Job Connect
Job Connect gives your company access to more than 10,000 individuals in our Career Connect system, as well as job seekers from the region and state. Find the right candidate and build a strong workforce.
Contact: Bob Johnson at bob@westalabamaworks.com
Our Industry Clusters
West AlabamaWorks prides itself on being industry-driven and focused on employer needs. To stay in-the-know, we invite all West Alabama businesses to our quarterly cluster meetings. We currently support four clusters representing West Alabama's top sectors: automotive, construction, healthcare, and manufacturing. We plan to add a 5th cluster, professional services, this year. These meetings provide the perfect opportunity for collaboration between industry professionals and other players in the education-business workforce pipeline.
Our Automotive Cluster Meeting is ideal for automotive manufacturers, automotive suppliers, career technical educators, service providers, including our local community colleges. Hear updates about production schedules to better prepare your business and participate in industry-specific training opportunities. Connect with industry leaders to discuss current trends in the automotive landscape and how to maneuver common obstacles.
Industrial, commercial and residential construction companies, as well as relevant service providers, come together to develop workforce solutions at the Construction Cluster Meeting. Past items of note include improving plumbing curriculum for area high schools and developing strategies to recruit apprentices.
Ideal for healthcare practitioners, human resources professionals, health science educators and relevant service providers, the Healthcare Cluster Meeting offers innovative strategies for West Alabama’s healthcare industry. From developing workforce pipelines to assist with patient care assistant shortages to using grant funding to train new employees, this meeting provides answers for the industry.
Whether you are a plant manager, human resources professional, or a manufacturing instructor, the Manufacturing Cluster Meeting will help you connect the dots to solutions for your business, employers, and/or students. Past items of note include developing a manufacturing curriculum for area high schools and using federal funding to train new employees.
Applicable to a wide range of organizations which exist in many different industries, this cluster will focus on ways West AlabamaWorks can engage with professional services industry leaders to affect change to our workforce model. No matter your role, if you are involved in this sector, we would love to meet you. The success of our workforce model is based on cluster engagement and direction. Even though our model is industry driven, we still have a tremendous engagement with our education partners and service providers who are also engaged at all levels, so if you are an educator of professional services, we invite you to join the conversation as well.
Training Programs
Workforce Training
West AlabamaWorks offers a host of programs to employers designed to attract new talent and further develop an existing workforce. These programs range from specialized individual company training sessions, leadership training, and Ready To Work classes focused on providing essential skills like communication, business etiquette, and problem-solving to employees. Training can occur virtually, on-site at your company, or via one of our partner training centers. West AlabamaWorks fully commits to helping you, our business and industry partners, create and maintain innovative solutions to your workforce needs.
Ready to Work
The RTW program provides basic training in entry-level workplace skills. This "career readiness" program was created by AIDT and is operated through the Alabama Community College System. Soft skills, work ethic, and career preparedness are the main focus of the program.
AIDT
AIDT's objective is to provide quality workforce development for Alabama's new and expanding businesses, and to enrich the opportunities of Alabamians through the jobs these businesses create.
Alabama Technology Network
ATN's objective is to provide the most innovative technical assistance and training to continually improve existing Alabama businesses and industries.
Alabama Robotics Technology Park
The Alabama RTP is a collaboration between the State of Alabama, Alabama Community College System, AIDT, and robotics industry leaders across the nation which was formed to provide a technically trained, highly skilled and educated workforce for automation and robotics, to assist public and private entities in developing new robotics systems and technologies, and to promote the creation, growth, and expansion of companies through innovative technology solutions.
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services
Alabama's Department of Rehabilitation Services offers training programs related to disability issues in the workplace at no-cost to Alabama businesses and their staff. The training is provided by an experienced trainer from the state Vocational Rehabilitation Business Relations program, READI-NET, and comes with the necessary training materials to deliver results. Training sessions range from 30 minutes to 2 hours and includes customized staff training addressing diversity and inclusion, retaining valued workers whose jobs are affected by illness/injury/disability, or legislative/compliance issues.
Funding Programs
Whether your business is trying to train new employees, upskill current employees, or start a new training program from scratch, there are many funding opportunities available in West Alabama.
Existing Industry Training Program
The Existing Industry Training Program is used to train and provide skills upgrades to existing full-time, permanent employees. Get started by contacting the ATN, your local community college, or your West AlabamaWorks cluster manager.
Incumbent Worker Training Program
The Incumbent Worker Training Program is used to train and provide skills upgrades to existing full-time, permanent employees via the federally funded Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA). Get started by contacting the Workforce Development Division of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a Federal tax credit available to employers for hiring individuals from certain target groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment. WOTC joins other workforce programs that incentivize workplace diversity and facilitate access to good jobs for American workers. Get started by contacting Alabama's WOTC supervisor.
On the Job Training
On the Job Training provides reimbursement to employers for the costs associated with the hiring and training of WIOA eligible individuals. Get started by contacting your local career center and speaking with a business service representative.
Work Based Learning
Work Based Learning provides work experience and internships to WIOA eligible out-of-school youth and job seekers, ages 16-24, for a maximum of 390 hours. Get started by contacting your local career center and speaking with a business service representative.
Federal Bonding Program
The mission of the Federal Bonding Program is to give employers peace of mind by bonding job candidates considered to be high risk. There are no out-of-pocket expenses for the employer because FBP bonds are provided free of charge and carry a $0 deductible. Get started by contacting Alabama's FBP supervisor via FBP@alcc.alabama.gov.
Alabama Office of Apprenticeship
The Alabama Office of Apprenticeship assists with the expansion of registered and industry-recognized apprenticeships by helping employers develop and register customized apprenticeship programs to suit their training needs. Employers can earn a $1,250 tax credit per new apprentice for up to 10 apprentices annually. Get started by contacting AOA for more details.
USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Division provides financial and technical assistance to rural businesses by providing help with capital, equipment, space, job training, entrepreneurial skills training to start and/or grow a business, and renewable energy systems/energy efficiency improvements by working through partnerships with public and private community-based organizations and financial institutions. Get started by contacting Alabama's USDA Rural Business Services.
AWSP
The Alabama Workforce Stabilization Program is designed to help Alabama businesses avoid layoffs, upskill current employees, and develop talent pipelines.
Get started by contacting your West AlabamaWorks cluster manager.
