What's New

Local Award Winners Honored At The 2007 Workforce Board Awards Luncheon

The staff of Madison County Employment and Training along with the Madison County Workforce Investment Board, Madison County Board, and other local agencies celebrated local customer, business, and individual leadership successes at the 2007 Workforce Investment Board Awards Luncheon held March 14, 2007 at the Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville.

Eleven (11) local awardees were honored for their outstanding achievements. Mr. Alan Dunstan, Madison County Chairman, along with Madison County Workforce Investment Board members Dr. Gary Giamartino, SIUE interim Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Mr. Ed Ehrenberger, of GENCO and Vice Chair of the Madison-Bond Workforce Investment Board, presented the awards.

Madison County Board Chairman, Alan Dunstan said, “These award winners are the proof of the success we have in serving the community through the programs provided by the Madison County Employment and Training Department. With the counsel of the Workforce Investment Board, we have seen great accomplishments in serving both business and the workers in our area.”

Nine (9) customers received an Individual Achievement Award recognizing the determination and perseverance of participants enrolled in the federally funded Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program. Each honoree has overcome significant barriers in order to reach academic and career goals. Individual local honorees included Senica Bishop, Bonnie Crim, Michelle Evans, Michael Hall, Renee Doss, Tonya Koonce, Robin Padgett, Carmen Roberts and Patricia Schreiber.

ConocoPhillips was recognized with a Business Leadership Award for making significant contributions to workforce/economic development activities. Over the past 2 years, the business has partnered with Madison County Employment and Training to test and process over 900 candidates for operator and maintenance positions; then subsequently hiring the top candidates at a very attractive starting wage.

The final award of the afternoon was the Individual Leadership Award. This award recognizes a private sector individual or economic development professional who has made significant contributions to workforce/economic development through a leadership role. Barb Whitworth, Program Operations Manager for the Madison County Employment and Training, was honored for over 30 years of dedication to the businesses, customers, partners and staff of the workforce development system.

David Stoecklin, the Executive Director of the Madison County Employment and Training Department, said, “All of these winners have shown great dedication in achieving their goals. The honorees have worked hard to attain the results we recognized here this afternoon. It was due to their dedication to success that we are able to honor them today.”

The Madison County Employment and Training Department has offered services to both business and job seekers in Madison and Bond Counties for over 36 years. The county department is federally funded through the Workforce Investment Act and various other grants. They provide quality assistance in job search, career counseling, job training, resume writing, and offer a diversity of workshops to the unemployed, those who desire career advancement or those needing help in making career choices. Employers may utilize the department to find, test, and interview prospective employees at no cost. Area businesses may benefit from labor market facts and tax incentive information readily available through the Department.

The Department has offices in Alton (88-90 North Port Drive), Granite City (544 Niedringhaus, Building 102, Rivers Edge Complex), and Greenville (305 South Third) to serve local residents and businesses and is open Monday through Friday. Their website is www.mcetd.org.