The Job Fair presents a unique opportunity for local employers to connect with qualified workers throughout the North Texas area and over 2,300 National Career Readiness Certificate holders.

“We are excited to participate with the Job Fair,” said Mary Beth Leach, Owner-Operator for Chick-Fil-A in Wichita Falls. “We need to fill 75 to 80 full-time and part-time positions before we open. We will be hiring for team-members, experienced team leaders and a marketing director. We will have applications at the job fair and will be looking for people who have relevant work history, good punctuality and a commitment to customer service. We want to find team-members who show a collaborative work history and a commitment to their previous jobs.”

The company offers Sundays off, a flexible schedule and a comprehensive benefits package, Leach said.

“Come to our table on May 1, complete an application and say hello!”

The Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry is committed to helping local employers like Chick-Fil-A connect with good job applicants.

“I believe the latest employment figures show a 5.9% unemployment rate in the Wichita Falls MSA, but the reality is that we have local employers who are still seeking good quality job applicants for their open jobs,” said Michael Paris, Vice President at the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce. “Of the 63 businesses we have signed up for the Work Hard – Work Smart Job Fair, many offer competitive wages, a healthy benefits package and continuing education. Whether you have the National Career Readiness Certificate or not, put on some clean, pressed interview clothes and present yourself to these employers. You should always bring a good pen to complete applications and a have a few resumes to hand out.”

Applicants needing help with a resume, interviewing skills or help in their job search can find it at the Chamber’s Work Hard – Work Smart office at Vernon College, Paris said.

“They can also help you present the work-ready skills you possess by offering the National Career Readiness Certificate for free. If you tell employers like Chick-Fil-A that you are a Silver NCRC certificate holder, it gets their attention,” Paris said. “It is worth looking into.”

For more information about Work Hard-Work Smart, call their offices at 940.689.7154. For information about registering your business for the Job Fair, call Sammi Mata at 940.692.5502 or download a registration form at www.workhardworksmart.net.

The fashion show, a carryover from last year’s inaugural Work Hard-Work Smart Job Fair, is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in the mall’s concourse, across from Rue 21 and Maurice’s.

“We chose that time so that the high school and college students we expect to attend will have a chance to see it after they complete their classes for the day,” said Michael Paris, Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President.

The fashion show will feature professional and other business-appropriate attire, supplied by mall merchants and modeled by representatives from each merchant.

Leading up to the fashion show, job fair organizers will present three employment-related presentations. A fourth presentation will follow the fashion show.

At 2:30 p.m., representatives from Midwestern State University’s Career Management Center will present “The Business of Job Hunting,” featuring advice for approaching the task of looking for work like a job in itself.

At 3:00 p.m., Desi Vicars, recruitment coordinator for United Regional, will present “What Not To Say,” addressing the subject of what applicants should always say, should try not to say and should never say during a job interview.

At 3:30 p.m., Michelle Kuehner, with Personal Money Planning, will present “Do The Math” a just-the-basics overview of personal financial planning, starting with answering the question, “How much money does your next job need to pay for you to make ends meet?”

After the fashion show, at 5:30 p.m., event MC Chris Cunningham, of KAUZ-TV NewsChannel 6, will help present “Bad, Better, Great!” By using a series of models wearing varying degrees of professionally appropriate clothing, this segment will help applicants avoid a workplace-fashion faux pas!

Dozens of area companies will be on hand, taking applications for open positions, so applicants are encouraged to come ready to interview. Job seekers do not need to pre-register for the event.

The Work Hard-Work Smart Job Fair is free and open to the public. It is presented by Work Hard-Work Smart, Sikes Senter, KAUZ-TV NewsChannel 6, Vernon College, Spherion Staffing and Workforce Solutions. The Job Fair is part of Work Hard-Work Smart’s mission to stimulate the regional economy, make local employers more successful, and assist the under- and unemployed improve their careers.

For more information about Work Hard-Work Smart, call their offices at 940.689.7154. For information about registering your business for the Job Fair, call Sammi Mata at 940.692.5502 or download a registration form at www.workhardworksmart.net.

More than 70 businesses are expected to be on hand at the second annual Work Hard – Work Smart Job Fair, presented by the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Work Hard – Work Smart initiative. The Job Fair is also receiving support from Sikes Senter, Vernon College, KAUZ NewsChannel 6, Spherion Staffing, and Workforce Solutions.

Job seekers will be able to visit with representatives from local businesses and apply for current job openings at the Job Fair. Last year’s event attracted more than 80 businesses and 1,200 prospective employees with approximately 10% ultimately receiving job offers.

The Job Fair is also an opportunity for local employers and job seekers to get better acquainted with the National Career Readiness Certificate – an assessment, developed by the ACT organization and administered by Work Hard – Work Smart – which measures proficiencies in three core workplace areas: Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information.

In just its second year of implementation, the NCRC is already recognized by more than 102 local businesses as a useful tool for identifying those applicants who possess necessary workplace skills. Likewise, more than 2,300 local individuals have obtained NCRC certification as a means for helping them stand out from the competition when applying for jobs.

The Job Fair is free and open to the public. Employers may register, at no cost, by contacting Sikes Senter Mall. Employers who have not already done so will be encouraged to sign a letter of commitment with the Work Hard-Work Smart program, pledging to consider the NCRC in their recruiting and hiring process.

Highlights of the job fair include NCRC search assistance by Work Hard – Work Smart staff, a business fashion show sponsored by local retail stores, resume critiquing by staffing agencies, and job search assistance through Workforce Solutions using WorkInTexas.com. Vernon College representatives will also provide career and enrollment advice.

This Job Fair is part of the Work Hard – Work Smart mission to stimulate the regional economy, make local employers more successful, and help assist the unemployed and under-employed improve their careers.

To register for the Job Fair, contact Sammi Mata at 940-766-5601. Registration forms may also be downloaded at workhardworksmart.net.

The Open House will include give-a-ways, a prize wheel and refreshments. The Work Hard-Work Smart staff will be on hand to answer questions regarding the program, provide information on how individuals can receive their National Career Readiness Certificate, and how to gain access on the new Work Hard-Work Smart Job Board.

The public is invited to attend.

About Work Hard – Work Smart

Work Hard – Work Smart is part of the Wichita Falls Chamber’s strategic effort to stimulate the regional economy, make our local employers more successful, and attract businesses to Wichita Falls.

Anyone wanting to receive their National Career Readiness Certificate to display your skills set to future employers can do so by contacting the Work Hard-Work Smart office today at 940-689-7156 or visit www.workhardworksmart.net.

Media Contact
Michael Paris
(940) 723-2741
Email

Sarah Lage Joins Work Hard-Work Smart as Program Coordinator

The Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Work Hard-Work Smart program are pleased to announce the hiring of Sarah Ward Lage as the Program Coordinator for Work Hard-Work Smart. Sarah brings to the program a vast amount of experience and talents having worked predominately in higher education and career services.

This is Sarah’s second stint in Wichita Falls. From 2008-2010, she was employed as the Employer Relations Coordinator in the Career Management Center at Midwestern State University. During this time, she was instrumental in the increase awareness among local, state and national employers of MSU students and alumni. She worked extremely hard cultivating relationships with employers.

Her development as a career services professional continued at Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL) from 2010-2012. While at FAU, she served in the same capacity as she did at MSU, but on a much larger scale on the school’s main campus. Some of the employers that she worked with include three of the Big Four accounting firms (Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers), ESPN, Target, Motorola, and the FBI, just to name a few. She also had the opportunity to expand her knowledge through student and alumni advising, particularly in regards to their job search, including social media, resume writing, and interview skills.

Sarah joins the Work Hard-Work Smart program in its second of a possible three year Federal Wagner Peyser Grant, which is administered through the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The program is housed at Vernon College-Century City. Her main focus will be on increasing the number of National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) holders who are hired by employers that recommend or consider the NCRC in their hiring process.

Sarah graduated from North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with a concentration in Public Policy and a minor in Business Management. She has also received her Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in Human Resources from East Carolina University (Greenville, NC). Sarah and her husband, Richard Lage, reside in Wichita Falls.

About Work Hard – Work Smart

Work Hard – Work Smart is part of the Wichita Falls Chamber’s strategic effort to stimulate the regional economy, make our local employers more successful, and attract businesses to Wichita Falls.

Anyone wanting to receive their National Career Readiness Certificate to display your skills set to future employers can do so by contacting the Work Hard-Work Smart office today at 940-766-5601 or workhardworksmart.net.

Media Contact
Sarah Lage
(940) 766-5601
Sarah@workhardworksmart.net

Chamber Earns Renewal Grant for Work Readiness Certificate Program

(WICHITA FALLS) September 7, 2012 — The Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry once again received the Wagner-Peyser grant from the Texas Workforce Commission for its Work Hard-Work Smart program. Work Hard – Work Smart is a collaboration between the Chamber, area school districts, Vernon College, Wichita County and Workforce Solutions North Texas. The focus of this program is to promote the ACT WorkKey’s National Career Readiness Certificate as a tool to match skilled workers to local jobs.

The $195,870 grant received the recommendation of the Texas Governor’s office and is distributed and managed by the Texas Workforce Commission. The Work Hard–Work Smart program is administered by the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry and is supported by the NORTEX Regional Planning Commission, which serves as fiscal agent.

Highlights of the first Wagner-Peyser grant include:
more than 1,400 Wichita County residents possessing one of the four levels of the National Career Readiness Certificate
more than 100 area businesses recommending or considering the certificate during the application and interviewing process
integration within the services of Workforce Solutions North Texas and Vernon College
a very successful job fair a Sikes Senter Mall last spring

“Our goal during this next grant cycle will be to connect more certificates to existing jobs. We will still be assessing high school seniors, the unemployed and the underemployed, yet we will be contacting each certificate holder to connect them to jobs that are open right now. Our Chamber member employers and other area businesses are seeking skilled people right now,” said Michael Paris, Vice President for Workforce Development at the Chamber. “We want to use the certificate to connect the right skills to specific jobs.”

Work Hard – Work Smart is part of the Wichita Falls Chamber’s strategic effort to stimulate the regional economy, make our local employers more successful, and get the unemployed and under-employed back to work.

Anyone wanting to receive their National Career Readiness Certificate to display your skills set to future employers can do so by contacting the Work Hard-Work Smart office today.

Please contact Work Hard-Work Smart for more information at 940-766-5601 or at workhardworksmart.net.

Work Hard-Work Smart is dedicated to helping Wichita County and North Texas become the first work-ready region in Texas. For more information, call (940)-766-5601 or visit www.workhardworksmart.net.

POSITION: Legal Assistant

LOCATION: Criminal District Attorney’s Office
Wichita County Courthouse

SUPERVISOR: Criminal District Attorney

HOURS: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday (Occasional overtime may be required.)

SALARY: $2,108.92 – $2,559.09 Per Month (Depending Upon Qualifications)
(Grade 11, Steps A – J, Wichita County Salary Classification Chart)

POSTING DATE: May 9, 2012

CLOSING DATE: Open Until Filled

► GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Performs all general legal assistant duties for the Civil Division of the Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

► ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Participates in managing the attorneys’ caseloads, including scheduling, prioritizing, organizing files and preparing chronologies and summaries.
• Assists in all phases of trial preparation, including setting/attending hearings, depositions, meetings, ordering records, preparing and coordinating service of subpoenas, organizing trial notebooks and exhibits and preparing witnesses for trial.
• Drafts, prepares and edits pleadings, motions, briefs, petitions, summary judgments and other legal documents for use in trials, appeals, hearings, injunctions and other agency procedures.
• Participates in coordinating discovery, including the drafting, responding and calendaring of interrogatories, requests for production, requests for admissions, and other requests for information in accordance with local, state, federal and agency rules and procedures.
• Researches and analyzes legal sources; uses computer-assisted research; prepares memoranda on research findings; shepardizes cases; checks citations, quotations, footnotes and references for accuracy.
• Develops and maintains databases for statistical and other information.
• Communicates with agency personnel, client agencies, court personnel and outside vendors.

► MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be a high school graduate or equivalent (GED).
• Graduation from a course of study for legal assistants or equivalent legal experience.
• Must demonstrate strong organizational skills.
• Must have a working knowledge of office practices, procedures and their application.
• Must possess and demonstrate ability to work independently.
• Must be able to conduct self in a professional and courteous manner and effectively develop and maintain good working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, County officials and the public.
• Must have a professional telephone etiquette and possess an equal ability to handle inquires both by telephone and in person in a courteous and professional manner.
• Must be able communicate effectively with others, both verbally and in writing.
• Must be computer literate and have a working knowledge of applicable software programs.
• Must be able to type proficiently with minimal errors.
• Must be able to operate various types of office equipment such as adding machines, copiers, printers, transcription machines, facsimile machines, etc.
• Must possess and demonstrate considerable knowledge of business English, spelling, punctuation, syntax and proofreading.
• Must have an understanding of basic mathematical calculations and computations.
• Must be able to maintain strict office privacy and confidentiality.
• Must be able to handle stressful situations in a professional manner.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical exam and drug test paid by Wichita County.
• Must be able to pass a thorough background investigation conducted by Wichita County.

► CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Must be punctual and attend work regularly in accordance with County and Office policies and procedures.
• Must comply with all County and Office policies and procedures, including but not limited to applicable security and safety rules, regulations and standards.
• Must be dependable and of good moral character.
• Must be able to occasionally lift and move loads weighing up to fifty (50) pounds.
• The Criminal District Attorney’s Office is a non-smoking environment.

► APPLY TO:

To be considered for employment, please submit your completed Wichita County Employment Application, cover letter and resume directly to the:

Office of the Criminal District Attorney
Wichita County, Texas
ATTN: Melissa Boutwell
900 7th Street, Suite 352
Wichita Falls, Texas 76301

Download Wichita County Employment Application

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: It is the policy of Wichita County to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job categories without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. It is the policy of Wichita County to consider qualified individuals according to ADA standards. If notified in advance, requested accommodations will be considered. Final reasonable accommodations will be determined in accordance with ADA standards by departments after appropriate consultation. Rejected accommodations will be documented and retained on file.

TEXAS RELAY: TDD 1-800-735-2989, VOICE 1-800-735-2988. For candidates requesting Braille, Mobility requests, etc., please call 940.766.8108. HR/ADA Compliance Office, Room 133, Wichita County Courthouse, 900 7th Street, Wichita Falls, Texas 76301.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

• Maintaining lawn and common areas. This includes activities such as watering, weeding and fertilizing, maintaining the sprinkler system, and shoveling snow and operating snowplow as necessary. Also, overseeing contracted mowing, trimming, reseeding, replanting sod as needed, pruning, planting, and maintaining foliage.
• Maintaining records of work orders and completing work orders, supplies, and preventive maintenance logs.
• Providing customer service to all guests and employees.
• Participating in maintenance projects and upgrades, at management’s direction.
• Performing custodial work, such as sweeping, mopping, trash clean-up, window washing, painting, drywall etc., to ensure Hotel meets quality standards.
• Ensuring adherence government safety requirements. This includes responsibility for handling hazardous materials and chemicals (i.e. fuel, paint, fertilizer, etc.) safely, and compliance with Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS.) Ensures periodic inspections by government and safety entities are done in a timely and accurate manner.
• If applicable, responsible for pool area. This includes maintaining records of daily and future upkeep activities.
Requirements:

• Full-time maintenance experience or experience in a related field.
• Able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds repetitively above head level, as well as heavy lifting with proper equipment.
• Able to work under rigorous conditions including heat, rain, snow, sleet, etc. and walk/stand for extended periods of time.
• Be aware that at times may be on call for emergencies.

• Personable, trustworthy, and courteous disposition.
• Able to work with persons of all backgrounds and understand the issues of guests.
• Knowledge of work-safety issues, regulations, and programs; government and utility ordinances and requirements; and local suppliers.
• Training and experience in the areas of carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, painting, landscaping, and heating / cooling (HVAC) systems is preferred, but not required.
• Pass a criminal background, drug test, and driving record check.
All interested in position please fax to qualifications/resume to 940-692-9151 and reference Maintenance Tech.

Compensation: Commensurate upon Experience

POSITION: Equipment Operator

LOCATION: Precinct #1 – Road & Bridge Section
1100 Webster Street
Wichita Falls, Texas 76301

SUPERVISOR: Precinct #1 Foreman and County Commissioner

HOURS: 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday – Friday (Five-Day Workweek / 30 minute lunch break) Occasional overtime may be required.

SALARY: $2,181.28 – $2,276.52 Per Month (Depending Upon Qualifications)
(Grade 12, Steps A-C, Wichita County Monthly Salary Table)

POSTING DATE: April 9, 2012

CLOSING DATE: Open Until Filled

► JOB SUMMARY:

Equipment Operators work with Road & Bridge crewmembers to perform roadway maintenance on County roads, including hauling, transporting and mowing. Work requires the Equipment Operator to safely and skillfully operate various types of trucks, light equipment and heavy equipment to complete roadwork.

► ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Works under the general supervision of the Precinct #1 Foreman.
• Safely performs general roadwork and repairs.
• Drives a dump truck to haul roadway materials to job sites.
• Works with three (3) or more Road and Bridge crewmembers to maintain highways and rights-of-way and erects and repairs guardrails, highway markers and signs.
• Safely operates heavy equipment (over 26,001 pounds) such as a backhoe, front-end loader, motorgrader, bulldozer, dump truck, haul truck and gradall.
• Safely operates light equipment such as a dump truck, pneumatic roller, steel-wheel roller, rotary broom, street sweeper, tractor and mowers and pickups.
• Safely operates various types of small gasoline/diesel powered equipment such as mowers, weed eaters and chainsaws.
• Safely uses various types of hand and power tools, materials and products.
• Troubleshoots and performs preventive maintenance inspections (PMI), routine servicing and minor repairs on various types of heavy, light and small equipment.
• Mixes and applies vegetation suppression chemicals to unwanted vegetation along roadways/rights-of-way.
• Fills out various required reports such as time-keeping, equipment, incident/accident and PMI forms.
• Works safely with other Road and Bridge crewmembers to set up and remove traffic control devices such as traffic cones, warning signs and barricades, and flags traffic in work zones.
• Assists in sanding or cleaning bridges and roads, posting warning signs, helping the public and performing other work as directed during inclement weather, emergencies such as floods, tornadoes, snow/ice storms and accidents.
• Assists as needed in providing support to local law enforcement officials.
• Interacts with motorists regularly and assists stranded motorists as needed.
• Buries cremains in the Wichita County Cemetery.
• Deals extensively with the public.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

► MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
• Education – Must be a high school graduate or equivalent (GED).
• Experience – Minimum of one (1) year experience in roadway maintenance, construction or an equipment operation related field is preferred but not required.
• Satisfactory driving record is required for driving Wichita County owned vehicles and motor driven equipment and for driving personal vehicles to conduct County business.
• Must pass a Driver’s License check, conducted and paid by Wichita County.
• Must have or obtain a Class A Commercial Drivers License (CDL) within 60 days after the date of employment.
• Must have a working knowledge of methods, procedures, equipment and materials used in roadway construction and maintenance work.
• Must have a working knowledge of basic vehicle and equipment mechanics, maintenance and repair.
• Ability to use hand and power tools, equipment and mechanical devices of the trade.
• Must be physically able to work in various types of weather conditions with exposure to inclement and adverse weather and seasonal extremes of heat and cold.
• Must be available and able to work during irregular hours, emergencies and periods of disaster.
• Must be able to respond to work (report to the Precinct #1 barn) within thirty (30) minutes after being notified of an emergency or disaster.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with others, both verbally and in writing.
• Must be able to read, write and record information and maintain logs.
• Must be of good, moral character.
• Must be able to conduct self in a professional manner and develop and maintain good working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, department heads, County officials and the public.
• Must be able to work a flexible work schedule and be available to work hours other than 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and days other than Monday through Friday (M-F).
• Must be physically able to safely move and lift loads weighing up to 50 pounds and occasionally move and lift loads weighing up to 100 pounds, such as bags of cement.
• Must pass a pre-employment DOT physical exam, DOT drug test and strength test (WorkSteps) paid by Wichita County.
• Must have no convictions for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or drug offenses.
• Must pass a thorough criminal background investigation conducted by Wichita County.

► CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Must be able to work out-of-doors under exposure to inclement/adverse weather conditions and temperature extremes of heat and cold.
• Must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) provided by Wichita County and must comply with all safety requirements and safe practices.
• Works with chemicals associated with weed suppression maintenance along roadways.
• Must consistently observe the established work schedule and regularly attend work.
• Must attend regularly scheduled safety meetings.
• Must be physically able to perform various motor movements during the normal workday to include standing, sitting, kneeling, squatting, bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, twisting, walking, climbing, grasping, squeezing, reaching, and lifting.
• Will be subject to DOT drug testing including pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion/cause and post-accident drug testing.
• Alcohol and Controlled Substance Testing Records obtained from previous employers must be satisfactory.
• Must observe and comply with Wichita County’s NO SMOKING policy in County-owned buildings, offices, vehicles and on property designated as NO SMOKING areas.

► APPLY TO:

Wichita County
900 7th Street, Room 133
Wichita Falls, Texas 76301
(940) 766-8108 or (940) 716-8605

Or

Texas Workforce Solutions
4309 Jacksboro Highway, Suite 300
Wichita Falls, Texas 76302
(940) 322-1801

Download Wichita County Application Here

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: It is the policy of Wichita County to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job categories without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. It is the policy of Wichita County to consider qualified individuals according to ADA standards. If notified in advance, requested accommodations will be considered. Final reasonable accommodations will be determined in accordance with ADA standards by departments after appropriate consultation. Rejected accommodations will be documented and retained on file.

TEXAS RELAY: TDD 1-800-735-2989, VOICE 1-800-735-2988. For candidates requesting Braille, Mobility requests, etc., please call 940.766.8108. HR/ADA Compliance Office, Room 133, Wichita County Courthouse, 900 7th Street, Wichita Falls, Texas 76301.