The 2006 Governors Conference on Workforce Development was held October 11-13 in Osage Beach. One of the Super Sessions for the conference profiled the WIB Benchmarking Project. Southwest Missouri was one of our leading edge WIBs in the Show-Me State selected for this research project, which is gaining national attention. WIB member Gary Little and WIB Executive Director Jasen Jones participated as panel speakers for the event.
The recent state workforce conference honored Individual Achievement Award nominees from each of Missouri’s fourteen workforce regions. The award recognizes a Missouri Career Center customer that successfully reaches employment and training goals while overcoming significant obstacles through extreme determination and use of the Center’s resources. The WIB’s One-Stop Workgroup nominated Peter Cowles of the youth program. Peter overcame underemployment, homelessness, and extreme family medical issues and now earns $12-$17/hour (based on output) at La-Z-Boy Manufacturing in Neosho. Peter noted, “They reached out their hands to me when I was in a desperate time of need. All I can say is thank you for all the people who believed in me.”
The recent state workforce conference honored Individual Achievement Award nominees from each of Missouri’s fourteen workforce regions. The award recognizes a Missouri Career Center customer that successfully reaches employment and training goals while overcoming significant obstacles through extreme determination and use of the Center’s resources. The WIB’s One-Stop Workgroup nominated Peter Cowles of the youth program. Peter overcame underemployment, homelessness, and extreme family medical issues and now earns $12-$17/hour (based on output) at La-Z-Boy Manufacturing in Neosho. Peter noted, “They reached out their hands to me when I was in a desperate time of need. All I can say is thank you for all the people who believed in me.”
