Retraining of former Century Aluminum workers an uphill climb

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Since the Century Aluminum plant near Ravenswood closed five months ago and threw 650 people out of work, the county's unemployment rate has soared and the promised placement programs have had few tangible successes. At least 554 former Century workers have applied for unemployment benefits since the plant closed in February. State officials couldn't immediately determine how many still are drawing benefits. When the plant was up and running, Century was the third largest employer in Jackson County. The average worker made $51,000 annually. Century closed its 52-year-old smelter south of Ravenswood because of the poor market for aluminum. Since then, the number of people in Jackson looking for work has continued to increase. Before the layoffs, the January unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in the county. In June it was 14.3 percent, meaning at least 1,700 county residents are now without work, and that rate is much higher than the state rate of 9.4 percent. This time last year Jackson County's rate was 4.8 percent, only slightly higher than the state average at the time. About 500 Jackson County workers were counted as unemployed in June 2008. Records indicate few of the former Century workers have yet received or taken advantage of much of the government help they were promised as they were being laid off. While 464 former Century workers have received some services from WorkForce West Virginia since February, including resume updating and job searching, few of those services have led to new work or caused workers to take advantage of job training benefits, including the chance to go to college. While workshops begin this week for former Century employees who are looking to take part in a federal job-training program, the sessions come two months later than expected. The wait for the federal program to kick in appears also to have led to little participation in the state's own career search and training programs. Of the workers using the state's job searching system, 52 were referred to other jobs, resulting in at least 22 hires since February, according to cases tracked by the WorkForce West Virginia. The system does not track all the jobs workers find, so officials say the number is sure to be higher. Also, few employees have received or taken advantage of money for job retraining that officials touted in a February career fair for Century employees. About 50 former Century employees, or fewer than one in 10, have taken advantage of state support that pays for school or retraining. Those 50 are likely going to a community college or vocation school, getting a career certification or taking specific training for jobs like truck driving or coal mining, according to WorkForce data. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Since the Century Aluminum plant near Ravenswood closed five months ago and threw 650 people out of work, the county's unemployment rate has soared and the promised placement programs have had few tangible successes. At least 554 former Century workers have applied for unemployment benefits since the plant closed in February. State officials couldn't immediately determine how many still are drawing benefits. When the plant was up and running, Century was the third largest employer in Jackson County. The average worker made $51,000 annually. Century closed its 52-year-old smelter south of Ravenswood because of the poor market for aluminum. Since then, the number of people in Jackson looking for work has continued to increase. Before the layoffs, the January unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in the county. In June it was 14.3 percent, meaning at least 1,700 county residents are now without work, and that rate is much higher than the state rate of 9.4 percent. This time last year Jackson County's rate was 4.8 percent, only slightly higher than the state average at the time. About 500 Jackson County workers were counted as unemployed in June 2008. Records indicate few of the former Century workers have yet received or taken advantage of much of the government help they were promised as they were being laid off. While 464 former Century workers have received some services from WorkForce West Virginia since February, including resume updating and job searching, few of those services have led to new work or caused workers to take advantage of job training benefits, including the chance to go to college. While workshops begin this week for former Century employees who are looking to take part in a federal job-training program, the sessions come two months later than expected. The wait for the federal program to kick in appears also to have led to little participation in the state's own career search and training programs. Of the workers using the state's job searching system, 52 were referred to other jobs, resulting in at least 22 hires since February, according to cases tracked by the WorkForce West Virginia. The system does not track all the jobs workers find, so officials say the number is sure to be higher. Also, few employees have received or taken advantage of money for job retraining that officials touted in a February career fair for Century employees. About 50 former Century employees, or fewer than one in 10, have taken advantage of state support that pays for school or retraining. Those 50 are likely going to a community college or vocation school, getting a career certification or taking specific training for jobs like truck driving or coal mining, according to WorkForce data. Joyce Okes, the program director for the Mid-Ohio Valley Workforce Investment Board, said that typically fewer than 50 percent of people who get laid off pursue training, but the number increases with the length of time they are unemployed. "I would tell you that within the next two months I would expect the number of Century employees seeking training assistance to increase," Okes said. Part of the hold-up may just be timing. The workers were laid off in the middle of the spring semester at most colleges. Another factor may be the delay in benefits from a federal program, the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which is designed to help workers who lose their jobs because of foreign trade. Benefits from the trade assistance program are just starting to roll in. Monday is the first day of a week of sessions for former Century employees to find out about their benefits under the package, which include free tuition for college or other job training, help paying for health care and allowances for job searching and to support families while the laid-off worker takes classes. But the federal help is coming two months later than expected. At a career fair held in Ripley just as the plant was closing, state officials said the workers could begin receiving benefits by May, just in time for some to enroll in summer classes. But a significant increase in the benefits package by Congress delayed the application. The changes, which were included in the massive federal stimulus package, enhanced the package and extended the length of time dislocated workers could receive help. Those extended benefits applied, however, only to groups of workers whose applications were received after May 18. This led the Century workers to hold off applying to wait for the new package to kick in. It appears that many other groups of laid-off employees did the same. In the one-month period from April 18 through May 17, 111 groups across the country filed for benefits under the program. In the one-month period starting May 18, when the changes took effect, 1,318 groups of laid-off workers applied, according to U.S. Department of Labor. Okes said while former Century workers were waiting for the federal package to come through, they could have used the state's program to get started in college. The differences are significant. The federal package offers $20,000 for tuition. The state offers only about $8,000 total. But the money might have been enough to get some employees started in summer courses. Many long-time employees are receiving supplemental pay from Century in addition to unemployment benefits. It's not clear how significant the severance pay is, but because of it many former employees may not yet be feeling the pinch to look for new work. Matt Turner, spokesman for Gov. Joe Manchin, said the governor remains committed to everyone who has lost their jobs and hopes they are aware of the services available. He said the job retraining is important because it's not just an unemployment check but a way to find a new living. "If there are other ways they can pick up other skills or enhance existing skills, that has the hope that it will create additional opportunities for them and they will be made aware of other skills being sought by employers," Turner said. He said if state officials didn't reach Century workers earlier this year he encourages them to call the governor's office or WorkForce West Virginia. But he said training isn't the same as having a steady job. "Nothing instantly replaces a good manufacturing job, and we know that," Turner said.