Economic Development News and Events
-
Speaker series
Postponed until April - TBA
Does Foreign Trade Impact Your Business?
- Date: TBA
- Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am
- Location: Migration Brewing
- Coffee, tea and refreshments provided
Trade and import struggles impact all national and local businesses. WorkSource Regional Business Services (RBS); WorkSystems Inc. (WSI); NW Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (NWTAAC); and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), along with aligned service partners, are here to help
employers who are dealing with the seen, and unseen, impacts of foreign trade.
WorkSource Oregon has enhanced and fine-tuned business services since the great recession and has developed an employer focused approach to support local businesses and companies with the help of a number of aligned partners.
In this informal panel presentation/discussion, we will cover current programs and services that are free and available to northwest employers that you may not know anything about, or, that you may have heard about but don’t know how they work.
This is intended to inform, educate and clarify these beneficial programs and how your business can access them.
Topics
- TAA for Firms. Businesses that have lost sales to imports may be eligible for up to $75,000 in matching grant funds for projects that improve business operations.
- TAA on-the-Job Training. Funds (to the employer) to help offset, and skill up, newly hired Trade affected employees. This may also be coupled with approved classroom training (that Trade Act can pay for) in order to make the candidate fully job ready. 50% of employer
training costs are paid back monthly though a wage subsidy.
- WorkSource Regional Business Services. Business development and sector trained professionals who offer free customized business solutions including:
- Locating, vetting and Pre-screening exactly matched job candidates though WorkSource.
- Providing current labor market information that helps your hiring team assess pay trends and what can make your company more competitive to the current labor pools.
- Help employers to navigate and access additional services and programs
- Work Force support offering “feet on the ground” support if there needs to be a company layoff. We help coordinate a smooth layoff process and thereby avoid a messy off-boarding for company employees.
- WorkShare Program; funding that enables employers to retain workers during tough times by getting 50% of the employee wages subsidized though Work Force grants.
Presenters
- David Holbert, Executive Director, NW Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TACC)
- David White, Trade Act Navigator, Multnomah County
- Michelle Higgins, Program Analyst, Regional Business Services
- Roland Chlapowski, Project Manager, WorkSystems Inc.