WORKFORCE West Virginia
Hopes to Build on Japanese Business Techniques
The highly skilled, award-winning workforce at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Buffalo serves as a model for companies worldwide.
WORKFORCE West Virginia has followed the lead of American industry in adopting processes pioneered by the Japanese. The agency has developed a model that reflects “listening to the business community” to develop programs and training designed to meet company needs. Our ultimate goal is to develop programs that incorporate techniques established by the Japanese such as total quality management and continuous improvement — a process called kaizen.
There is a lot we can learn from Japanese manufacturers here in West Virginia, and there are some things we can share with our global and local business partners through our extensive programs and partnerships.
WORKFORCE West Virginia oversees a number of federal and state programs that assist the workforce at every level from recruitment to expansion. Our assistance includes local “One Stop” service and training programs throughout the state, employment services and programs for dislocated workers, unemployment compensation and extensive research and data programs on the labor market. WORKFORCE West Virginia also oversees the state-funded Governor’s Guaranteed Work Force Program.
Since 1991, through programs such as the Governor’s Guaranteed Workforce Program, West Virginia has invested more than $48.7 million in training for 181,699 workers. In fiscal 2007, more than $1.9 million was spent on 7,520 trainees. This included training projects for 75 companies, 15 projects funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and nine projects continued from 2006.
The program is West Virginia’s industry-specific customized training program, providing quality workforce development for West Virginia’s new and existing industries and helping to expand opportunities available to our labor force through the jobs these industries create. The Governor’s Guaranteed Work Force Program is instrumental in attracting new enterprises to West Virginia and encourages the growth and expansion of the state’s existing companies. Administered by the Training Awards Unit of WORKFORCE West Virginia, the Governor’s Guaranteed Work Force Program recently included the following training and technical assistance:
- Triune Software in Sutton opened in August 2006. This dynamic small business provides information technology solutions to its clients and, through the Governor’s Guaranteed Work Force Program, key employees received training that will allow them to secure additional work and create more jobs at the West Virginia facility.
- Corhart Refractories in Buckhannon is an existing company that is the world’s leading manufacturer of specialty refractories for reinforcement and insulation fiberglass, specialty glass and container glass. The company used the services of the Governor’s Guaranteed Work Force Program to train 17 existing workers in an apprenticeship program to become tradespersons. “Training geared specifically for our organization provides employees with the know-how needed to provide quality services for the world-wide customer base of Corhart Refractories,” says Mike Pasternak, Corhart’s human resources manager.
- The Governor’s Guaranteed Work Force Program and the Appalachian Regional Commission assisted NGK Spark Plugs (USA) during its expansion over the last year.
WORKFORCE West Virginia provides services to companies as soon as they enter our state. Last June, the Japanese-based corporation Hino Motors Manufacturing USA announced it would be opening a new assembly plant in Williamstown. The WORKFORCE West Virginia Parkersburg Job Service immediately began accepting applications in coordination with partners such as the Region 4 Workforce Investment Board and its One Stop contractor. In just a few weeks, WORKFORCE West Virginia collected about 4,000 applications for the various positions Hino advertised and referred nearly 3,600 applicants to the company. Most of the applicants hired to date have been local residents. This is an example of how partner agencies within the WORKFORCE West Virginia system work together to make sure that all the needs of an employer are served.
Hino Motors is grateful for the Governor’s Guaranteed Work Force Program, as well as a number of other workforce development programs offered through the state of West Virginia, says Joe Chronley, general manager of Hino’s West Virginia plant.
“Our team members are our most valued resource, and these programs complement Hino's deep and steadfast commitment to worker training.
“Our salaried team members have become more capable and more efficient because of the customized time management, leadership and communication courses, as well and other computer applications training that they have received,” he says. “Our hourly team members have become more skilled and more productive in their jobs due to the teamwork and problem-solving courses as well as the technical training in PLC (Program Logic Controller), welding and paint that we were able to provide.”
The Business Services Teams at WORKFORCE West Virginia recognize that businesses exist to get the highest return on their investment. Our job is to build a labor pool that is assessed, trained and educated to provide the employer with the highest quality employees. A few of the value-added services that we provide include recruiting, screening, measuring the economic impact of the workforce system efforts, lowering HR costs while easing the company’s workload and preparing job seekers with upgraded skills.
Every state is competing for international business dollars, and they support any combination of best practices and/or policies that will attract those businesses to expand to their state. We know that business, government and education must all work together to create a dynamic and successful workforce, and our partners agree.
“The Hino Motors plant in West Virginia is confident that by building a partnership with WORKFORCE West Virginia, we will strengthen our ability to efficiently and consistently produce world class trucks for our current and future customers,” Chronley says.
We invite businesses to partner with WORKFORCE West Virginia as we develop a comprehensive system to provide companies with skilled workers. Together, we can build a pathway with adaptive technology and training to improve our workforce now and for future generations.
Ron Radcliff has been Executive Director of WORKFORCE West Virginia since 2005. A native of Marion County, Radcliff has a B.A. in economics and an M.B.A. from West Virginia University. Throughout his career, Radcliff has brought knowledge and experience to jobs ranging from his work for the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., to consulting with local governments and small businesses.
