MOHAVE COUNTY – The perks of Mohave Community College’s Workforce Excellence Series are already on display in Mohave County. From organizational management to leadership skills and more, a number of municipal departments are reaping the benefits of courses tailored to their specific needs.
MCC’s Workforce Excellence Series provides individuals, companies and organizations with a personalized approach to enhancing soft skills. Those skills, including customer service, resolving conflict and successful communication, launch individuals and organizations to the next level of service.
Several Lake Havasu City employees took part in the first Workforce Excellence Series, which is tailored not only for government workers but all businesses and anyone who wants to learn or improve skills that will help them in their career or their search for a career.
However, goals change from person to person and business to business. That’s why facilitator Dr. Lance Northey says the series is far from a cookie-cutter experience for participants.
“You meet for a needs assessment, which is important for any type of change when building individual and organizational capacity or capability,” Northey says. “We also have weekly conversations with city officials to make sure weíre meeting the needs of the participants, and to make sure weíre aligned with their goals and plans.”
While lessons may take place in the classroom, each is designed to give participants tangible takeaways that can be implemented at work. Improving those soft skills streamlines operational efficiency, a business trait of which customers are likely to take notice.
“We listen to their needs and put together a program that benefits them, and that they can implement immediately to make their lives easier and their customers’ lives easier,” Northey says. “We utilize industry best practices but we combine that information with the real-world considerations.”
While the Workforce Excellence Series works with businesses and organizations to tailor experiences, individuals can also take advantage of the program. Perhaps they want to solidify their employment, position themselves for upward mobility or even change careers ñ MCCís series provides employees with the tools to accomplish all of the above.†
“The series gives individuals the opportunity to stay within our community instead of reaching outside of Mohave County for employment,” says Sandy Desmarteau, MCC’s Corporate and Community Education Program Manager in Lake Havasu City. “MCC is now offering a program that gives individuals the opportunity to grow within a business while potentially offering them a higher-paying position at that business.”
She adds that businesses and organizations will have a larger, local talent pool from which to work, lessening the likelihood of time and resources being spent acquiring out-of-state employees.
“In my 30-year career, Iíve only seen this done twice,” Northey says. “You have to applaud Lake Havasu City because this cohort encompasses law enforcement, utilities, transportation and more.”
“Lake Havasu City has made a commitment to invest in our team,” says Lake Havasu City Mayor Cal Sheehy, an MCC alumnus.
“The programs offered by Mohave Community College allows us to offer a comprehensive and first-class educational series to prepare our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.”
Mohave Community College and ARIZONA@WORK are partnering to boost workforce training and offer tuition coverage for unemployed and underemployed residents throughout the region.
“Our shared vision revolves around empowering those individuals who aspire to secure high-wage employment opportunities by equipping them with the necessary training and education support,” says Sara Ungaro, Workforce Development Manager for ARIZONA@WORK.
MCC’s full list of Workforce Excellence Series courses, some of which start in October 2023, can be accessed at Mohave.edu/workforce. For questions or more information, contact Dr. Wendy Reisinger, Associate Dean, Corporate Education, Business Development & Workforce Training Programs, at wreisinger@mohave.edu.
