On the job training is a wonderful solution!
One of the greatest frustrations for people engaged in a job search, is the ‘experience required’ stipulation. Talented, energetic people who want nothing more than a chance to prove themselves are turned down simply because they haven’t done the job before, or even because they haven’t been able to find work for a while. It often seems unfair, but one can’t blame the employer for seeking the best candidate.
AMS Fulfillment of Valencia, along with the City of Santa Clarita, College of the Canyons, South Bay Workforce Investment Board and JVSLA, have found a solution that really has no downside. The communities benefit, the company benefits, the social service organizations succeed, and the people who have been looking for a chance to prove what they can do for themselves and their families find an open door.
In a recent interview with Scott Tsunoda, Talent Acquisition and Development Manager at AMS, the benefit to all involved was explained. Scott said, “We are often in a position to hire seasonal staff, special project staff, and even full-time staff here at AMS. Most of the positions are in the warehouses, doing picking, packing and shipping and operating a forklift. These organizations have made it possible for us to serve the community and the job-seekers by providing on-the-job training.”
Scott explained that the City of Santa Clarita and College of the Canyons work together to find the candidates, and when the candidate is hired, they pay a share of the salary while the employee is being trained. “This allows us to take the time in training the candidate,” he explained, “giving them job skills to go on their resume, or, they may become permanent employees. The South Bay Workforce Investment Board does a similar work in partnership with the Jewish Vocational Service LA (JVSLA). The employment candidates are offered by these organizations, and when we have open positions we let them know.”
An additional benefit to AMS, according to Scott, is that the employment search is eased, especially when AMS has a seasonal rush or a big project requiring staffing for 4-6 weeks. Scott said, “By partnering with these organizations, we continue our community involvement and service, and it allows us to leverage the opportunity to utilize additional labor and funding sources to assist in creating more employment opportunities as well.”
AMS has a long history of community involvement, employing veterans, the developmentally disabled, at-risk youth, seniors and college students. “We do it because it works,” Scott said, “and it does feel good too, to know that people who may have needed a job for some time, now can have the training to make themselves employable in the future, either here at AMS or elsewhere.”
