Long Will Set Up Workforce Development Computer In Library

By MARK EVANS

mevans@stegenherald.com

Individuals in Ste. Genevieve County who are seeking jobs or training needed to get jobs will soon be able to find a valuable tool close at hand.

During last Thursday’s County Commission meeting, Shawn Long, executive director of the Ste. Genevieve County Library agreed to set up a computer with Workforce Development software on it.

The commissioners and Long conferred by phone with Tammy Tankersley, president and chief operating officer of the Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Southeast Missouri.

The commissioners had found that some other counties had set up similar stations through their University of Missouri Extension offices. They felt, however, that the Ste. Genevieve County extension office has already bitten off a huge amount of responsibility. The local office runs the Community Issues Forum and has taken a leading role in the reorganization of the county fair board. Therefore, the commissioners approached Long about the library providing the service.

Long was immediately agreeable.

Although Tankersley said that WFDB would be able to provide a computer, Long said he had one that can be used for the purpose. Software to access jobsmo.gov would be installed and a booklet would be attached to the computer, giving instructions.

The station can be in a cubicle for privacy and be set up to do video chats and Zoom calls. Tankersley, who said Long’s ideas “sound perfect,” said she could provide a web cam to be used.

WFDB helps connect employers and job seekers and also has various programs to help train individuals for various types of work. Money is available in many cases to pay employers part of a new employee’s pay while on-the-job- training is being given.

Long said there was money in his technology budget to get the computer. He said he would love to have WFDB come once a year to do a workshop.

“This is another good community deed you’ve done,” Nelson told Long.