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Fresno WIB releases 2007 employment study
After four months of comprehensive surveying of small, medium and large employers in Fresno County, the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board (FCWIB) has released its 2007 Fresno County Employment Study.
The study focuses on both current and future employer needs in Fresno County to determine year-to-year employment trends. Seventy-five percent of employers interviewed in the previous 2006 Employment Study were again surveyed for the 2007 study. More than 1,000 Fresno County employers participated in the survey which shows approximately 2,461 currently vacant positions in high-wage, high-growth jobs.
In terms of data collection, the total number of occupations and industries differed from 2006 to 2007. In 2006, data was collected for 346 different occupations across six industries compared to 2007 in which data was collected for 193 different occupations across seven industries. For this two-year period, the analysis indicates there were significant local changes resulting from both the agricultural freeze and the decline in new housing construction. As a result, the industries of agriculture, manufacturing and food processing were adversely impacted.
WIB Director Blake Konczal said, “This data is critical in allowing both the private and public sectors to make informed decisions on hard facts. Our report will assist business, education and government in staffing strategies, educational curricula, and workforce update policy. Individual citizens also will be greatly assisted in making informed career choices.”
The report can be accessed on the FCWIB’s Web site at www.workforce-connection.com or by calling 559.499.3709 to request a copy.
RJI still accepting applications for Costco symposium
The Regional Jobs Initiative’s Food Processing cluster is still accepting applications from San Joaquin Valley food processing companies to attend the first Costco Food Symposium in Clovis on March 12. The symposium will be held at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, 453 Hughes Ave., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The symposium will be an opportunity for 35 to 40 local food producers to meet with buying teams from Costco to:
- Exchange ideas and gain insights from a world-leading grocery retailer.
- Showcase their products.
- Network with other food processing professionals.
- Connect with Costco to expand product market
Applications will be available from the Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) at California State University, Fresno, or at www.fresnorji.org. There is no application fee; but there will be an event fee of $125 for companies selected to participate.
For more information, contact OCED at 559.294.6021.
RJI, partners addressing barriers to
private investment in inner-city neighborhoods
RJI, the City of Fresno’s Economic Development Department, and Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development (FWCED) are continuing to move forward and make steady progress on the Social Compact Neighborhood DrillDown and Asset Mapping Project.
The Neighborhood Market DrillDown, an assets-based micro-market analysis, will address some of the key barriers to private investment in and around inner-city neighborhoods. The DrillDown uses numerous sources of market data to identify the fundamental business attributes and market characteristics of urban communities, capturing density, hidden populations, cash economies and micro-market development patterns that are not captured by traditional market analyses.
Once the project is complete, the City will have the tools necessary to stimulate private investment throughout its most impoverished neighborhoods and also will have an asset map of the 93706 zip code area that will serve as a template to be able to perform the same analysis in the rest of the City.
For more information about the project, please e-mail Economic.Development@Fresno.gov.
Employment Training Panel funding orientation set for Fresno
The Employment Training Panel (ETP), a state agency that provides funding to California businesses for customized job training, will conduct a free orientation in Fresno on Thursday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to noon. The orientation will be held at the Fresno Convention Center, New Exhibit Hall, 848 M. St.
Human resource managers, company executives and training managers can become familiar with the program’s eligibility, contracting and administrative requirements, as well as the amount of training dollars available and how to obtain the funding. An orientation is required to apply for ETP funds.
The agency recently raised its reimbursement rates and is now providing more money for training to priority industries such as manufacturing, high technology, construction, logistics/goods movement, biotechnology, and crop production. ETP also has a new Small Business Program that affords access to very small companies, including those wishing to train just a few people.
Because of the high unemployment rate in Fresno County, almost any company or industry is eligible for ETP funding.
ETP has provided more than $1 billion in training funds since its inception, with more than 650,000 California workers trained and 60,000 businesses served.
Reservations are required. RSVP to Peggy Chiok of the City of Fresno Economic Development Department at Peggy.Chiok@fresno.gov by Feb. 22.
Careers in Manufacturing Technology seeks internship worksites
The Careers in Manufacturing Technology internship program is currently seeking internship worksites for summer 2008.
Students are seeking internships in the following options:
- Automation control technician
- CADD operator
- CAM operator
- CNC machinist
- Communications technology
- Control and instrument technician
- Digital air conditioning
- Electrical systems technology
- Maintenance mechanic
- Welding
The summer 2008 internships can start as early as May 19. Internship descriptions/job applications will be due to the CIMT Internship coordinator by Friday, March 7.
To post Internship positions, go to www.cimtinternships.org. If you have any questions or need more information, please e-mail Internship Coordinator Laura Ramos at lramos@csufresno.edu or call 559.278.2066.
CIMT schedules career expo, international reception
The Careers in Manufacturing Technology internship program still has room for employers interested in participating in the CIMT Career Expo at Fresno City College on Thursday, March 13, from 8 a.m. to noon.
Approximately 90 students from the Applied Technology Divisions at Fresno City College and Reedley College are expected to attend the event. For more information, visit www.cimtinternships.org or contact Laura Ramos at lramos@csufresno.edu or call 559.278.2066.
CIMT also will sponsor an International BBQ & Wine reception to welcome and network with foreign buyers and government officials visiting Fresno on Monday, Feb. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Claude Laval WET Incubator at the corner of Barstow and Chestnut in Fresno.
The event is sponsored by the Claude Laval WET Incubator, International Center for Water Technology, and the San Joaquin Valley International Trade Association. Please respond online at www.sjvita.org by Feb. 8. For more information, contact the San Joaquin Valley International Trade Association at 559.324.6401.
CVBI to host February business fundamentals seminars
Seminars about powerful presentations skills and business ethics will lead off the Central Valley Business Incubator’s 2008 Business Fundamentals Seminar Series.
The series, two seminars per month, features topics that are useful for entrepreneurs and business owners at any stage. The sessions allow for participants to “brush up” on – or learn – business fundamentals in one session.
In February, “Powerful Presentation Skills,” the first of the month’s two seminars, will be presented by Betsy A. Hays, APR, on Feb. 6 at 5:30 p.m. The second, “Business Ethics – Standard Operating Procedures for Success,” will be presented by Travis Sheridan, CVBI member services director, on Feb. 15 at 9 a.m. Cost is $35 for members and $50 for nonmembers.
All seminars take place at CVBI’s Launching Pad at 1630 E. Shaw Ave. Suite 163 (northeast of the Old Spaghetti Factory).
For more information or to register for a seminar, go online to www.store.cvbi.org or contact Lori at lori@cvbi.org or 559.292.9033.
Lyles Center update on $250,000 Business Plan Competition
The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno (ranked 8th in the nation by Entrepreneur Magazine), is moving forward with plans for the $250,000 Entrepreneur USA Business Plan Competition. The Center has recently partnered with the Astone Agency to assist in advertising efforts.
The Competition provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs across the country to submit a business plan for the launch of a business in the City of Fresno. These enterprising entrepreneurs will visit a Web site, gather information on opportunities in the region, craft a business plan, and submit an application online for evaluation.
The top 10 business plan finalists will be flown to Fresno for their presentations in fall 2008. The winner will receive $100,000 cash and $150,000 of in-kind services provided they start and grow the business in Fresno. A field of judges will be selected to interview the 10 finalists and scrutinize their business plans. Entrepreneurs will soon be able to obtain information about the contest through advertisements with media partners and via the Web site.
Levels of sponsorship for interested organizations that would like to contribute to Fresno’s economic growth through the competition may be reviewed at www.lylescenter.com. For further information on how an organization can become involved, contact Christine Cerda at the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at 559.285.1999.
TreeTOPS project receives state grant
CAL FIRE has awarded a $50,000 grant to TreeTOPS to help fund an initial study of conservation land/open space preservation for the four-county (Fresno, Kings, Madera, Tulare) region. The grant was submitted to CAL FIRE by the San Joaquin River Parkways and Conservation Trust on behalf of TreeTOPS.
TreeTOPS will pursue additional funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to help update the Tree Fresno Web site, develop an urban forestry education program, plan a regional trails system and expand the urban forest.
TreeTOPS is a regional initiative created by the RJI and Tree Fresno to promote trees, trails and open space. For more information about the activities of TreeTOPs, contact Lee Ayres at LSAyres@aol.com.
Fresno Unified superintendent to report on State of Education
Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson will report on the successes and future challenges of California’s fourth-largest school district at a State of Education luncheon sponsored by the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, March 12. The event will be held at TorNino’s Banquets, 5080 N. Blackstone Ave., from noon to 2 p.m.
For more information, contact the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce at 559.495.4811.
Center for Construction Excellence featured in
Fresno State ad campaign
The Center for Construction Excellence, a project of the RJI’s Construction Industry Partnership and the College of Engineering at California State University, Fresno, is featured in print and radio advertisements as part of the university’s marketing campaign. The print ad ran in the Feb. 4 edition of the Fresno Bee while the radio spots are running on local stations in February.
In the ads, Dr. Suzanne Kehde, a lecturer in the College of Engineering, says that in the next decade, 85 percent of California’s growth will happen in the San Joaquin Valley. That makes Fresno State’s Center for Construction Excellence a vital resource.
Dr. Kehde trains students to join management staff on a number of important building projects in the San Joaquin Valley and the state, including hospitals, schools, and rapid transit and water treatment facilities. Ninety-five percent of construction management students are offered jobs before graduating, Dr. Kehde adds.
The Center is a place where students and construction businesses can learn about cutting-edge construction processes and industry best practices, a critical component in helping local construction companies grow and obtain a workforce available to support that growth.
The Center was identified by industry leaders as a priority project in RJI’s implementation plan. For more information, visit www.csufresno.edu/engineering.
FCASH general meeting to feature presentation
by James Irving Foundation
The general meeting of Fresno Coalition for Arts, Science & History will feature a presentation by John McGuirk, program director for the James Irvine Foundation, on resources for artists and arts organizations. The presentation will include an overview of the foundation's grants programs and the California Cultural Data Project.
The meeting will be held at Arte Americas, 1630 Van Ness, on Feb. 12 from 8 to 10 a.m.
In other FCASH news, the Coalition anticipates that a Cultural Arts Economic Impact study will be compiled in time for the 2008 Cultural Arts conference in the fall. Funded through support of the City of Fresno, the Indian Gaming Committee/Fresno County and the City of Clovis, the study includes audience and organizational surveys. More than 600 audience surveys have been taken at events.
FCASH also reported that the Fresno Philharmonic has received a $1 million gift from Peter and Angela Dal Pezzo.
For more information on FCASH activities, visit www.fcash.org.
Free Incentive Zone workshops set
The City of Fresno Economic Development Department is offering an opportunity to learn about the incentive zones available within the City of Fresno through a series of free workshops. Anyone interested in participating should pre-register by calling (559) 621-8361 or Economic.Development@fresno.gov. Please provide your name, contact information and the date of the workshop you plan to attend.
The workshop schedule is:
Enterprise, Empowerment, and Municipal Restoration Zones
Thursday, February 28
8 to 9:30 a.m.
Fresno Chamber of Commerce
2331 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
Registration deadline: Feb. 27
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Fig Garden Regional Library
3071 W. Bullard Avenue
Fresno, CA 93711
Registration deadline: March 17
For more information or to check to see if your business is located in one of the five Incentive Zones available in City of Fresno, please visit www.fresnoez.com and select Incentive Zones and Tax Credits from the navigation bar.
City of Clovis, CVBI to screen Valley premiere of
'The Call of the Entrepreneur'
The City of Clovis in cooperation with the Central Valley Business Incubator (CVBI) will host the Central Valley premiere of the film, “The Call of the Entrepreneur,” on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. in the “new” Clovis Memorial District Auditorium, 453 Hughes Avenue, Clovis (southeast corner of Hughes and 4th Street). The film and program to follow are free to the first 300 guests.
The film tells the stories of three entrepreneurs: - Brad Morgan – Learn how Brad Morgan turned a failing dairy farm into a thriving business. Morgan overcame the odds against him, creating value and wealth from the dirt under his feet.
- Frank Hanna – Merchant banker Frank Hanna explains how financial engineering not only makes credit more widely available to entrepreneurs today but also how it played a crucial role in the discovery of America.
- Jimmy Lai – Fleeing Communist China and leaving his family behind at a young age, Jimmy Lai took a chance on a better life in Hong Kong. Lai explains that entrepreneurs, when taking risks, are "dashing into hope."
After the film, discussion will continue on entrepreneurship, as highlighted in the film, and identify tools available locally for entrepreneurs with input from Ladonna Snow, entrepreneur and owner of Snowflake Design; Case Lawrence, an owner of CargoBay; Craig Scharton, CEO of CVBI; and Dr. Tim Stearns, director of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The film and program will be exciting and encouraging to anyone considering starting a business or just interested in the idea of entrepreneurship.
A trailer of the film is available at www.calloftheentrepreneur.com.
FYI continues to rank among top airport performers
Fresno Yosemite International Airport’s on-time departure performance continues to rank among the top percentage of U.S. airports.
According to the Department of Transportation Air Travel Report for November, FYI experienced an 86.6 percent on-time departure rate for domestic flights, ranking FYI 13 of 100 top U.S. airports for on-time performance. FYI ranked 15 in the October report.
Additionally, the report lists FYI on-time arrivals at 81.8 percent, positioning the airport in the top 35 for on-time arrivals. The November report is based on data collected by the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
While weather is a driving factor for delays, recent weather conditions have had minimal impact on FYI’s operations. In the event of extreme weather conditions, FYI is one of the few California airports with a Category III(b) Instrument Landing System, which provides aircraft with the ability to land in conditions of reduced visibility.
Nine carriers currently offer Valley passengers 50 daily domestic and international departures from Fresno. For more information, visit www.flyfresno.com.
Fresno Economic Development Department makes its move
The City of Fresno Economic Development was recently moved to its new location on the second floor of City Hall. The move provides offices and cubicles for all Economic Development Staff in one area. The new address is City of Fresno, Economic Development Department, 2600 Fresno Street, Room 2156-02, Fresno, CA 93721-3620.
For more information about the Economic Development Department, please visit www.fresnoez.com, e-mail Economic.Development@fresno.gov or call 559.621.8350.
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