by Doria Maselli
Right now, the demand for employment support services is increasing dramatically – with many people losing their jobs, while at the same time other industries needing to ramp up their staff to meet demand. In light of this, there is a profound need to rethink and retool how economic and employment support is provided to local communities while, at the same time, considering public health.
I spoke with Cheryl Fambles, CEO of Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council (PacMtn) and Megan Fiess, Project Manager in Workforce Development at The Thurston County Chamber to learn more about the collaborative efforts of assessing and adapting to the needs of the local workforce in response to COVID-19.
PacMtn is the recognized convener of the region’s workforce development efforts, providing workforce solutions in Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston Counties. Business Services, a program of the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council and administered by the Thurston County Chamber, is a complimentary resource for businesses in our community in all stages of the workforce development process.
“We are currently pivoting our delivery model in order to provide rapid response to our business community. Our role as a workforce intermediary is to be a liaison between business, workforce, economic development and education. We convene and lead associations and organizations in order to provide a robust menu of services and referrals to our local businesses. We work with our partners to meet our businesses and customers where they are; we’re aiming to provide support and innovative solutions that will reduce long-term economic injury,” says Fiess.
Some of the items Fiess and the workforce team at the Chamber are addressing include: providing a connection between local resource hubs to the PacMtn regional resource hub, providing technical assistance to regional partners – especially smaller organizations – gathering and analyzing business needs to both streamline and innovate necessary services and providing business services and staffing support for industries currently expanding due to demand.
Fambles, who represents workforce issues on the Governor’s Poverty Reduction and Military Transition Council and previously held executive and senior positions in the Washington Workforce Association, speaks to PacMtn’s role in the response. “PacMtn is about helping the region’s residents get to self-sufficiency. Typically that means career preparations, training and jobs. All the work is about helping people transition. The COVID-19 virus has created massive displacements and people’s access to jobs is now very limited. Training and service delivery in a virtual world is challenging, and the stress levels are driven by very basic needs for food, housing and medical care. This is an unprecedented time, but PacMtn has been here before,” says Fambles.
Fambles remembers the massive shutdown in the timber and forest products industry from which the five-county region and many industries are still not fully recovered. “I also think when the military changed strategy and downsized thousands of personnel into the local economy, PacMtn was able to respond with Camo2Commerce, serving hundreds of former service members with access to job training and hope for the future.”
“This is an all hands on deck moment. Territoriality and hoarding goods or information is never helpful. In times of crisis it is detrimental. Most of this region’s key organizational entities are very experienced at working in collaboration and in partnership. The Chamber is an established focal point for workforce business solutions across the region and this is a moment in time when we can rely on their leadership and expertise,” says Fambles.
“Every crisis has multiple silver linings. Keep looking for them in your business and your lives. I am pushing our government and community-based systems to deal with the most important things first—getting money flowing, and as soon as it is safe, sending people back to work. That will be important for the pocketbook and will absolutely help with the psychological trauma of this crisis,” she continues.
Both Fambles and Fiess have been impressed with the response and resiliency shown so far in the community. “Dozens of staff are working long hours in remote locations designing ways people can get the information they need – online applications, virtual workshops – and directing people to other essential resources. AmeriCorps members are spending all day over the phone or on-line greeting customers and providing information and connecting them with resources. And restaurant food pick-up and delivery has been so valuable at the end of a long day, and it’s also helping local businesses keep their doors open,” says Fambles.
“I’ve been so impressed with the rapid response of local employers and other organizations and associations who came together immediately to pool ideas and resources,” says Fiess.
“Not only is everyone working together to maintain Main Street, we’re also continuing to build it.”
For Washington State COVID-19 response information visit: coronavirus.wa.gov
For Thurston County Chamber’s Impact Resource Guide visit: http://thurstonchamber.com/advocacy/business-continuity-resources-covid-19
For PacMtn resources and information visit: pacmtn.org
