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Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board recognizes WIOA Award winners at luncheon


By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor

The Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board hosted its fifth annual Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Awards at the Radisson Hotel in Covington Tuesday.

Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board WIOA Award winners and their representatives at Tuesday's event at the Raddison in Covington (photos by Mark Hansel).

Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board WIOA Award winners and their representatives at Tuesday’s event at the Raddison in Covington (photos by Mark Hansel).

The WIOA Awards recognized outstanding achievements, hard work and participation on behalf of the region’s dislocated workers, youths and employers.

Barbara Stewart, Director of NKWIB said the awards event is the culmination of intensive and strategic workforce development programming that showcases job seekers and employers.

“With training and education opportunities provided through the Northern Kentucky Career Center system, job seekers gain skills needed by local employers,” Stewart said. “The award recipients have demonstrated that they’ve risen to meet the challenges of fulfilling current and future positions. Our employers are at the heart of our work.

Winners in each category, with a brief recap of accomplishments:

Outstanding Workforce Alumnus Dislocated Worker – Terry Younts

Younts lost his job of 17 years due to outsourcing. In working with the Kentucky Career Center’s WIOA/Trade program, Younts was able to acquire a certification and degree for Direct Support Professional and Aging Services. He now has a career at Heit’s Building Solutions, and is actively utilizing his training as well as prior work experience.

Outstanding Workforce Alumnus Youth – Gabreial Wright

After working with the Youth Connect Program, founded by the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board Wright successfully graduated high school. He later attended college and obtained his Lineman Certificate. He interned with Owen Electric and now work full-time with Cheyenne Electric, an Owen Electric Contracting Company.

Team members that helped Kentucky Career Centers in Florence and Carrolton receive certification were also recognized at Tuesday's event.

Team members that helped Kentucky Career Centers in Florence and Carrolton receive certification were also recognized at Tuesday’s event.

Outstanding Kentucky Career Alumnus – Dallas Willoughby

Willoughby has worked with the Kentucky Career Center team on achieving career goal since he was a junior in high school. He received a $10,000 scholarship to the University of Kentucky and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelors in Business Administration Degree. Willoughby currently works in the finance industry.

Outstanding Workforce Collaboration – Amanda Hansman, Citi

Citi and Hansman are frequent collaborators with the Kentucky Career Center through participation in job fairs, onsite interviews and the Green Light Group. Citi is a Workforce Champion contributor to the Kentucky Career Center and helped launch the onsite Innovation Center, a job-driven training space designed to further equip the talent pipeline for today’s workforce and business needs.

Outstanding Workforce Employee of the Year – Marsha Baker

Baker works in the Career Center’s satellite office inside the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Over the past 12 years Baker has earned the reputation of being one of the friendliest, and most talented workforce professionals at the career center. Baker played an active role in assisting airport employees that were affected by workforce reductions during the early- to mid-2000s. For the last five years, she has provided much-needed workforce support to the onsite and adjacent CVG businesses as those companies saw a resurgence in growth.

NKWIB programThe local workforce investment system supports economic development, connecting education and training to employment, and strives to meet current and future needs of employers.

Team Members that participated in the certification of Kentucky Career Centers in Florence and Carrolton were also recognized for their efforts at the event.

Certification is awarded to career centers that demonstrate quality, consistent, innovative and effective services provided to job seekers, businesses and local workforce partners.

The Kentucky Career Center in Covington was the first to receive the certification, in 2015.

The event was sponsored by Toyota.

Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytribune.com


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