Oregon City’s Economic Development Department announced another new public/private partnership between the City’s workforce development program and a major institution not only in the community, but in the State of Oregon as well: Oregon State University’s Professional and Continuing Education Program (PACE).
Economic Development officials say the agreement between Talent Ready Oregon City and PACE makes customized training and education resources more readily available to residents of Oregon City, as well as to Oregon City’s business community, to help address the ongoing workers’ shortage.
Oregon City will collaborate with the local business community to address workforce shortages by identifying specific skill sets that are in high demand in industries such as health care, horticulture and beer/wine/distilling. On the other hand, OSU’s PACE program offers technical training in multiple disciplines, including food preparation, the production of beer and spirits, health care and forestry products, just to name a few.
“We are very pleased to establish this partnership with Oregon City,” said Patrick Kelley, Director of Professional and Continuing Education, Oregon State University. “With so many changes occurring in the workforce and increased competition for skilled workers, joining Talent Ready represents a great opportunity to make a greater impact in creative ways.”
Talent Ready is a free service for both Oregon City residents and the local business community. It was created to remove many of the obstacles that keep people unemployed or in jobs with limited future opportunities. Talent Ready also helps local businesses provide additional training and find quality, dependable employees at a time when many businesses are facing workforce shortages.
“People often face more roadblocks than just a lack of job skills when trying to secure a job that they desire. These challenges can include mental health, lack of childcare, as well as drug and alcohol addiction, to name a few. Talent Ready Oregon City is an initiative designed to help potential employees and employers overcome the type of obstacles that keep both groups apart,” said Economic Development Manager James Graham. “Employers need good and dependable employees, and many individuals hampered by life’s obstacles need jobs.”
OSU is Oregon’s largest university offering approximately 200-degree programs. Through its PACE program, customized training is provided in fields such as horticulture, dairy foods manufacturing, distillery, technical writing, urban agriculture, permaculture design, among others.
Graham said the partnership between the two will be of tremendous benefit for Oregon City residents. “Many people already know that life journey isn’t a straight line, there are usually a few curves along the way. Talent Ready helps our residents navigate those curves.”
Other community nonprofit partners that Oregon City’s Economic Development Department has joined forces include:
- Community nonprofit Worksource Clackamas
- Clackamas Community College Workforce Development Center
- Children, Family and Community Connections, Clackamas County
- Clackamas County Behavioral Health
- Clackamas Workforce Partnership
- Oregon Dept. Of Human Services – Employment & Training Navigators
- Oregon City School District
- Parrott Creek Child and Family Services
Officials confirm that more announcements will be forthcoming regarding public/private partnerships between Talent Ready and local employers.
If you are an Oregon City resident needing to overcome obstacles keeping you from employment, Talent Ready can help you connect to:
- Available job information
- Job skill development training resources
- Mental Health Services
- Childcare Referral Assistance
- Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment
- Much more
For more information on Talent Ready Oregon City go to the Oregon City Economic Development Department’s website: oregoncitybusiness.com, or call Ann Griffin, Economic Development Coordinator at 503-974-5517 or send an email to agriffin@orcity.org.
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