Helping Local Employers find Skilled, Reliable Employees. 

Mid-Columbia Council of Governments is committed to working with local employers to help build workforce skills.  MCCOG offers employers a variety of services including; pre-employment training, on the job training, continuous trainee development, rapid response, and other services. 

Pre-Employment Training:
Pre-employment training helps unemployed or underemployed individuals learn the necessary skills to fill specific high growth, high demand jobs in their communities.  Information about the types of training workers in their area are receiving are available to employers as well as the resumes of workers who are completing their training in a specific field.

On the Job Training:
MCCOG provides reimbursement of up to 50% of trainee’s wages during training period with goal of unsubsidized employment. On the job training gives employees the opportunity to learn skills beyond what is available through pre-employment training.

MCCOG staff maintains contact with both the employee and employer during training period to ensure a successful transition.

Rapid Response Assistance
On-site transition services and information to employees affected by lay-off. MCCOG Career Development Specialists will be on-site to sign workers up for services and to answer questions. Rapid Response can be arranged with little notice in an effort to get information to employees as quickly as possible.

Employer Workforce Training Fund
Upgrading Workforce Skills to Keep Oregon Businesses Viable and Competitive.
Training Funds have been made available by Governor Kulongoski to support the retention and growth of quality jobs, a skilled workforce and competitive businesses in Hood River, Gilliam, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler counties. The emphasis of the funds is to upgrade skills of the private sector workforce in order to increase productivity, keep businesses viable and competitive and to offer new skills and internal opportunities to workers. Click here to view the Employer Workforce Training Fund Application Package.

Eligible businesses include business consortia, associations, labor organizations or private non-profits. No government organizations will be awarded funds. Retail businesses and non-employer establishments are not eligible for funds. Applicants should be in a traded sector cluster (i.e. businesses that sell goods or services outside the region), or be a healthcare organization, or in occupations with recognized skill shortages.

Funding Priorities include training proposals from companies in:

• High Tech/Software
• Forest/Wood/Paper Products
• Food Processing/Agriculture
• Outdoor Gear/Apparel
• Transportation Equipment
• Creative Services
• Recreation
• Metals
• Nursery Products
• Professional Services
• Biomedical/Health
• Financial Services

For a grant application or more information contact Robin Cope, Coordinator @ 541-296-8080 or robinc@gorge.net
www.WorkSourceOregon.org