WorkSource Spokane offers resources for unemployed

Sat., Aug. 13, 2005

The Spokesman-Review

People who lose their jobs have a variety of options, said Susan Odle of Washington state Employment Security Department, which serves the unemployed through a partnership called WorkSource Spokane.

As an employment training services program manager, she leads a team that connects people with training to secure new positions – a job she calls rewarding.

Unemployed workers can access state and federal funds to pay for additional schooling or training by drafting career plans. If their plans are approved, they can take classes to expand their professional knowledge or train for other careers.

Federal funds increase educational options and cover more elaborate training for those who lose jobs to overseas plants.

A number of former Kaiser steelworkers qualified for state and federal funds that paid for retraining. Most chose to stay in industrial positions, Odle said, training to become truck drivers, heavy-equipment operators, mechanics and machinists.

Licensed practical nurses laid off from Sacred Heart Medical Center qualified for special state funds that pay for schooling to become registered nurses. The hospital has pledged to give those registered nurses preference when hiring.

Some former Metropolitan Mortgage and Security Co. employees accessed state-funded training, she said. “I would say the Metropolitan Mortgage folks had office skills that enabled them to re-enter in office or general finance industries.”

For more information about employment retraining programs offered through WorkSource Spokane, visit the office at 130 S. Arthur St., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.