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Workforce System Serves Laid Off Workers MultiLayer Coating Technologies LLC is closing its’ doors after an attempt at salvaging the former Polaroid site. Sixty (60) employees were laid off in late June of this year with another 168 lay offs on November 2, 2007. The few remaining employees will lose their jobs by the end of the year. Many of the affected people were long term employees, and a good number are over 50 years of age, making new job search somewhat daunting. The skills learned at Polaroid should afford many an opportunity for new employment. As a part of the Massachusetts and Greater New Bedford workforce development system, there are staff dedicated to working with former employees of companies like MultiLayer to support them in their search for work and for retraining, if necessary. Staff from the State’s Rapid Response Team and the Greater New Bedford Career Center have already begun meetings with the MultiLayer former employees to make them aware of the services available at the Career Center and to conduct assessments to determine job needs, and levels of interest in job training. The Career Center has a dedicated job developer assigned to assist this group to funnel the affected employees into workshops and other services. Dedicated funds available for dislocated workers will be used when training and services needed are determined for this group. There is a small amount of dislocated worker funds remaining in a local allocation to serve displaced workers from a prior business closure, however, additional funds for MultiLayer former employees will be requested, if necessary, once the assessment of needs is completed. MultiLayer has already applied to the U.S. Department of Labor for the former employees to receive a broader range of benefits and training under a program that assists people who have lost their jobs due to overseas competition. The application for that designation is pending. On another note, City and Business Park officials are making an effort to bring new business into the soon to be closed facility. One major European firm viewed the site during October and another major company is expected to see the property soon. In partnership, the Workforce Development System of Greater New Bedford was represented by the Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment Board at the meeting held in October with the European firm to present an overview of the services available locally to support a trained and job ready workforce. 227 Union Street, Suite 206, New Bedford, MA 02740-5946 PH 508.979.1504 • FAX 508.979.5680 E-mail: Webmaster@gnbwib.org |