Workforce News & Resources

brought to you by the Shoals Chamber & the ShoalsWORKS! Council

 

Presented by

 

February 15, 2023

Issue 3

 

If you missed Issue 2 find it here.

 

 

     EDUCATE     

CONGRATULATIONS!

Shoals Teacher of the Month

The February Teacher of the Month awards go to ...

 

Middle / High School Award

Shelby Atwood, Agriscience teacher

at Florence Middle & High School

"Shelby Atwood is a force to be reckoned with in the classroom. She firmly believes in what she teaches, and she has been involved in FFA and Agriscience since she was in middle school herself. She is very deserving of this recognition!"

 

Elementary Award

Brandy Patrick, 5th grade teacher at Covenant Christian School

"Mrs. Patrick is a fun teacher and the students adore her! She keeps class interesting by finding new ways of doing things. My favorite thing about her class is that she has the students write their favorite things about each classmate and they keep the compliments in a box to look back over. All around outstanding teacher!"

 

Thank you to our generous TOTM sponsors!

 

Teachers

Find Grants & Funding

for Your Classrooms

Shoals Workforce Resources Website

The Shoals Workforce Resources website is a one-stop website with links to a variety of helpful workforce resources for Businesses, Job Seekers, Educators, Students, Parents and Community Orgs. 

 

Free Wage Survey, Free Job Posting, Job Search Help, Career Education, Skills & Interest Assessments, Training Opportunities, Workforce Incentives, Demographics, Networking, and so much more. 

 

Get to Know Our

Career Technical Educators

Tuscumbia City Schools Career Coach

 

Emily Edwards worked as a Career and Technical Educator for 6-1/2 years then transitioned to the Career Coach position with Tuscumbia City Schools in Fall 2022.

 

As a career coach she assists students and teachers with career exploration, jobs, college, scholarships, job shadowing, FAFSA, internships, interview skills, resumes and more.

 

Emily:  "I love Career and Technical Education and truly believe our staff at DHS is preparing students to enter into the workforce and become productive members of society.  

 

My job is to help students transition from school to the workforce whether that be through a college program, trade school, military enlistment, or going directly into a career.

 

I love to promote our programs and to support our students to see the value in Career and Technical Education, no matter what path they choose after graduation.

 

We have many wonderful events in the works at Tuscumbia City and we are always looking for more businesses to get involved with our programs." 

 

Upcoming Events:

  • Feb 17 - Career Fair 
  • March 14 - Train Up The Tigers 

Emily Edwards

Career Coach

Tuscumbia City Schools 

256-389-2900 Ext. 1167

eedwards@tuscumbia.k12.al.us

 

Click below to check out the

Tuscumbia City Schools' Career Technical Center website

for more information on the career tech programs offered.

 

Connect with Our CTEs

Colbert County Schools

Florence City Schools

Lauderdale County Schools

Muscle Shoals City Schools

Sheffield City Schools

Tuscumbia City Schools

 

Teacher Supply Depot

DONATTIONS  ARE  ALWAYS 

NEEDED  &  APPRECIATED!

 

Cash for new supplies, gently used school & office supplies, equipment, furniture, etc. are  needed to assist our educators in the classroom.

 

For more information, contact:

Mary Beshears, (256) 710-1436, jbeshears@yahoo.com

 

First Class Pre-K Funding

Apply Now!

Alabama First Class Pre-K is offered in a variety of diverse delivery settings in all 67 counties across the state, including: child care centers, public school systems, faith-based centers, college and university lab schools, private schools, community organizations, military child care centers, and other providers of preschool.

 

    EQUIP    

2023 ACCS Veterans
College & Career Workshop

NW-SCC is excited to host our 2023 ACCS Veterans College & Career Workshop & luncheon on the Shoals campus February 21st at 10:00 a.m. on the Shoals campus,  in Bldg. 110, Seminar Room.

 

Military active-duty, guardsmen, reservists, retirees, veterans and their dependents are cordially invited to join Northwest-Shoals Community College, military and veteran representatives during a FREE event to learn more about the many opportunities for them to thrive.

 

VOLUNTEERS  NEEDED!

Your Money, Your Life

(formerly Reality Check)

 

Three (3) opportunities are coming up to help students learn how

their education is connected to their career path,

which is connected to their future quality of life.

 

Join this fun, educational, personal finance simulation and help

our future workforce learn how to budget their money!

 

Details of each date are listed on the registration site, linked:

 

March 14, 8:15 - 10:30 a.m.

N AL Fairgrounds

Colbert Heights, Cherokee & Sheffield 9th graders

 

March 22, 8:00 - 11:15 a.m.

NW-SCC Gym

Florence 9th graders 

 

April 13, 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.

NW-SCC Gym

NW-SCC Talent Search 10th graders

 

For more information, contact Heidi Tilenius

hlt0005@aces.edu; (256) 766-4846

 

Apprenticeship Opportunity

Courtland, Alabama

The Advanced Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship Program (AMTAP) is a six  week certification program designed to certify candidates with the skills  necessary to build electronics hardware and develop an exciting career in  space operations.

 

Participants are paid and offered benefits during the six week training  program. 

 

Candidates who successfully complete the program may be offered full time
employment at Lockheed Martin. 

  • Application opens:  Tues., Feb. 7

  • Virtual Information Session:  Tues., Feb. 7,  Register Here

  • Application Deadline:  Tues. Feb. 21

  • Class Starts:  Tues., May 30
 

NEW!  ATN Training  Solutions Catalog

Alabama Technology Network has created a Training Solutions catalog for business and industry in the state. The new catalog includes training solutions broken down into our five areas of expertise: Continual Improvement, Environmental Health & Safety, Food Industry, Industrial Maintenance & Technology, and Leadership & Management Development. ATN also specializes in customized training.

 

ATN provides extensive workforce training, technical assistance, and engineering services to incumbent workers. Our vision is to be the leading provider of training and technical assistance solutions for Alabama business and industry to sustain jobs, grow profits, and stay competitive. 

 

If you need workforce training, technical assistance, or engineering service or have questions about our new catalog, please contact us at atninfo@atn.org.

 

                         OVER  40  SCHOLARSHIPS  AVAILABLE

 

Study.com has designated a wide variety of academic awards and scholarships for current and prospective students.

 

Study.com is thrilled to be awarding over $50,000 in scholarships.

 

These academic awards are geared toward people with ranging backgrounds and academic goals.

 

Check out the list to apply for any scholarships for which you may qualify!

 

     EMPOWER     

Shoals Works Council

The Shoals Works Council, convened by The Shoals Chamber, works to guide policy and curriculum to ensure skills held by the local workforce match the needs of employers. 

 

Members include business leaders, educators, training providers and community organizations interested in workforce-related issues.

 

Those interested in participating in the council may email shoalsworks@shoalschamber.com. 

 

Center for Learning & 

Professional Development

Our mission is to provide lifelong learning opportunities for people of all ages in the Shoals area and beyond. We serve as the University’s primary means of extending its educational and training resources to the non-traditional student, especially to adults seeking continued personal and professional development, and to employers seeking updated workplace skills and productivity-improving knowledge.

 

Explore our current course offerings. Simply click on a category below to get started.

 

Chamber Job Board

Employers

Remember to use your free Job Board benefit

to post your job openings.

Contact the Chamber if you need assistance.

256-764-4661, shoalsworks@shoalschamber.com

 

 
 

Statewide Job Board


Alabamaworks.alabama.gov is a great resource for Alabama citizens and businesses.

  • List jobs
  • Look for jobs (searchable by zip code or city)
  • Research careers and pathways
  • Information to help you move your career forward

For more information, contact:

     Alabama Career Center (Sheffield) 

     Sheffield@alcc.alabama.gov

     (256) 383‑5610

     500 South Montgomery Avenue Suite 102 Sheffield

 

NEWS

ATTENTION  EMPLOYERS

Unemployment Insurance Tax Cuts!

Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced that most Alabama employers will see a 54% tax cut in their 2023 unemployment insurance taxes and the state has dropped into the lowest tax rate schedule.

 

This is the first time Alabama has dropped into Schedule, the lowest tax rate schedule, since 1997. This year’s average tax rate is also the lowest in recorded history.

 

New Workforce-Focused Programs

and 20% Increase in Enrollment 

The Spring 2023 term at the University of North Alabama is breaking enrollment records with a greater than 20% increase compared to Spring 2022. 

 

In addition to the 15th consecutive term of record-breaking enrollment, the University has launched several new degree programs, including:

 

  • Doctor of Nursing Practice, or DNP, which is the third doctoral program at UNA and the first fully online doctoral program, in the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions;
  •  
  • The Mental Health Practitioner track in the online Master of Science in Nursing, or MSN, which is also in the ACONHP;
  •  
  • The online Master of Health Administration, or MHA, in the College of Business and Technology;
  •  
  • The Joel R. Anderson BBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, also in the COBT; and
  •  
  • The fully online version of the B.S. in Sport and Recreation Management in the College of Education and Human Sciences. 

 

“The launch of these in-demand, workforce-focused graduate and undergraduate programs, coupled with another consecutive term of record University enrollment, exemplifies UNA’s positive momentum and trajectory,” said Dr. Ross Alexander, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

 

Alabama ranked #1 for

2023 Regional Workforce Development

From Bama Buzz

 

Each year, international business publication Site Selection?which specializes in reporting on economic development?ranks each state’s workforce development based on the various components.

 

Site Selection’s rankings are based on high-level factors that can be applied to all 50 states to gauge the states’ overall employment climate, and do not rank state workforce programs or determine which states have the most or best jobs. However, the rankings do suggest which states have the strongest overall workforce development ecosystems.

 

The 2023 Regional Workforce Development Rankings are:

     1.  Alabama

     2.  Arkansas

     3.  Louisiana

     4.  Mississippi

     5.  Texas

     6.  Tennessee

     7.  Kentucky

     8.  Oklahoma

 

What does this ranking mean for Alabama? For starters, Alabama previously ranked #1 in the 2022 Regional Workforce Development study, up from the #6 spot in 2021. This means the state as a whole has invested in building a strong workforce environment?excellent news for both job-seekers and recruiters.

 

Thank you to our ShoalsWORKS! Workforce Champion Sponsors!