ANNOUNCING KICK-OFF FOR WISCONSIN SEASONAL WORKFORCE COALITION

PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Pat Delmenhorst, Director, Employment Services
Phone: 414-220-8636 ; pdelmenhorst@interfaithmilw.org

ANNOUNCING KICK-OFF FOR WISCONSIN SEASONAL WORKFORCE COALITION
Connecting employment opportunities across the seasons
Seasonal Work = Future Opportunities

July 6, 2009, Milwaukee – Local Employers and Community Based Organizations form coalition to connect jobs across the seasons – over 2,000 seasonal opportunities are available through the coalition’s efforts over the calendar year.

On Monday, July 13, United Way of Greater Milwaukee will present a $75,000 grant to Interfaith Older Adult Programs – Employment Services. Interfaith will partner with an identified group of hiring companies to develop a coalition of employers and community based organizations that will connect area job seekers to possible year around employment. The goal of the project is to provide seasonal employment opportunities as a way to develop workers for permanent positions as they gain new skills as well as offering a bridge to jobs for the unemployed. Seasonal employment has been identified as a way for individuals with barriers to learn on the job work ethics and gain transferable skills that can be used in numerous industries.

Activities for the grant include: employer sponsored training for call center/customer service and warehouse picking and packing; creation of a Wisconsin Seasonal Workforce Coalition; development of a Coalition Website that includes a “Calendar of Hiring;” job coaching at employers worksite by community based agencies; and coordination of transportation. Employer partners will assist in planning and sponsoring exit party/job fairs at the end of hiring seasons to introduce workers to the next seasonal employment opportunities. Jobing.com will provide a grant to develop a website for the Coalition that will list a calendar of seasonal hiring opportunities and highlight the participating partners. In addition, funding will be used to coordinate transportation to Waukesha and other locations not located on a bus line.

The following employers are partnering on the grant: BUYSEASONS, UPS, Marcus Corporation, Christopher Morgan, Jobing.com, and Design Specialists. Community Based Organizations that collaborated in the writing of the grant include: Interfaith Older Adult Programs - Employment Services, Center for Veteran’s Issues, Milwaukee God Squad, Policy Studies, Inc., Goodwill Industries, and Laos Family Center.

For more information contact Pat Delmenhorst (information above) and visit:
http://www.seasonalworkerswi.org

July 13 Press Conference Agenda:
8:30 a.m. Washington Park Senior Center; 4420 W. Vliet Street, Milwaukee
9:30 a.m. BUYSEASONS, INC.; 5915 S. Moorland Rd., New Berlin

7:45 a.m: Milwaukee God Squad Bus arrives to transport workers to BUYSEASONS
8:00 a.m: Job candidates arrive and don United Way T-shirts donated by UPS

Continental Breakfast provided

8:30 Press conference begins

• David Karst, Vice President Human Resources, BUYSEASONS
  - Introduction to the Wisconsin Seasonal Workforce Coalition
• United Way Delegate(s) presents check and make announcement of grant to
  Interfaith Older Adult Programs.
• Carol Eschner, Executive Director of Interfaith Older Adult Programs, and Chris
  Abbott, Interfaith Board President, accept the check and make brief comments.
• Jalem Getz, CEO BUYSEASONS and Mark Green, WI District HR Manager - UPS
  –Comment about the Wisconsin Seasonal Workforce Coalition
• Mayor Tom Barrett & County Executive Scott Walker (Invited for Comments)
  Milwaukee Workforce Investment Board Representative
  (Don Sykes Invited for comments)
• Seasonal Worker - Comments

9:00 a.m. Bus leaves for BUYSEASONS arriving at 5915 S. Moorland Road, New Berlin

Reception and follow-up press conference will be held for the new workers and
Waukesha County Representatives will receive the workers.

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