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EMPLOYMENT SERVICES |
WTW – pathways to Self-Sufficiency
The CalWORKs Employment Services Division is committed to helping aided families in Tehama County become economically self sufficient. Through our Welfare to Work (WTW) program we partner with community agencies to offer an array of programs and services that provide a supportive and structured pathway towards family economic self-sufficiency.
Our staff works with each participant to assess their strengths, talents, and job interests; and to identify any needed skills sets or barriers to employment. Clients are provided with plans that address their specific needs and aid them in finding sustained and meaningful employment.
Partnering with community
Though partnerships with community agencies, we offer the tools and support our clients need as they move towards their employment goals. The WorkForce Academy is a four week workshop series that offers clients a classroom based preparation for entry into the workforce. Clients are taught interviewing strategies, job retention skills, and job search methods and tools. The workshop concludes with two weeks of structured, real-world job search (resulting in over a third of participants exiting with employment already secured).
Our WorkForce 1 and WorkForce 2 programs provide clients with structured and supervised full and part time paid work experience; allowing participants to develop the job and life skills necessary to succeed in the workplace, while performing needed services within the community.
The Family Loan program offers short-term, low interest loans to CalWORKS participants who cannot get loans elsewhere. The purpose of the program is to help participants pay for unexpected transportation or rental costs that could interfere with their ability to accept or keep a job or stay in school. The program includes a budgeting component to strengthen money management skills.
In addition to these programs we collaborate with our local community college to offer college credits for a specially designed course geared toward developing workplace skills, and to provide vocational education opportunities through college coursework and the Work Study program. To reduce barriers to employment clients are provided with a variety of supportive services including drug & alcohol, mental health, and domestic abuse services; as well as transportation assistance, work and training costs, and assistance with child care. Clients are also provided with educational opportunities that enhance employability though Adult Basic Education, GED courses, ESL classes, and vocational education programs.
Accountability & Positive Community Outcomes
In order to insure that the Employment Services Division continues to meet the needs of the community we have collaborated with community partners and stake holders to develop an Administrative Oversight Team (AOT). The CalWORKs AOT provides feedback and input into program development to insure that CalWORKs Employment Services offers high quality and effective services to help our participants succeed.
Tehama County’s Welfare to Work program results in positive community outcomes. Local business and the local economy benefit from the expansion of a trained, capable, and job ready workforce and through access to training and supportive services more parents are able to find sustainable meaningful work and support their families.
For information on career exploration and for job search information go to www.jobtrainingcenter.org.
Tehama County's CalWORKs Administrative Oversight Team was created to bring together public and private resources in a collaborative effort to eliminate employment barriers and to create jobs. To see the most recent AOT Newsletter, click here.
