EMPLOYER GUIDE/Frequently Asked Questions
What jobs are eligible?
Job Pathway is intended to encourage employment and help recruit workers to Wishek by providing scholarships and loan repayment for those careers that are included in the North Dakota Career Builders high-need and emerging occupations list. Click here to download/view the list.
How can Job Pathway help my business recruit staff?
Recruiting employees from outside North Dakota, or even the south central region near Wishek, can be difficult in a tight job market with multiple employment options. Job Pathway is intended to give local employers a recruiting edge by providing funds for scholarships and loan repayment to attract new staff. Wishek JDA will provide the business as much as $5000 when the employer commits $10,000 in scholarship or loan repayment incentives to a new staff member. In addition, North Dakota Career Builders will match as much as $8500. It is important for your business to share this option in recruitment advertising and marketing materials.
What is the benefit of offering a job shadowing experience?
Students and other adults seeking new employment often do not fully appreciate what your business and your industry has to offer or whether they may even have the interest or aptitude to apply for an open position. Creating a job shadowing experience for a student or already employed job seeker can serve as an extended interview leading to permanent employment. JDA will provide up to $500 in matching dollars to businesses that host a job shadowing experience. Businesses can offer multiple job shadowing experiences and request funds from JDA.
How should job shadowing experiences be developed and structured.
Spending time to plan the experience is critical. Begin by determining what you think the student/candidate should learn and what you might want to assess when creating a schedule of activities. Job shadowing is not the same as training, but the activity should be hands-on and specific for the student/candidate to gain knowledge and understanding of various tasks they might actually be doing as a permanent employee. Be flexible in scheduling to avoid missing out on a potential new staff member.
What are Job Pathway relocation benefits?
Any Wishek business that provides a new full-time staff member relocation assistance can receive reimbursement from JDA. A minimum of $250 is available or $2 per mile relocated to a maximum of $2500.
What is the maximum amount of Job Pathway funds available to a single business?
An individual business qualifies for up to $5000 in a single year and $10,000 total for the lifetime of the business. These funding limits are subject to JDA annual budget allocations and apply and carry over if the business is sold and under new ownership. Relocation benefits and job shadowing funds count toward the annual and lifetime limits.
How and when can my business obtain Job Pathway funds?
There is no formal application process. Rather, the business should contact JDA to outline their plans and confirm what funds are available. JDA only provides Job Pathway funds after the business submits documentation and receipts of money expended. Download/view the reimbursement form here.
What are some recruitment strategies my business should consider?
To start, make sure any potential job candidates and students know you are willing to provide a job shadowing experience, a potential scholarship, loan repayment and/or relocation assistance. Use social media, print publications, industry periodicals or any other means. Always include a link to Job Pathway on www.wishek-nd.com. You should also proactively plan opportunities/events to engage with high school students and job candidates by hosting an open house at your business or a lunch and greet event at the local school, restaurant or meeting place. Be ready to "sell" why your business and a career in your industry are worth pursuing. The more you share the more likely you are to generate interest and attract future staff. Attend job fairs and contact job placement officers at schools and training programs that align with the job skills you need for currently available or future positions. Job Pathway was designed to help cover additional costs, but the real work depends on the employer.
MORE QUESTIONS?? Call the Wishek Job Development Authority at 701-452-2371 or send an e-mail to wishekjda@bektel.com.