No more cuts! Tampa Bay area Manufacturers adding jobs

Tampa, Fla. - For the first time in recent years, leaders at Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance say they are seeing an uptick in hiring right now for manufacturing jobs, and they're trying something new to funnel more candidates into the positions.

Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance is helping to identify qualified candidates who then go on to participate in the Mobile Outreach Skills Training Program, or MOST. Candidates train for two weeks on a large mobile bus, which travels all over the country. The bus has been based in Tampa for the last two weeks.

After the two week training, each candidate is not only training in manufacturing, but is also guaranteed to be placed in a new job. Some start immediately, like Zedric Dun. "I was at my breaking point," Dun said. He had been out of work for a full year. "Everybody on this trailer is serious about working."

MOST leader, Ted Astolfi, said, "We're training this class with Workforce Florida grant money, state money, so it costs nothing for the company or the trainee."

However qualification requirements to even be considered to take part in the program are stringent. "We have great retention rates, and it's because of our prescreening and selection. There is a drug test you have to pass, a national background check, a basic education test and a behavioral interview," Astolfi said. You also have to be unemployed.

MOST leaders said most of the positions start at $12.00 per hour, and there opportunity to grow.

Dun starts his new job almost immediately. He graduates today, Friday, and starts his new job with a Tampa based manufacturing company Monday mooring. He said, "It's kind of like i'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel."

Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance is already gathering candidates for the next time the bus comes to town, which could be in August.

If you are interested, visit the homepage of the following websites. There is a special section where you will fill out an application. Look for the section withe the "M.O.S.T." within the links below:

www.worknetpinellas.org<http://www.worknetpinellas.org
www.workforcetampa.com<http://www.workforcetampa.com