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Volume 13 Number 7 Career and Business Opportunities


Sysco Joins Suffolk Public Schools School- to-Work Program


April 2019


Norfolk Utilities Department Creates Apprenticeships for St. Paul’s Area Residents


Harry Kenyon from the Department of Utilities met with residents of the St. Paul’s neighborhoods to inform them of the program and gather interest for the 15 apprenticeship positions. This was a partnership between the Department of Utilities, NRHA and the People First program for St. Paul’s.


BY CITY OF NORFOLK NORFOLK, VA – The Norfolk


SUFFOLK, Virginia (March 13, 2019) – Having a well-educated, skilled and motivated


Sysco operates in over 285,000 workforce


are some of the most important ingredients to a strong local economy. Sysco and the Career and Technical Education Department from Suffolk Public Schools have teamed up for a 2nd school-to-work partnership that provides students with opportunities for career paths in logistics as well as connecting


the importance of


workplace readiness skills to long-term professional success. Suffolk Public Schools recently partnered with the Target Upstream Distribution Center to launch the program.


####


square feet of space in Suffolk, and sees this new exciting partnership as another way to connect


develop a pipeline employees. This school-to-work


program will collaborate specifically with career and technical education students at Suffolk’s Nansemond River High School and incorporate the Commonwealth‘s Career Readiness Initiative


select group of students, aged 17-18, will participate in the program which will feature three separate classes and include a tour of the Sysco facility.


UTILITIES ENGINEER (Registered or Non-Registered)


The Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA), a progressive water utility providing retail water, sewer and reclaimed water services to the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, seeks a highly responsible, results-oriented Utilities Engineer (Registered or Non-Registered) to join our capital improvements team.


Candidates should be self-motivated and have excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills with a proven ability to work effectively with members of the public, regulators, developers, consultants, contractors and government staff.


This position requires knowledge of engineering and project management principles and practices used in the design, permitting, and construction of public water and wastewater projects. Position will be responsible for executing assigned capital improvement projects and studies by procuring and directing the work of consultants and contractors, maintaining project schedules and budgets, ensuring conformance with internal policies, engineering standards, and regulatory requirements, and responding to customer concerns and inquiries. The position interacts with consultants, contractors, regulators, operations and professional staff, members of the public, and other stakeholders; therefore, effective verbal and written communication skills in a variety of settings are essential.


- 2 - There are two potential job classifications within this position:


The Utilities Engineer (Non-Registered) requires a Bachelor’s degree with certification as an Engineer in Training and at least one year of relevant experience. A valid North Carolina Class C driver’s license is required. The salary range is $59,001 - $90,861.


The Utilities Engineer (Registered) requires a Professional Engineer license with a minimum of three to five years of relevant experience and a North Carolina Class C driver’s license. The salary range is


$64,901 - $99,948.


OWASA provides excellent benefits to include membership in the NC Local Government Employees Retirement System.


and Life insurances. Additional benefits include: Paid Holidays, Vacation, Sick and Personal Leave, Bereavement and Parental Leave, Educational Reimbursement, Bonus Pay for Additional Certifications and/or Education.


OWASA is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to continuous improvement, sustainability, creativity, diversity and inclusion.


Closing date: April 12, 2019 To complete an application visit www.owasa.org. Certified Orange County Living Wage Employer.


Paid Health, Dental, Vision with


the community as well as a way to


for future


Department of Utilities developed a six-month paid apprenticeship program to train full-time equipment operators and utility The


program


maintenance included


mechanics. classroom


training, hands-on demonstrations, and on-the-job work experience with repair and maintenance crews.


“Equipment operators and


maintenance mechanics are important positions and essential for the maintenance of our water production, water


distribution collection principles. A and wastewater


Lentz, Director of Utilities. “With an abundance


positions,


Department decided to take a new approach


systems,” said Kristen of vacant by creating


the an apprentice


program to help fill these crucial needs.” After partnering with the


Department of Human Resources and the City’s Civil Service Commission, the program began to take shape with the


application criteria and a full


curriculum of classes, demonstrations and certifications. Classroom sessions and demonstrations were held on Mondays and Fridays, and apprentices spent the remaining


time gaining


on-the-job work experience with repair and maintenance crews.


Open recruiting began in June and included outreach to residents in


Medicare X FROM PAGE 2


health care costs. In 2019, 17 percent of those enrolled on the exchanges lived in an area with just one insurer.


The plan would build on the Medicare framework to establish a public insurance option. Medicare-X initially would be available on the individual exchange in areas where there is a shortage of insurers or higher


health care in costs due


less competition—including communities


Colorado to


rural and


Virginia. By 2024, Medicare-X would expand to every ZIP code in the country. By 2025, the public plan would be added as another option on the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace.


Medicare-X would use


Medicare’s network of doctors and providers and guarantee the essential health benefits established in the ACA, such as maternity care and mental health services. Additionally, it would ensure access to affordable


prescription drugs by offering prices negotiated


in conjunction Medicare Part D program.


The legislation includes several key updates to further lower costs and increase


coverage. It eliminates the


subsidy cliff for Americans above 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), ultimately


ensuring individuals do


not pay more than 13 percent of their income toward their premium for a benchmark plan. It also increases the tax credit for individuals below 400% FPL, authorizes $30 billion over three years for a national reinsurance program, and establishes a grant program to integrate social needs in the delivery of health care services.


In addition to Bennet and Kaine,


the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Dick Durbin (D-IL).


with the PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF NORFOLK


the St Paul’s Area, which is currently undergoing a 10-year revitalization project. More than 150 applications were received and 46 applicants were selected as eligible candidates. After holding interviews, final selections were made for the 15 operations apprentice positions.


Based on the candidates’


interests, the group was split among three divisions: Water Production, Water


Distribution and Wastewater.


The mechanics were assigned to the Moores Bridges Water Treatment Plant and the equipment operators at water and wastewater maintenance facility.


began their


On August 20th, the apprentices employment. Over the


next six months they were integrated into maintenance crews and worked alongside a mentor to help them learn all aspects of their jobs.


“The program equipped the


apprenctices with new skills and abilities for employment and played an important role in the first steps of the St. Paul’s area project,” said Lentz.


Eleven apprentices successfully


completed the program and are eligible to apply for permanent vacant positions. On the one-year anniversary of full-time


employment, graduates


will be eligible for a one-time monetary bonus of $1,000.


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