Page 3 - JobReady: March 2018

Commissioner's Update

he work of ARS continues Around the
to be focused on outcomes
Tthat result in competitive Agency
and integrated employment, which D. Alan McClain
requires implementation of a wide isa Thompson was
variety of innovative strategies that recently promoted to
are focused on needs of business Lthe Senior Management
customers and also the individual agency can facilitate a very practical Team as Personnel
employment goals of our clients with workplace accommodation that can Manager. Thompson has
a wide range of abilities. ensure employers can keep valuable
To address certain barriers to employees in place for a very long been employed with the
employment, often employers find time. Department of Career
themselves needing to address We encourage any of our Education since June 2013
specific accessibility issues. These stakeholders and customers to as Assistant Personnel
accommodations are needed contact any of our ARS field offices Manager. She attained
to allow the employer to hire or to begin this process. her Bachelor’s Degree in
retain valuable talent. Because Arkansas Rehabilitation Business Administration from
employers may not be aware of Services Commissioner Alan the University of Arkansas at
resources to assist with providing McClain was recently a Guest Little Rock and her Associate
accommodations, ARS can help in Panelist on a nationwide webinar of Applied Science Degree
this area through a coordinated effort entitled ““Breaking Down Work in Computer Information
of our VR counselors, our Business Barriers for People with Disabilities: Systems from University of
Engagement Team, and the experts Opportunities for Employers”. Arkansas-Pulaski Technical
with our Access & Accommodations You can watch a recording of College. Raised in Yorktown,
staff. By informing employers of that webinar here: https://www. Arkansas, Thompson has
the availability of resources, along disabilitypolicyresearch.org/events/ lived in Little Rock for the past
with aligning this with the needs of csdp-webinar-030118 18 years. When not working,
our job seekers, then very often our she enjoys reading, playing
basketball, racquetball,
traveling, and meeting
Program Spotlight: Apprenticeship new people. Thompson is
a diehard football fan who
ffice of Skills Development Apprenticeship programs can can’t wait for each season to
(OSD), a division of the work for companies of all sizes, not begin. Her passion is helping
OArkansas Department of just large ones. Only one apprentice others through the outreach
Career Education, oversees the may constitute the establishment of an homeless ministry at her
apprenticeship programs for the apprenticeship program. church.
state. There are eighty-nine programs To inquire about establishing
providing education and structured, an apprenticeship program, a
on-the-job training to almost 4,000 representative of the Office of
apprentices, primarily professionals Apprenticeship or the State
requiring certifications and licenses, Apprenticeship Office will explain
such as plumbers and electricians. in detail how the apprenticeship
An apprenticeship is a program works. They can also help
relationship between an employer in developing a training program to fit
and an employee during which the an employer's specific needs and can
worker, or apprentice, learns a trade. act as a liaison to local educational
Training lasts a specified length of institutions that can provide classroom
time depending on the trade. An or related instruction.
apprenticeship covers all aspects of Visit ARCareerEd.org/services/ Lisa A. Thompson,
the trade and includes both on-the-job skills-development/apprenticeship for Personnel Manager
training and related instruction. more information.

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