SACRAMENTO — The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has awarded the Madera County Workforce Investment Board an emergency grant of $500,000 to assist workers laid-off from the October closure of the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in Coarsegold.
“The sudden closure of this important local business severely impacted more than 1,000 people who are suddenly without work, and many others whose jobs were dependent on the casino,” said EDD Director Patrick W. Henning, Jr. “This grant will provide needed employment resources, such as retraining, résumé writing classes, interview preparation, and job-search services, that will help them secure new jobs as quickly as possible.”
The grant will fund local efforts to prepare the laid-off workers to seek new employment in one of the region’s top industry sectors. These include transportation and logistics, advanced manufacturing, agri-business, renewable/alternative energy, tourism/hospitality, and healthcare.
America’s Job Center of California staff in Madera and Chowchilla will conduct individual and comprehensive assessments to evaluate workers’ strengths, transferable skills, training and support needs. The Madera County Workforce Investment Board will also collaborate with local adult schools, community colleges, training providers, and local employers to provide skills upgrade courses, on-the-job training, direct vocational training, and supportive services...