Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council
Region 9 News
Baldwin-Choctaw-Clarke-Conecuh-Escambia-Mobile- Monroe-Washington
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January 2014
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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
at SAWDC

Deadline to apply is January 15, 2013

For a copy of the job description and information on how to apply, email
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Region 9
Community Colleges
FY2014 Round II
Grant Application Deadlines

Due to SAWDC
January 3, 2014
COB

Grants Review Committee
January 17, 2014
10:00 a.m. at SAWDC

Due to GOWD
February 5, 2014 
COB

Click here for grant resources including guidelines and forms.

Please submit two originals and one electronic copy to SAWDC by COB on Friday, January 3, 2013.  

Originals can be mailed to the following address:

605 Bel Air Blvd. Suite 32
Mobile, Alabama 36606

Electronic copies can be emailed to admin@sawdc.org
SAWDC 
Executive Committee

Chairman
Sam Covert
Alabama Power
 
Vice Chairman
Sandra Koblas
 Austal USA
 
Secretary
Joseph Ng
ST Aerospace Mobile
 
Treasurer
Lee Lawson
Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance
 
Legal Counsel
David Hannan
Maynard Cooper & Gale
 
Past Chairman
Troy Wayman
Mobile Area
Chamber of Commerce
 
Carolyn Akers
Mobile Area
Education Foundation
 
Owen Bailey
USA Children & Women's
 
Ketrenia Crenshaw
Boise Paper
  
Bob Higgins
Higgins & Associates

John Johnson
Coastal Gateway
 
Tim Johnson
Central Gulf
Industrial Alliance
 
Steve Perry
Community Leader
 
Cheryl Williams
Spherion Staffing
 
Laura Chandler
Executive Director
SAWDC Year End Industry Survey


With responses from twenty-one employers representing over 23,000 employees, SAWDC wrapped up its year end industry survey in December 2013. Employers who participated represented a cross section of SAWDC's targeted industries to include Aviation, Healthcare, Construction, Maritime, and Advanced Manufacturing.  

Over 80% of the respondents indicated that they were experiencing recruitment problems, and the majority of the respondents indicated that they had increased their investment in training.  Employers indicated that for entry level positions about one out of every four applicants (or 24.2%) were qualified for those positions. This is a seven percent increase over the 17% reported in March 2011 when 15 employers representing 17,400 employees responded to the survey.    
 
How many skilled workers will these twenty-one employers need over the next 12 months? Over 4,000.  

Click here for survey results.       
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SAWDC is excited to announce that Council members, Lesleigh Smith of Performance Contractors and Lawrence Wilson of Goodwin, Mills & Cawood will serve as co-chairs for the 2014 SAWDC Worlds of Opportunity ("WoO"), which will be held on September 24th and 25th.  The WoO Steering Committee will convene its first meeting in February.  Stay tuned for more details.  For more information, contact:
 

Bridget M. Wilson

Director, Workforce Development

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

251-431-8619 

bwilson@mobilechamber.com    

 Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance names 
Dr. John Johnson Executive Director
coastal gateway
 
Dr. John A. Johnson has been named Executive Director of Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance (CGEDA). The Executive Director reports to the CGEDA Board of Directors and is responsible for implementing programs for new business attraction, business retention and expansion, and investor relations. The director works closely with local economic developers, elected officials, chambers of commerce, and industrial boards across the five county region.
 
Larry Woods, Chairman of CGEDA, stated that the Board is extremely pleased to bring Dr. Johnson on board. "John brings with him his vast knowledge of the region as well as economic development and workforce development experience due to his tenure at Alabama Southern Community College and Monroeville/ Monroe County Economic Development Authority. Members of the CGEDA Board of Directors are extremely pleased at being able to attract a candidate of his caliber," said Woods.

Dr. Johnson said, "The Coastal Gateway region has tremendous potential. Its assets include an excellent workforce, dedicated education partners, and effective community leadership. This region is fortunate to have those and many other crucial attributes. I intend for the CGEDA to continue to be a catalyst in this process. The CGEDA Board and staff are passionate and I look forward to translating that enthusiasm into results".

To read more, click here.
SAWDC's Vision is to develop a comprehensive, integrated workforce development system which creates a skilled, diverse, motivated, adaptable workforce that better meets the needs of employers and leads to a better quality of life for our citizens.
  
SAWDC's Mission is to develop strategic partnerships which attract, educate and train students and workers to better meet employer needs and foster economic growth in a global marketplace.
  
For more information on how you can become involved with the efforts of the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council and Region 9, please call 251-445-2090.