Workforce Center

Mission

Our mission is to administer effective programs to promote the core goal of employment. Our vision is to provide a high quality of Workforce Center services to our participants that will develop a skilled workforce and eliminate barriers to meet their self-defined goals for family self-sufficiency. We also intend to collaborate with area employers and other agencies to make opportunities for job creation, retention, and development of a prepared, skilled workforce especially in high-demand, high-wage careers.

Key Agency Goals

1. Promote wellness and traditional living in our people
2. Provide client-centered services, that are professional and respectful, to honor our people
3. Increase education/training levels that lead to livable wages for our people
4. Support area employers and traditional occupations
5. Increase employment opportunities in targeted industries

The Employment Services Program is designed to assist low income, unemployed, and underemployed members and descendants of federally recognized tribes residing 30 days or more on or near the White Earth Reservation who are 14 years old or over to seek and retain employment.

Employment Services offers you the opportunity to create a career ladder focusing on obtaining an occupation based on your interests. Employment Services may assist you to obtain job skills and find and retain satisfying employment leading to self-sufficiency.

Components of Employment Services may include:

• Career Interest Assessment
• Career Skills Assessment
• Employment Plan of Action
• Job Readiness, Search & Placement
• Career Case Management Assistance
• Supportive Services and Referrals
• Short-term job-related training asst.
• Work Experience and On-the-Job Training

The Employment Services Youth Program (SYEP) offers a summer program to provide job skills, education, work experience, & summer youth employment. Activities depend on the participant’s age. They may include the same services as the adult program but are primarily done during the summer program.

Growth Opportunities Program is a new pilot project to assist 18 – 24 years that have barriers with education, courts and work as a diversion, driver’s license fees and other needs also mental/chemical/substance abuse issues as barriers to employment. We will be serving over 120 young adults over the next 3 years. Driver’s training thought Zoom completing their diplomas and attaining their GEDS, we will cover the expenditures to achieve these goals, and provide a $100.00 stipend for the completion of a Driver’s License and Diploma/GED will be our measurements of success. Also assisting with access to Construction opportunities and training with area contractors and Unions.

Work for exterior projects for elders: winterization, porches and sidewalk clearing, cemetery fencing for our traditional cemeteries, environmental clean ups for natural resources, office building clean ups, program day staffing, loading, or unloading trucks, limited to $100.00 for a 6-hour shift targeting community assistance areas.

On call for the Shooting Star Casino, filling several entry level openings as needed providing our Enrolled Members and Descendants an opportunity to try out positions and move toward full time employment in the hospitality industry, they are paid at the rate of $16.00 per hour and cannot work over 8 hours per day per shift.

Quest Dislocated Workers Program will be serving 55 people per year for 2 years to train in Covid-19 related disaster assistance to provide employment and training services to clients affected by lay-offs: Self-Employed Business-related losses, Long Term unemployed/ underemployed Tribal members/descendants due to hiring freezes. We are targeting to train many CDL drivers for services that were affected during the pandemic through White Earth Tribal and Community College, and/or transitional employment related to training, partnerships with Tribal entities and private employers to ensure trainees are place into appropriate employment options.

The Direct Employment Assistance program is designed to enhance the employability of our adult tribal members who live on or near the White Earth Reservation. The DEA program goal is to provide immediate financial assistance while starting employment and awaiting your first payroll check. Participants must be unemployed six months prior to the date of the DEA application and accept 40 hours per week permanent employment to be considered to receive the $100 financial award.

White Earth Tribal Employment Service Program provides employment services to tribally enrolled members and descendants who are eligible for the Minnesota Family Investment Program and the Diversionary Work Program. White Earth Nation Financial Services provides mandatory referrals for those residing in Becker, Mahnomen, and Clearwater counties. Referrals are made through Maxis and Workforce One systems.

Services are designed to increase financial independence and work towards self-sufficiency. Our trained job counselors provide an orientation to the world of work by assisting job seekers with job search activities. Individualized employability assessments are completed, and employment plans are geared to address all areas of the assessment.

Services are based on employment plans. Referrals to other agencies, assistance with employment applications and resume writing along with transportation and childcare assistance are covered in the employment plan.

TERO is a tribal enforcement and compliance program which monitors employees to ensure optimal benefit is obtained from federal, state, and tribal employment laws, regulations and procedures for White Earth enrolled members and/or Indians of federally recognized tribes to access employment and claim a fair share of jobs and business opportunities on and off the White Earth Reservation.

TERO increases the opportunities for enrolled tribal members of federally recognized tribes by establishing:

1. TERO Construction referrals through Gitaamagozi (Hard Work) which provides a job bank for construction clients that identify individuals with experience or training seeking employment in the construction areas; Certified Indian Owned Business, Contractor, Indian sub-contractor or one that is interested in referrals for employment. TERO provides referrals to construction projects on or near the reservation. Indian: shall mean and include any individual who is an enrolled member of an Indian tribe with a tribal enrollment number.

2. TERO Temp Program: The Giizhaa (Ready at Hand) program, which provides temporary employees to Shooting Star Casino and White Earth Tribal Entities, to fulfill the needs when there are departmental shortages, and increase access to employment for White Earth enrolled members and descendants. TERO temps also increase work experience and the opportunity to use a variety of skills that have been attained by our tribal members through experience or on the job training.

TERO provides training opportunities by partnering with MN/DOT-TESS, MNSCU and the tribal entities in the region.

During time TERO has provided Flagger Training in the Spring, OSHA, Pipeline safety, Job Fairs, and has offered many opportunities to access employment in a variety of construction positions, through referrals to unions, private industry and construction companies and MN/DOT projects. Construction referrals may require regional travel, a driver’s license, and a vehicle to retain employment.

TERO offers employment assistance and support as it partners with other services of the reservation, so that clients can find gainful employment toward self-sufficiency and independence.

TERO monitors companies, wages, and provides on-site checks to ensure that all projects are in compliance. TERO certifies Indian Owned Businesses and companies on and off the White Earth Reservation.