Phil Castle, The Business Times

Larry Skaff faces the same challenge every time he hires a new employee for his medical software firm in Grand Junction.

Skaff pays not only the salary of a new hire during the six months to a year it typically takes for that person to gain sufficient knowledge and experience to become productive, but also a portion of the salaries of other employees involved in training. “It’s like a double whammy for us,” said Skaff, owner of Focus Technology Group.

Skaff has found assistance, though, through programs administered by the Mesa County Workforce Center, including reimbursement for wages to offset the cost of training. “It’s a great help for the business.”

Skaff is hardly unique among local employers who might need additional staffing, but remain reluctant to hire because of the costs and risks involved, said Hollie VanRoosendaal, a senior employment specialist who oversees on-the-job training and internship programs at the center. “The cost of training someone is very significant,”

But that’s where the programs offer assistance in testing and assessing the skills of candidates, connecting employers with qualified candidates and covering a portion of their salaries during training, VanRoosendaal said.

The programs also benefit employees in helping them get the training and experience they need to start or change careers, she said.

The end result is among the primary goals of the Mesa County Workforce Center, she added, and that’s local work force development.

Federal legislation earmarks funding for training programs for the unemployed and underemployed to both help them with career transitions and fill local positions in high demand, VanRoosendaal said.

Prospective employees who are at least 18 years old, have registered for Selective Service and are United States citizens or have legal authority to work in the U.S. are eligible to participate, she said.

The center works with prospective employees to assess such skills as applied math, reading for information and locating information. The center also assesses other skills and interests as they apply to specific fields as well as work values. In addition, employees receive assistance with preparing resumes and presenting themselves for interviews and work, she said.

Employers who’d like to participate need only notify the center about their interest prior to bringing on an applicant, VanRoosendaal said. Employers and the center reach agreements on the proportion and duration at which wages will be reimbursed. Agreements are based on such criteria as the occupation for which an employee is being trained, the content of that training, the prior work experience of an employee and available funding, she added.

Funding could be available to reimburse an employer for 50 percent to 90 percent of wages during that duration, she said.

Employers can refer candidates to the Mesa County Workforce Center prior to participating in an internship or on-the-job training program or choose from among potential candidates the center has screened, VanRoosendaal said. Either way, employers participate in the selection process.

Right now, there are more candidates than employers involved in the programs, so VanRoosendaal said she hopes to recruit more employers interested in trying out the candidates in internship or on-the-job training positions.

The programs are open to businesses, but also nonprofit organizations, she said.

One important aspect of the program, she said, is that employers are under no obligation to hire an employee at the end of the agreement period, only consider them for a position.

However, participating employers often find good candidates for full-time positions and enjoy the opportunity to assess how well they perform without the risk of a commitment, she said.

The center can continue to assist employers in offering additional training to their employees, including instruction in a variety of popular computer programs. Customized training also is available, VanRoosendaal said.

Still other efforts help to fill positions that are in high demand, she said, including training for people who want to enter the health care field and instruction for over-the-road truck drivers.

Skaff said he’s taken advantage of Mesa County Workforce Center programs in hiring for several positions with Focus Technology Group. The company serves as a vendor for electronic records management and scheduling and billing software for medical practices. Skaff moved the business to Grand Junction in 1994, but has worked in the field since 1984.

Skaff said the programs help to reduce the cost, and therefore the risk, involved in hiring and training new employees.

“I would absolutely recommend this to people,” he said.

For more information about internship and on-the-job training programs offered at the Mesa County Workforce Center, call Hollie VanRoosendaal at 248-0866.