In the Headlines

At the end of November 2009, Santa Barbara, California job seekers and employers will have a new tool at their disposal to assist them in finding suitable jobs, locating training opportunities and identifying skilled candidates. The new Santa Barbara Virtual OneStop will be a state-of-the-art website that provides universal access to online services for individuals seeking jobs and employers seeking employees.

In California, Geographic Solutions currently provides Workforce Investment Act (WIA) case management systems to 12 local workforce boards. These systems all interface with the California Job Training Automation (JTA) system. The Virtual OneStop systems contain comprehensive forms used for WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker eligibility. These forms match the California Employment Development Department/JTA WIA forms. In fact, all of the data entry rules in JTA are mirrored in Virtual OneStop, preventing inaccurate or duplicate data entry.

Built using Version 10.05 of Geographic Solutions' Virtual OneStop software, the system will provide users with a wide array of employment-related services. Job seekers will be able to search for available jobs in the State of California using a search engine that 'spiders' jobs from company and government websites, newspaper postings and corporate job boards. Job searches can be conducted for a radius of a zip code, by city or county, by metropolitan or workforce area, or on a statewide basis. Job seekers will be able to search for training opportunities within the system and employers can have access to recent training graduates. Employers can search for talent and rank the candidates using the automated system. All of the services provided are available at no charge to Job seekers and employers.

Santa Barbara's Virtual OneStop will provide staff with the most cutting-edge job matching and referral system. All services provided to employers or job seekers, whether self-service or staff-assisted, will be accounted for and used to improve agency performance and regional economic growth initiatives. To help with service tracking, Virtual OneStop will include a scan card module (VOScan) that provides automated tracking of services and events. Through the use of scan card readers, data is transferred to the centralized database in real time, via the Internet. Case Managers can also enter and track individuals' financial aid, budgeting, employment plans, training attendance and WIA case management.

Virtual OneStop will provide Labor Market Information and skill requirements for the job listed. Job seekers can develop resumes and cover letters and then submit them directly to the employer online. Job seekers will now be able to search for 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act initiatives such as Green Jobs, Veteran-Preferred jobs, Summer Youth, etc. Version 10.05 will manage innovative employment programs such as unemployment insurance, welfare transition and aid in monitoring economic growth initiatives for Santa Barbara.