By Wyoming Department of Workforce Services
RIVERTON – Today’s ground breaking of the Wind River Job Corps Center signals another step forward in ensuring Wyoming’s employers have access to a highly-skilled workforce ready to get to work.
Employers will work closely with the Wind River Job Corps Center to develop programs they need to fill positions within their companies. In addition to life skill education, job training will be offered to students in areas of energy production, CDL driving, heavy equipment mechanics, welding and other careers.
Years of work by federal, state and local leaders resulted in today’s ground breaking. Sandy Barton of Fremont County Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) was a key individual in the effort to bring the Job Corps Center to Wyoming.
“Today is a significant day for Wyoming’s communities and for the many individuals that will benefit directly from the range of opportunities that the Wind River Job Corps Center will bring,” said Barton. “Job Corps all over the country see the potential in those who may have yet to recognize it within themselves. To many, the Wind River Job Corps Center will result in self sufficiency, career readiness and skill development- all elements of bright futures.”
The Wind River Job Corps Center will play an important role in helping students to successfully make the transition into the workforce resulting in self-sufficiency.
“This new facility will engage Wyoming’s young people and help foster their talents – here at home. At the same time, the skills developed by these students will empower Wyoming’s businesses to more effectively run their operations,” said Director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Joan Evans. “The Department of Workforce Services looks forward to our continued partnership with the Wind River Job Corps Center.”
Information and data provided by the Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services helped identify future needs of employers for workers and the skills of jobseekers in the community. This information was also used to help develop the programs and services offered through the Wind River Job Corps Center.
R&P recently released new industry and occupational employment demand projectionsto 2022 for Wyoming. The latest projections show the number of openings for industrial machinery mechanics is projected to grow an estimated 20.2 percent from 2012 to 2022, while truck drivers (heavy and tractor-trailer) will see an estimated 20.2 percent growth for the same time period. In addition, Wyoming will see a continued demand for registered nurses, with an estimated growth in jobs of 19.2 percent from 2012 to 2022. Use of industry and occupational projections allows policymakers and workforce development agencies to determine labor market needs and make investments in programs that will meet those needs.
To view additional industry and occupational projections, please visit http://doe.state.wy.us/lmi/projections/ind-occ-prj-2012-2022/full.pdf
Job Corps is a federally-funded education and vocational training program run by the U.S. Department of Labor to train economically-disadvantaged people ages 16-24.
