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About Us..........
Overview
For more than a decade, San Joaquin County’s unemployment rate has been
at least twice the national average, and the County has been designated a
Labor Surplus Area. Since 1995, the average unemployment rate in San
Joaquin County has been 10.7%, and the City of Stockton unemployment rate
has been 12.6%, nearly double that of the State of California (6.5%). Not
included in these staggering statistics are approximately eight to ten
thousand welfare recipients receiving different levels of public
assistance throughout San Joaquin County.
Impact of Welfare to Work
Legislation
California’s Welfare to Work legislation (AB 1542) requires welfare
recipients to become self-sufficient within two years. Under CalWORKs,
welfare recipients must participate in a work activity. One allowable
activity, work experience, is a training activity in the public or private
sector, including for-profit organizations that provide basic job skills
and enhance existing job skills in a position related to the participant's
experience. Additionally, non-paid work experience activities are limited
to a 12-month period, and should lead to employment. Locally, San Joaquin
County estimates there are at least 14 individuals vying for every
available job. Many current CalWORKs clients must accept part-time and
non-traditional employment in order to meet the CalWORKs work activity
requirements.
Stockton Chamber Responds to
Employment Needs
In response to this regional need, the Chamber formed the Stockton Chamber
Apprenticeship Program (SCAP) Development Committee, comprised of Human
Resource Professionals from Stockton and San Joaquin County businesses
committed to designing an equitable, comprehensive program to place
CalWORKs clients into full-time jobs. Thus, the SCAP Committee directed
Chamber staff to facilitate a SCAP pilot project to demonstrate program
viability. Subsequently, SCAP placed 52 San Joaquin County residents into
full-time jobs.
Employment Preparation
Program Helps Ensure Participant Success
The primary strategy of the SCAP initiative is to meet labor market needs
by first placing participants in an "Employment Preparation
Program," which consists of academic and work maturity skill
training. The purpose of the Employment Preparation Program is to ensure
participants are equipped with the work maturity skills (i.e. coming to
work every day, arriving at work on time, working with others, following
instructions, etc.) needed for long-term employment. San Joaquin County
Office of Education, San Joaquin Delta College, San Joaquin County WorkNet
and San Joaquin County Human Services Agency’s partner organizations
provide this training, and also provide the initial assessment of all SCAP
participants.
Interviews Lead to Employment
Opportunities
Upon completion of the Employment Preparation Program, CalWORKs clients
have an opportunity to compete for placement in various SCAP apprenticeships. The
SCAP Oral Board Interview Panel interviews each candidate to determine if
their skills match the criteria required by the potential employer for
permanent hire. Subsequently,
eligible candidates are referred to area businesses for apprenticeship
interviews. Participant's who have successfully completed SCAP's two-week
apprenticeship program are then hired on directly with that employer.
Ongoing Feedback Aids in
Development
At each interview stage, an
evaluation is done for those candidates who were not successful in the
screening process. These evaluations are delivered to the SCAP partners
for follow-up instruction and soft skill development training.
Apprenticeship
Period Mirrors Employment Trends
The average apprenticeship period for each CalWORKs client is
approximately two to three weeks, significantly less than the 12 months
allowed by AB 1542. A recent business survey indicated that most employee
turnover occurs within the first three weeks of employment, and hence the
apprenticeship period mirrors that timeframe.
Employers & Job Seekers
Win with SCAP
SCAP offers an employer the opportunity to provide tangible work experience
to CalWORKs clients and, at the same time, evaluate them as potential
employees with absolutely no employment costs. Only those businesses that furnish good faith commitments to
hire the apprentice that meets their requirements are eligible to
participate in SCAP. Obviously, SCAP provides a win-win situation for both
the CalWORKs clients and the participating businesses.
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