NOVA Workforce Board hosts open house for elected officials

NOVA Workforce Board was proud to host an open house for elected officials on Thursday, July 8, 2010.

In attendance were California State Assembly members Paul Fong and Ira Ruskin, as well as Sunnyvale Mayor Melinda Hamilton, Cupertino Mayor Kris Wang, and staff from the offices of other elected officials.

Attendees met with members of the NOVA Workforce Board at the CONNECT! Job Seeker Center to showcase innovative efforts to help local workers and businesses position themselves for the skilled jobs and industries of the future.

Click here to watch videos that were shown at the event or click the YouTube logo above to link directly to NOVA's YouTube channel.

NOVA Receives $4 million competitive grant

Green technologies initiatives from the State of California

The California Labor & Workforce Development agency announced June 29 that NOVA and its partners will receive $4 million from the statewide Green Innovation Challenge Grants.

The project proposed by NOVA targets renewable energy generation, partnering with SolarTech and focusing on workforce development in this cutting-edge field.

NOVA was one of only six recipients of this innovation grant and was tied with San Diego's Biofuels Initiatve for the largest award.

For more information on this grant and to download the State's press release, visit www.labor.ca.gov and click the "Green Challenge Innovation Grants" link.

Click here to download NOVA's press release on the announcement (PDF: 98KB)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009.  This economic stimulus package totals nearly $790 billion in funding and is intended to provide the foundation and springboard for Silicon Valley’s recovery and our country’s prosperity. 

Of the $2.9 billion being distributed by the U.S. Department of Labor through ARRA, NOVA has received $2.9 million, as well as an additional $1.8 million of "Rapid Response" monies to provide immediate assistance to companies facing layoffs within NOVA’s seven-city region.

Much of this funding has and will continue to supplement NOVA’s existing training resources, while more than $1 million has been used to expand NOVA’s successful summer youth employment program, providing 200 youth from throughout northern Santa Clara County with work-readiness training, work experience, and additional services.

For more information about the Recovery Act, please visit the federal site at www.recovery.gov and California’s website at www.recovery.ca.gov.

Attend a free event to find out about job-search resources available to you through federally funded career centers located throughout Santa Clara County.

NOVA's CONNECT! Job Seeker Center is a one-stop resource center for individuals hoping to improve skills, seeking jobs, or switching careers. Free enrollment includes career advising and résumé critique. The Center also provides more than 20 workshops, ranging from career assessment and networking strategies to interviewing and negotiating the job offer.

Special tips will be shared at this presentation on how to expand your network and conduct informational interviews.

Please plan to attend one of these 90-minute sessions:

• Sunnyvale Library: September 22, 7:00 p.m.
• Santa Clara Library: October 5, 6:30 p.m.
• Santa Clara Library: October 23, 1:00 p.m.
• Milpitas Library: November 3, 7:00 p.m.

The organization, staff, and board members of NOVA are often quoted in the press.

Click here for a list of articles in which NOVA staff or board members are quoted or in which NOVA or the CONNECT! Job Seeker Center are referenced.

Recent articles include:

• NOVA receives $4 million statewide grant to train in renewable energy.
• NOVA provides services to a single mother in her struggle to find work.
• Group of Silicon Valley jobseekers create online job-search community.

NOVA Workforce Board meets bi-monthly. For the agenda and supporting documentation for recent meetings, click the link below:

Workforce Board meetings — 2010:

Workforce Board packet includes the minutes from the previous meeting.

For more information about the workforce board, click here.

The CONNECT! Center is adding new workshops to its already extensive array of job search classes:

• Using LinkedIn (2-part series): Learn how to create, manage, and use your LinkedIn profile to search for jobs, research companies, and network with others.
• Job Search Tips for the Mature Worker: Learn to identify age-friendly employers, and neutralize age-related concerns in your rèsumè and interview.

For more information about these workshops, click here.

There are a diversity of job search workshops, classes, and events happening each month. Check them out!

• CONNECT! Job Seeker Center Calendar
  Schedule of free workshops that are available on a first-come basis. There are a full range of topics such as career exploration, job search strategies, resumes, interviewing and more.
  
  
• ProMatch Calendar
  Professional networking and job search workshops available to ProMatch members.