 16 to 24-year-olds gain work experience through the Summer Work program.

Wolf – Missoula Job Service

Job orders are currently at 450, up from the 280 job orders seen two years ago. Missoula remains fairly quiet; even temp agencies are slow. The area is still seeing select layoffs, including Kmart and Dollar Plus. Testing is picking up. Employers are reporting they are seeing plenty of applicants, but are finding a shortage of technically skilled applicants.

Shannon – Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational Rehabilitation recently underwent a federal review, and everything went well. The Transitions program is working well. A new case management system is in the works that will be more compatible with JAWS and other software for those with disabilities. Staff is very busy; caseloads are averaging 120 – 130 per counselor, with traveling counselors seeing even higher numbers.

CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes -- July 12, 2012

In Attendance

·         Vida Wilkinson, College of Technology

·         Janet Van Dyke, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

Agenda

Full CMT Group Meeting

A date for a Full CMT Group Meeting was set for Tuesday, September 18, 2012 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Mountain West Bank on Great Northern Avenue. Please mark your calendar. The meeting will feature a reconnect with all CMT partners, as well as an informational update about activities, issues and opportunities from each member organization. We will also get more detailed input and thoughts from everyone about the Cross-Training event noted below. (More on that to be announced soon.)

Cross-Training Event

A date for the Cross-Training Event was set for Thursday, November 15, 2012 at the Lifelong Learning Center. More information on format, timing and content will come as the date approaches, but please mark your calendar.

One-Stop Re-certification Process

Director of the State Workforce Investment Board Leisa Smith recently visited Missoula to receive feedback on proposed changes to the One-Stop Certification process. Several CMT Core group members were in attendance. Overall feedback from across the state has not been positive.

Updates

Vida – College of Technology

The College of Technology is focusing on the needs of business and industry in the area and talking with the Missoula Economic Partnership to provide more customized training for businesses. This summer training has focused on CDL licensure, CNA certification and the culinary arts. The West Campus COT hopes to acquire a mobile CDL lab and a hospital simulation lab. The CNA program has a waiting list and is incorporating a for-credit class this fall to help students planning on entering the Practical Nursing program qualify for financial aid.

The COT was recently part of a consortium with the State Department of Labor and Industry on a Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) grant. They expect to hear the status of the grant this fall.

Maggie – Human Resource Council

No official word yet on the grant for Youth Ex-Offenders. The Summer Lunch program in Superior is serving 50 kids a day on average. The Department of Public Health and Human Services awarded a $100,000 grant to HRC for summer employment for teens age 16 – 17, but there are strict qualifications.  

Janet – Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational Rehabilitation is recruiting a new counselor for the Polson office and a new Support Staff Supervisor in Kalispell. Candidates must be willing to obtain a Master’s degree in counseling. Certified applicants are preferred.

Jodi – Lifelong Learning Center

The Lifelong Learning Center saw a slight reduction in funding for the Adult Basic Education program. The next year and a half will focus on awareness and program changes related to changes in the GED program. LLC is working with the COT to more closely align curriculum for lower level math and developmental writing courses. Screening will improve for Transition to College courses so students at higher or lower levels can succeed. The LLC is hopeful that eventually students failing developmental courses at The University of Montana can earn credit for the course through the ABE program, instead of paying to retake the class. Please also see the following information on new GED requirements.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/06/07/new-ged-angles-be-substitute-popular-college-placement-test

Wolf – Missoula Job Service

Funding for Dislocated Worker is up 10 percent, the Western MT Timber grant was extended through the end of December and the National Emergency Grant providing on-the-job training funds (OJTs) was extended through June 2014. This program allows for wage subsidies to an employer during training of up to 90% wage up to 6 months. The Incumbent Worker Training program remains popular. The Job Service is responding to the layoff of 24 people at SkyWest. Many affected workers are interested in training programs. The Job Service should receive word soon regarding a grant for Veterans.

Unemployment Insurance is shifting its focus toward enforcing work search requirements. No-show rates for claimants on extended unemployment benefits that require an office visit and verification of a effective job search (EUC REA) continue to hover around 50 percent.

Job listings are holding steady averaging around 400 open positions though other areas of the state such as Great Falls and Billings show a much stronger labor market. Wages in Missoula are stagnant and economic development activity continues to be slow.

CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes – May 3, 2012

In Attendance

·         Wolf Ametsbichler, Missoula Job Service

·         Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service

·         Mark Cumming, Vocational Rehabilitation

·         Michelle Parks, Childcare Resources

·         Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council

·         Monique Fortmann, Lifelong Learning Center

·         Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center

Agenda

CMT Chair Succession

Saundra Long stepped down as Chair of the CMT, and Wolf Ametsbichler was named CMT Chair. Michelle Dorsey (Missoula Job Service) is the new secretary.

Full CMT Group Meeting Planned

A tentative date range of September 18 - 20 at 8 a.m. was set for a full CMT meeting, depending on the availability of guest speakers related to the COT South Campus expansion.

CMT Cross-training Event and Re-energizing

A tentative date of November 22 from 1 – 4 p.m. was set for a CMT cross-training event. The date and time will be confirmed at the full CMT meeting in September. Possible collaboration with Big Sky SHRM was discussed. A survey to assess training needs in the greater CMT is undergoing final revisions and will be presented at the full CMT meeting in September.

One-Stop Recertification

The SWIB is planning on streamlining the One-Stop certification process. The timeline for One-Stop recertification for the Missoula Area Workforce System is September through October.

News

Wolf – Missoula Job Service

Congress passed an Unemployment Insurance benefits extension in February that required certain UI recipients come in to their local Job Service for mandatory appointments. They must complete a work search survey prior to attending. If they fail to attend the meeting or reschedule, their benefits are cut off until they comply. The Job Service has developed a streamlined process to accommodate the scheduled meetings.

Incumbent Worker Training visits are up as word of the program spreads through the area. Employers can contact Cassie at the Job Service for more information. On-the-job Training contracts have reached $225,000.

Monique and Jodie – Lifelong Learning Center

Summer schedule will be light and is coming together. Most classes will be in July and August. The LLC has hired a new adult and family literacy instructor. The LLC received a TANF Education Support grant that will run through June 30, 2013. Twenty iPads and several PCs were purchased for classroom use. The LLC is preparing for changes to the GED in 2014. The new GED test will be computer based, focus more on depth of knowledge and cost more than the current test. The LLC will begin a PR campaign in January to raise awareness on the coming changes.

Mark – Vocational Rehabilitation

Voc Rehab is noticing an increase in clients as the disability population shifts to western Montana. Many people are receiving training in the area and moving to the North Dakota oil fields. Many referrals are coming from the schools. Voc Rehab is looking to collaborate with the Trapper Creek Job Corp. in the future. The Director is looking into social media and iPad use. Voc Rehab was recently able to hire a new counselor from Ohio.

Michelle – Child Care Resources

CCR is hiring a receptionist, administrative assistant and a new trainer. The website is being updated and new online classes will be available soon. The Legally Certified Provider orientation is moving to online only. Caseloads are down, possibly because people are still unemployed. CCR is spending $3,000 - $4,000 a month providing job search childcare because grants won’t cover the cost unless someone is actually employed; the success rate is low because only 32 hours of childcare are provided. A childcare station is available at CCR for job seekers. With the legislative season starting next year, CCR is focused on maintaining their lack of waiting list and securing raises for providers.

Maggie – Human Resource Council

HRC is also seeing an increase in people with disabilities being referred. About 70 percent of referrals are coming from the schools. The Energy Share program will continue for another month. Summer youth Recovery Act money has dried up. HRC is seeing 70 – 90 kids being fed in Mineral County.

Core Group Meeting Minutes - January 5, 2012

Missoula CMT Core Group Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 5, 2012

Human Resource Council – Jim
There has been a recent rush of folks for the energy assistance program. Recovery dollars are winding down; some programs are cut by 60%. HRC will be losing some staff due to these cuts. The energy program has experienced a 30% cut, in Youth WIA they are expecting a 6-7% cut. There is a growing need for more and more reporting information on each program, including multiple iterations of the same information. Because of the cuts some states are delaying services until the money actually is released to the state. Montana has not done this, and there is currently no waiting list for energy assistance. The Sapphire Clinic is closed. The clinic served more than 900 patients. Some equipment from the clinic went to the Mineral County Clinic in St. Regis. Two rooms at the Sapphire Clinic will be used by a home health company to train new employees. HRC will use the building for housing staff. Ravalli County was able to use the remaining vaccines.

Child Care Resources – Michelle
CCR is trying to maintain their level of service and avoid the use of waiting lists. They are working to help people who are self-employed. No child care is provided for sleep hours, this has been a difficult for people who work graveyard shifts and need to sleep during the day. CCR may have to cut some services, depending on their budget. Right now there is a cost shifting movement to keep providers in business. The child care providers must pass costs on to the customer. The minimum wage increase may bump some people over income guidelines. There is funding to help about 13 families transition off services.

Lifelong Learning Center – Jodie
Winter classes have started; planning is underway for spring 2012. Classes were very full, and the LLC was recently able to hire another secretary to assist at the front desk. The Head Start classroom remodel is on hold, they ran into some unexpected wiring issues. For now the classroom will be remodeled to another standard classroom instead of a kitchen. Monique is hoping to collaborate with some of the high schools because there is not a large demand for the Family, Home, and Consumer classes that utilize the kitchen classrooms in the high schools. The new room will be an art room and will be the largest classroom space at the Lifelong Learning Center. Monique is working on a RFP for a DPHHS program to serve TANF recipients with mobile adult education. If the RFP is successful the LLC will focus on providing classes at the Joseph Residence and the Carol Graham Home.

Job Service – Saundra
The timber grant has been extended. We recently lost two temporary staff members, recruitment for replacements will be decided on soon. The Department of Labor recently agreed to review wages and the review may result in small wage increases for some employees. Will has returned to his supervisor role in Programs. Partnership with the Missoula Economic Project continues via BEAR.

Full Meeting and Cross Training
Saundra will put together a survey to solicit training needs from the full CMT before we arrange for a full CMT meeting. Please review the draft of survey information and questions below and provide feedback directly to Saundra. Thank you!

Survey Draft
The Community Management Team is a group of organizations dedicated to getting and keeping people employed in Missoula and Mineral counties. Our organizations encompass many clients and many different services involved in job training and job retention. We work together to enhance collaboration and reduce duplication of services. Due to staff turnover the organizational changes that are so frequent in programs and our community, we feel there may be a need for community cross-training. Please respond to the questions below to help us better understand your training needs and preferences.

Possible Questions
Do you feel there is a need for staff enhancement and reeducation on services related to job training and retention in Missoula?

If training was offered for line staff, would you attend or send line staff?

If training was offered to target managers and the role of your organization the community, are you a manager who would attend?

What is the optimal length of training that you can accommodate for your line staff?
1 hour
1.5 hours
2 hours
2.5 hours
3 hours

Choose the format you feel is most effective for learning.
Speed dating
Classroom instruction
Job Fair type format – free choice
Group presentations

Which of the following subject areas do you feel would be most helpful for your staff or management to have training on?
Child Care Services
Education Services
Economic Development
21st Century Education
Youth Services
Other ________________________

Are you available or willing to help plan and organize a training event?
Name: ______
Organization: _______

Core Group Meeting Minutes - December 1, 2011

CMT Meeting Minutes
Full CMT Meeting
December 1, 2011

Full CMT Meeting
Jodie indicated that there is room at the Lifelong Learning Center on January 12 for a full CMT meeting from 3-5 pm. The group discussed possible topics and formats. Feedback from prior full CMT meetings was discussed, and it was decided that we will have the same format as before, with one specific question: What has changed in your agency in the past year? The agenda will include a brief introduction to the CMT and the purpose of the CMT, updates from agencies, and a discussion about the interest level in certain training topics for a CMT cross training in March.

CMT Cross Training
Discussed CMT Cross Training Academy in March, possible date set for March 2 at the Lifelong Learning Center. Topics and format were discussed. The agenda for the full CMT meeting in January will include asking at full CMT meeting about the interest in training topics: housing, social services, employment, and youth services. Saundra will work with Monique to solidify possibilities, nothing will be set until after obtaining feedback from all the CMT agencies at the full CMT meeting in January.

Jodie – Lifelong Learning Center
The winter schedule has been published and distributed, and the LLC is continuing to offer a free Transition to College class with a high retention rate.

Mark – Vocational Rehabilitation
One of the Missoula VR counselors recently became a Transitions Trainer, and now works for the VR Central Office. There is a full-time VR Counselor position open. The state and the feds are focused right now on the transitions between high school and education or employment. VR has counselors meeting with students in our high schools, and the VR counselors get referrals from school counselors. The Human Resource Council also makes many referrals to the Transitions program.

Maggie – Human Resource Council
There is quite a bit of uncertainty around LIEAP. The youth programs are very busy again, with lots of walk-in clients. Due to the limitations of Youth WIA eligibility, the HRC is working to serve youth in groups to accommodate more youth. The Youth WIA RFP will be out at the end of January.

Wolf – Missoula Job Service
The Job Service will be submitting a RFP for the Adult WIA program this year. Will has announced his retirement; Carol Evanger will be the new Programs Supervisor. The OJT grant ends in June; the Timber grant is also slated to end in June, but may be extended. The TAA programs will have many graduates in May, those graduates will move into job search mode. Adult program funding is expected to be flat.

Meeting adjourned.

Core Group Meeting Minutes - November 3, 2011

Missoula Community Management Team
Core Group Meeting
November 3, 2011

Child Care Resources – Michelle
Child Care Resources (CCR) is in the middle of a major strategic planning effort, which has included major marketing decisions. They have a new logo, reflecting their organizations commitment to assisting child care professionals. Right now caseloads at CCR are high, because TANF is high. They are working on a Transition Grant to assist families who have children in child care who obtain employment and are moved from eligible to ineligible status due to the increase in wages. Sometimes a small increase in wages results in the loss of substantial child care assistance. The Transition Grant would help step families down from the child care assistance once their income increases. The percentage of help that CCR provided would decrease each month. Depending on budgets, they could be starting use a waiting list of prospective participants. Unemployment is high, and child care providers are struggling. Right now any referral calls for child care in Missoula are routed through the Great Falls center. Responsibility is being moved to clients to navigate a system, rather than being offered locally.

Lifelong Learning Center – Monique
The Lifelong Learning Center (LLC) is serving a high level of students right now. They have a few new programs, including Family and Parent Literacy Services. This program takes family literacy on the road, into 4 Title I elementary schools in Missoula. The program provides Adult Basic Education (ABE) services and parent and family literacy activities in those schools. The LLC is restructuring, with a focus on customer service. They have centralized their clerical functions, and have trained all front desk staff in all areas of operations. They have an evening advisor for ABE, and this is a different person from the Instructor. The advisor is there to help ABE participants plan their steps through ABE. They are seeing a current influx of younger students into ABE, as well as some Roseburg employees. The LLC has partnered with Job Service to offer the Transition to College program. The LLC is converting their TABE to an online test, and in the near future (by 2014) all GED testing will be online. Individuals will be able to obtain the results of the tests immediately. The new TABE test will adjust levels of the testing to the performance of the individual, removing the need for level placement testing prior to the TABE tests. After the GED test moves to a fully online process (within a year), the LLC will still administer the GED tests. They hope to get students in to take the GED very quickly after they decide to stop their formal education.

Human Resource Council – Maggie
Right now all the programs at the Human Resource Council are busy. Low Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP) is starting up and they are preparing for the winter season. There have been large cuts to this program. This is a serious issue because landlords can evict renters who are not paying utilities. There is a new WORC program starting in Ravalli County, the goal is to help people obtain on the job training (OJT) before they are on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The program will be coming to Missoula also. The Youth program is being reviewed at the state level. Kids in school need real career exploration and help with job readiness skills, Maggie is hoping that Missoula County Public Schools and the Human Resource Council can partner on these topics and that the HRC can provide training to the students of MCPS. The group discussed youth employment programs and their issues and outcomes through time. Maggie suggested that youth counselors from HRC could provide classroom training. This fits well with the 21st Century model for education which MCPS has outlined. Right now families and systems are overwhelmed, so there is a real need to figure out how we can partner, reduce duplication, and enhance collaboration. There is also a strong effort to help any student who has chosen to drop out of school obtain their GED as quickly as possible after leaving MCPS.

Vocational Rehabilitation – Janet
Every state is audited, and because of emergencies in other states Montana is being audited early. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) has been working on their Transitions program to assist students after leaving school. They have two new counselors in Missoula and one position available in Kalispell. Right now there is a lot of attention on the transitions between school and work. VR is teaching a Motivation Enhancement class at the LLC. This class is focused on helping people get motivated to go on to employment after being on assistance programs. It helps prepare people to take the steps and make the changes that will result in moving ahead in employment.

Missoula Job Service – Saundra
There are many people talking about relocating to North Dakota due to the strength of the economy and the job openings available there. The Business Expansion and Retention program (BEAR) has been reinvigorated with the new participation of the Missoula Economic Project, and BEAR visits and referrals for businesses interested in Incumbent Worker Training and OJT programs have increased. Project Homeless Connect will be held in January, on the 25th or 26th. More information will be available soon. Job Service is waiting to decide about the outlook for a job fair next year. There is a new change in Unemployment regulations that has caused hundreds of people in Missoula to have their Job Service profiles inactivated, those people have been notified to come in to the Job Service to reactivate their profiles and have been instructed to check in with Job Service at least every 90 days.

Full Group Meeting
The group discussed pulling together the full CMT for a large group meeting in January, on the 12th. This meeting would be from 3-5 at the Lifelong Learning Center. The group also discussed a cross training focused on youth services or economic development. A possible date for that would be on February 24th at the Lifelong Learning Center. Monique volunteered to plan out how that could be arranged and scheduled. In our brainstorming we discussed having short 20-30 minute sessions, with four sessions available for people to attend. We could have one introductory session with everyone together, and Monique suggested a speaker like Simon Sinek talking about the Golden Circle. Some breakout sessions could include:
MCPS discussing the 21st Century Model for Education
HRDC’s Youth WIA programs
Missoula Economic Partnership (featuring representatives from MEP and the City)
UM and UM COT discussing opportunities for youth
A workforce track with JSEC or various business people

Meeting adjourned.

Core Group Meeting Minutes - September 1, 2011

CMT Meeting Minutes
September 1, 2011

Vocational Rehabilitation – Janet
Employees of Voc Rehab have been attending Cognitive Motivational Training, all counselors will attend this training. Kalispell will soon be fully staffed. The Missoula and Kalispell offices are some of the busiest offices in the state, with 100-142 clients per employee in Missoula and 120-160 clients per employee in Kalispell. Funding for VR may be facing some national cuts. The VR office is seeing an increase in patients with psychiatric disabilities and more students. The Transitions program has been getting attention nationally.

Human Resource Council – Maggie
The Youth Program is starting another year. This year they carried over approximately 60% of their youth, up from the usual 30%. There is an increase in participation in the youth program in Mineral County. There is still no word on the Sapphire clinic, should definitely hear by the end of September if the clinic will be funded. The Ravalli County Health Department is cutting back on services also. There is not a current strong connection with the school district’s 21st Century program, and HRC wants to ensure they are aligning with that program to collaborate and work together. Monique mentioned that Maggie’s program has the focus that the district is looking for. Ten years ago the district was offering school credit for work experience. There is a criminal background check required for any employers or on site supervisors who work with the youth in the HRC or school programs.

College of Technology - Lynn
The COT will be advertising for a Chair for the West Campus, Alan recently took a job in Kodiak, Alaska. The recruitment is in progress for an Outreach Coordinator. The faculty was fully staffed as of the start of school. There are large numbers of applications for school coming in at the last minute. The COT is working on a broad based college assessment to look at academic readiness and retention. Enrollment is up from the record high enrollment last year. Previously the COT has had a system with a core block registration system, and could use that in the future. The LLC and COT may be able to partner on Transition to College classes.

Lifelong Learning Center – Monique
Adult Basic Education no longer has a separate phone number, everyone now calls the front desk at the LLC, and the front desk staff has been trained to serve ABE clients. Renee continues in her role with ABE as the Department Chair and an advisor. The performance for ABE was top in the state, so funding is good for this year. The Even Start program has been fully phased out. They are taking ABE and parent education on the road to four Title I Family Resource Centers, at Lowell, Hawthorne, Russell, and Franklin schools. This way the program can tap families into adult literacy at the schools, and offer TABE tests on site at the centers. The Even Start classrooms will be transitioned, one will become a yoga classroom, and the other will be a cooking classroom. The LLC is looking for ABE tutors. There is a new enrollment process for ABE. The first step will be to call and schedule a TABE test. After that, there is a new orientation session, in which they offer a short introduction to ABE, set the school schedule, and start with the classes. LLC is hoping retention will increase with this new format. Adult Education is fully staffed, with 28 new part time instructors. Enrollment is slow at this time. There are new parking arrangements at the LLC, including a new entrance and exit for the parking lot and directional parking in front of the building. They are hoping for more students in the Medical Office Essentials course, starting September 12.

Missoula Job Service – Saundra
Job Service recently launched a Facebook page, and also has Skype capabilities for distance interviews. Cheryl Minnick from the UM recently came to Job Service and offered training on resumes for the whole staff. There are two new employees, one new permanent employee, and one temporary employee who will start at the end of September. Many employers in the oil field are recruiting, and there are employees in Missoula who have been travelling or relocating to eastern Montana or North Dakota to work in the oil fields, where wages are much higher. Job Service has partnered with the Lifelong Learning Center to offer job search classes; those are listed in the LLC catalog. All staff has been attending Crucial Conversation training. Job Service is still seeking qualified participants and employers for the National Emergency Grant on the Job Training Program. Job Service recently met with representatives of the Last Best Place Project to strengthen collaboration between the BEAR program and the Last Best Place Project. The Job Service Employers Council will be offering an upcoming seminar on social media uses and implications for business, including employee background checks using internet tools.