Genevieve Brown, center, who was laid off after working seven years at Medtronic, waits in the hallway between classes at Empire College in Santa Rosa. She is taking courses with the help of the company's retraining program for a new career as a medical assistant. (Photo by MARK ARONOFF / The Press Democrat)When layoffs hit, Job Link offers workers way to broaden skills, appeal
Sunday, August 17, 2008
By STEVE HART
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT (USA)
Genevieve Brown thought she'd found her dream job when she was hired at Medtronic in Santa Rosa eight years ago.
Brown, who immigrated to the United States from her native Cambodia at age 13, had held low-paying retail jobs and even done embroidery to help support her family.
Now, she was working for the world's largest medical device company, making advanced technology for treating vascular disease.
Brown assembled coronary stents, tiny implants that keep blood flowing in heart patients' arteries. She also worked in quality control, packaging and labeling. Soon she was training other Medtronic employees.
"I liked learning different things," she said. "I liked moving around."
But her job ended last year when the biotech giant shifted much of its Sonoma County manufacturing to Galway, Ireland. More than 100 workers were laid off.
Today, Brown, 37, is preparing for a new career as a clinical medical assistant. She's part of a government-funded retraining program for Medtronic's displaced Santa Rosa workers.
"These are skilled workers, but their skills were specifically designed for their jobs at Medtronic," said Patrick Henning, director of the state Employment Development Department. "They need additional training to help them find new jobs with comparable wages."
The demand for retraining has soared with job losses because of the faltering economy, said Karen Fies, who oversees Sonoma County's employment and training programs.
More than 1,100 new clients contacted the county's Job Link service in July, compared with an average of 204 during a typical month last year, she said.
"We've seen a huge increase in the number of people seeking help," Fies said.
In response, Job Link is offering additional job-search workshops and one-on-one counseling.
The retraining for former Medtronic workers is backed by a $205,000 state grant to Job Link. Many of the workers aren't fluent in English, so the program offers classes in English as a second language.
There also are GED classes for workers who haven't received high school diplomas.
Participants attend workshops on job search skills, resume-writing and interview tips. Clients then meet with a counselor to discuss their interests and abilities and adopt a training plan.
So far, 22 former Medtronic workers have received training, while six others have signed up.
Genevieve Brown is enrolled in the medical assistant program at Empire College in Santa Rosa, one of Job Link's partners. She chose medical assisting because it will keep her in the health care field.
"I want to help people," she said. "And I want to get good pay and benefits for my family."
Jesse Villarreal, another ex-Medtronic manufacturing employee, is taking accounting classes at Empire College through Job Link.
Villarreal, 59, worked at Medtronic in Santa Rosa for eight years before the 2007 layoff. Job Link helped him find a new career, he said.
"I really wanted to look at all my options before I jumped into something," Villarreal said. "I like working with my hands, but I'm getting too old for that."
Villarreal had lots of job experience, but not enough education, he said. The accounting program will give him a professional degree in a field where there are lots of jobs, he said.
Brown and Villarreal are collecting unemployment benefits while they train for their new careers.
Not all former Medtronic workers received training, according to Job Link coordinator Kathy Young. Some just received counseling or help with job searches. Others left the area or found new jobs on their own.
Earlier this year, 47 of the workers returned to Medtronic as temporary employees. About 1,200 people work for Medtronic in Santa Rosa, the headquarters for its global vascular business.
Nearly 80 percent of all laid-off workers who used Job Link over the past year have found employment, according to the program. Of those, 94 percent were still employed after six months.
The health care, business services and hospitality sectors still offer good prospects for job seekers, Fies said.
Laid-off workers who are serious about finding new jobs shouldn't delay contacting Job Link, she said.
"We recommend people come in while they still have unemployment (benefits)," Fies said.
You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@pressdemocrat.com.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
By STEVE HART
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT (USA)
Genevieve Brown thought she'd found her dream job when she was hired at Medtronic in Santa Rosa eight years ago.
Brown, who immigrated to the United States from her native Cambodia at age 13, had held low-paying retail jobs and even done embroidery to help support her family.
Now, she was working for the world's largest medical device company, making advanced technology for treating vascular disease.
Brown assembled coronary stents, tiny implants that keep blood flowing in heart patients' arteries. She also worked in quality control, packaging and labeling. Soon she was training other Medtronic employees.
"I liked learning different things," she said. "I liked moving around."
But her job ended last year when the biotech giant shifted much of its Sonoma County manufacturing to Galway, Ireland. More than 100 workers were laid off.
Today, Brown, 37, is preparing for a new career as a clinical medical assistant. She's part of a government-funded retraining program for Medtronic's displaced Santa Rosa workers.
"These are skilled workers, but their skills were specifically designed for their jobs at Medtronic," said Patrick Henning, director of the state Employment Development Department. "They need additional training to help them find new jobs with comparable wages."
The demand for retraining has soared with job losses because of the faltering economy, said Karen Fies, who oversees Sonoma County's employment and training programs.
More than 1,100 new clients contacted the county's Job Link service in July, compared with an average of 204 during a typical month last year, she said.
"We've seen a huge increase in the number of people seeking help," Fies said.
In response, Job Link is offering additional job-search workshops and one-on-one counseling.
The retraining for former Medtronic workers is backed by a $205,000 state grant to Job Link. Many of the workers aren't fluent in English, so the program offers classes in English as a second language.
There also are GED classes for workers who haven't received high school diplomas.
Participants attend workshops on job search skills, resume-writing and interview tips. Clients then meet with a counselor to discuss their interests and abilities and adopt a training plan.
So far, 22 former Medtronic workers have received training, while six others have signed up.
Genevieve Brown is enrolled in the medical assistant program at Empire College in Santa Rosa, one of Job Link's partners. She chose medical assisting because it will keep her in the health care field.
"I want to help people," she said. "And I want to get good pay and benefits for my family."
Jesse Villarreal, another ex-Medtronic manufacturing employee, is taking accounting classes at Empire College through Job Link.
Villarreal, 59, worked at Medtronic in Santa Rosa for eight years before the 2007 layoff. Job Link helped him find a new career, he said.
"I really wanted to look at all my options before I jumped into something," Villarreal said. "I like working with my hands, but I'm getting too old for that."
Villarreal had lots of job experience, but not enough education, he said. The accounting program will give him a professional degree in a field where there are lots of jobs, he said.
Brown and Villarreal are collecting unemployment benefits while they train for their new careers.
Not all former Medtronic workers received training, according to Job Link coordinator Kathy Young. Some just received counseling or help with job searches. Others left the area or found new jobs on their own.
Earlier this year, 47 of the workers returned to Medtronic as temporary employees. About 1,200 people work for Medtronic in Santa Rosa, the headquarters for its global vascular business.
Nearly 80 percent of all laid-off workers who used Job Link over the past year have found employment, according to the program. Of those, 94 percent were still employed after six months.
The health care, business services and hospitality sectors still offer good prospects for job seekers, Fies said.
Laid-off workers who are serious about finding new jobs shouldn't delay contacting Job Link, she said.
"We recommend people come in while they still have unemployment (benefits)," Fies said.
You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@pressdemocrat.com.
1 comment:
This Cambodian girl's name is not Cambodia name, but totally American name. Why does she have that name? The solution is first she became a US citizen by changing her first name, then she got to marry with American guy to get her last name as Brown. Otherwise, it won't be happened. Nowaday Cambodian ladies love to marry American or westerner due to Asian sausages are too little to compare with American hot dogs. Plus hot dog is delicious than sausage.
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