WDBSCW Executive Director Pat Schramm joined Executive Director Diana Shinall and staff for the ribbon cutting at T.J. Brokerage Support Firm, Inc.

WDBSCW Board member Ed Clarke joins Tom Clippert of the WIA WorkSmart Program, Lussier Education Center Director Paul Terranova, Lussier Volunteer Coordinator Jeanne Mitchell, and Lussier's Assistant Director Susan Ramspacher.

Job seekers can use their local Access Point to search for jobs, apply for public assistance, access workforce services and resources on site, and get referred to additional workforce help throughout the region.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 20, 2012

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD OF SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF TWO NEW SERVICE LOCATIONS TO SERVE SOUTHWEST MADISON

MADISON, WI—The Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin announces the grand opening of two new WorkSmart Access Point service locations in the southwest Madison community.

These new WorkSmart Access Points will expand job seeker services within the southwest Madison community with a location at 4518 Verona Road, housed within T.J.’s Brokerage Support Firm, Inc. facility, and 55 S. Gammon Road, housed within the Lussier Community Education Center. Grand openings will held on Thursday, June 21 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at T.J’s Brokerage Support Firm, Inc. and 5:45 p.m.‐6:45 p.m. at the Lussier Community Education Center in collaboration with Lussier’s community dinner. The celebrations will include a ribbon cutting and tours of the new service locations.

WorkSmart Access Points serve as smaller, satellite sites to Job Centers and provide customers local access to quality workforce resources and information. The new locations will give job seekers increased access to computers and Internet to search for jobs, work on resumes, apply for public assistance programs, get referrals to career and training programs and services, and get connected with their Job Center—all at the center of their local community.

“We are proud to serve residents of these Madison neighborhoods and bring a needed service to this community,” says Pat Schramm, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin. “Job seekers have grown to expect quality workforce services to be available here in the community and across the region—and it is undeniably the strong partnerships with community partners including Lussier Community Education Center and T.J.’s Brokerage Support Firm, Inc. that make that possible.”

The Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin has 16 WorkSmart Access Point service locations across South Central Wisconsin. More than 2,800 customer visits were made to a WorkSmart Access Point in 2011.

"It has been our goal to meet the needs of the community and this Access Point, in collaboration with the Workforce Development Board, will allow us to do just that,” says Diana Shinall, Executive Director of T.J.’s Brokerage Support Firm, Inc. “A few steps from their doors, they will be able to write resumes, apply for positions, and handle all of their needs near home. We are truly excited about this new addition to our services and look forward to continually meeting the needs of the people of the community.”

“We are so grateful to have these resources right here in the center,” adds Paul Terranova, Executive Director of the Lussier Community Education Center. “We know how hard life is for those trying to find work in this economy, and anything we can do to support them is critical.”

Both WorkSmart Access Points have support staff available to assist customers throughout the week. Staffed service hours at the Lussier Community Education Center WorkSmart Access Point are Mondays and Thursdays, 12 p.m.‐2 p.m. The WorkSmart Access Point at T.J.’s Brokerage Support Firm, Inc. is open to serve customers Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m.‐9 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays, 8 a.m.‐5 p.m. For more information about WorkSmart Access Points, visit www.comeherefirst.org.

About the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin

The Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin serves a six‐county area to make positive economic change in the local area and beyond. It is a one‐stop workforce development connection for businesses, workers and leaders in Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Marquette and Sauk counties. We also work with people and organizations throughout the region to make our area a better place to work and do business. For more information, visit www.wdbscw.org.

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Contact: Jackie Rinzel, Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin, 608.249.9001 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it