Albany, NY (September 16, 2010) -
State Labor Commissioner Colleen C. Gardner today responded to the August unemployment report released today by highlighting some of the available programs for businesses and the unemployed.
"I know that now more than ever, in this tough economy, New York's job seekers and employers need strong tools to help put people back to work," said Commissioner Gardner.
"To the unemployed: Come back to your nearest One-Stop center for resume help, training information and job matching. To businesses: Let us help you train your current workforce, hire your new workforce, and, in the process, save you thousands of tax dollars. I'm not talking about gimmicks here; I'm talking about money and jobs. Now is the time to take advantage of these programs."
For businesses, she touted the Department's $2.8 million On-the-Job Training program, funding for businesses to train their existing workforce through local workforce investment boards, and the federal HIRE Act tax cut.
For the unemployed, she plugged electronic job matching, resume assistance and local training assistance. Commissioner Gardner also highlighted employers in various regions that are hiring dozens of new employees right now.
More than 725 companies in Western NY are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 400 Capital Region companies are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 600 Southern Tier companies are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 600 Hudson Valley companies are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 250 Mohawk Valley companies are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 250 companies from Central New York are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 600 Finger Lakes companies are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 500 Long Island companies are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
More than 1,100 companies from New York City are listed in the New York State Job Bank:
For more information on job openings in your region, visit www.laborny.jobs.
Good afternoon.
It's Thursday, September 16 and New York State's unemployment numbers for August 2010 came out today.
We had a slight uptick in the state's unemployment rate - from 8.2 to 8.3 percent.
Stagnant.
Flat.
Sluggish.
Those are the words you'll see in print tomorrow.
Frankly, I agree with them.
Now more than ever, in this tough economy, New York's job seekers and employers need strong and effective reemployment services that provide free tools to help New Yorkers get back to work.
So while our economic recovery has been slow, the Labor Department has stepped up efforts to improve our services to connect workers with employers.
First, we're asking jobseekers to come back to one of our 81 One-Stop Career Centers to make sure their resumes stand out.
And once that resume is in tip top shape, let's put it in our SMART 2010 electronic job matching software.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I heard a story about a woman in the Mohawk Valley who had been out of the labor force for 12 years.
She came to us and used SMART 2010.
Two weeks later, she got a job at a higher pay grade than the one she applied for.
Now if you're unemployed, but think your resume is missing something to get you that next job, you may be able to tap into training dollars available through our local workforce investment boards.
Want a job in health care? Hospitals like Crouse Hospital in Syracuse is posting dozens of new jobs with us right now.
Come see us.
Want certification for a new career in advanced manufacturing at a company like GLOBALFOUNDRIES in Saratoga County?
Come see us.
Our employment counselors are standing by ready to help job seekers.
Or are you an employer that's leery about hiring?
Honestly, I can see your hesitation.
But you should know that there are real incentives with real value to them that you can tap into today.
You can get money to upgrade the skills of your existing workforce with help from 33 Workforce Investment Boards across the state.
We also have $2.8 million in On-the-Job Training monies to offset the costs of training new hires, with millions more coming our way.
You can save thousands of dollars through the federal HIRE Act for hiring workers who have been unemployed for 60 days or more.
Hundreds of companies across the state are hiring right now because of these incentives, but there are many more out there that don't know this funding exists.
We want to change this.
Our business services staff is standing by ready to help employers.
Want to know more?
Our expert staff will come down to your company and explain these services to you.
We'll promote these jobs to your region - live and in person - and work with our partners in your region to fill every job vacancy with skilled and ready to work New Yorkers.
Regardless of the perception out there, there are jobs waiting to be filled- nearly 100,000 in the New York State job bank at last count.
Employers like Albany Medical Center, Corning and Endicott Interconnect Technologies are all hiring right now.
And regardless of the perception out there, government is standing by ready to help.
We're on the same team and we're in this together.
To the unemployed, come back to your nearest One-Stop center for resume help, training information and job matching.
To businesses, let us help you train your current workforce, hire your new workforce, and, in the process, save you thousands of tax dollars.
Contact us. Contact me at Commissioner@labor.ny.gov and tell me how we can help.
We are standing by, waiting to help you right now.
And we will do everything we can to get this economy moving again.
Thank you.
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