On July 1, the Nebraska Department of Labor will consolidate their Alliance and Scottsbluff job centers, closing the Alliance location, with the intent of expanding their virtual services.
Bobbi Jo Howard, Reemployment Services Administrator, said the decision was made in May, noting the how staff at the Scottsbluff office were busy with the services they offer.
“In looking at where we have staff, we ended up deciding to pull our Alliance team to the Scottsbluff office,” said Howard. “The Alliance team has done a fantastic job of serving the community, in person absolutely, but they have also done an amazing job with setting up virtual services, which is something we are seeing that we kind of need to move toward statewide.
“By looking at where we have our team centrally located, and really improving our virtual services, we’re hoping to actually expand our footprint and be able to serve more of the state while maintaining the high quality services that communities are used to,” said Howard.
Howard said staff at the Alliance office were asked to transition to Scottsbluff, and noted that two people decided not to make the transition.
“We have one that is staying on with us, and she will travel between the Alliance and Scottsbluff offices to provide services: the WIOA, Trade and TET programs,” Howard said. “Those are programs that can help individuals pay for training and then helps connect them with employment opportunities.”
Lori Marquez, who oversees business services at the Scottsbluff location, has been working with the Alliance staff to become acquainted with employers’ needs in Alliance as well as in Chadron, said Howard.
“We know we need to increase our virtual services, and she will be traveling as well to those communities in person to continue providing services,” said Howard.
Howard explained that staff at the NDOL want to make sure job seekers and employers know how to connect with their office. She said they are currently producing videos on reemployment services to teach people about all of the services they have to offer.
“Before COVID, people would see our office as the unemployment office, and it’s even more so now,” said Howard. “We’re wanting people to know that we do so much more than help someone navigate that unemployment claim. We have a number of programs to help individuals find that next step in their career, or find a career if they are new to the workforce. We’re wanting to connect with people and help them access those services they have not previously been accessing.
Howard said NDOL officials have been working with libraries across the western part of the state to build a relationship that would help them expand their footprint.
“Our vision with the libraries is to take our partnership to the next level,” Howard said. “What we had been doing before was providing them with materials they could provide job seekers. What we’re wanting to do is provide staff at the libraries with more training, as well as a direct linkage to our offices so that someone can walk in and say, ‘I need help with’ whatever it might be that’s reemployment related, and that they would then be able to sit down at a library computer and connect with our staff in the offices.
“If they are two hours from an office, we don’t want someone trying to drive two hours to connect with us. That’s kind of the shift that we’re making across the state, and making sure that our staff are equipped with what they need in order to go mobile as well,” said Howard.
Howard invited people to contact the Nebraska Department of Labor with any questions or concerns. The Scottsbluff office may be reached at 308-632-1420. For business services, people may contact Marquez at 308-633-1056. People interested in the WIOA/Dislocated Worker Programs may contact Donna Kuskie at 308-760-3790.