Patti McGarvey-Special to the Sun

The time is nearing when the doors will close for good on the local Career Services Center office, currently located in the Kern Valley Plaza in Lake Isabella.

The doors are closing at their present facility, but that doesn't mean they are leaving the valley. Where will they go? Donna Moreno, supervisor of the current office, gave the information so that the public will know where to go for services. The staff for the Department of Human Services (DHS) will be relocated to the Kern County Services Building, 7050 Lake Isabella Blvd, Lake Isabella (next to the Kern County Library). The Social Service workers, the Program Specialist and the Office Services Technician for Community Connection for Childcare, as well as Employers Training Resource, will all relocate to the Family Resource Center in the Veterans/Senior Center complex in Lake Isabella at 6401 Lake Isabella Blvd. So will Facilitator Annette Brown and Moreno.

"The phone number is unknown at this time, but clients should continue to call the current phone number for information - (760) 379-6000 - or the CSC toll free number 1-800-203-2623, said Moreno.

The current location in Kern Valley Plaza will be discontinuing services as of Jan. 31, and current staff will be transferred to their designated offices and providing services at their new locations as of Feb. 1.

"Luckily, no layoffs were incurred and services will be maintained almost as (they) were provided at the current CSC with same personnel, only at differing locations," said Moreno.

She added the Department of Human Services staff will be providing the same services for Cal Work and Welfare-To-Work clients. These DHS clients may be referred to ETR for employment and training assistance.

The current hours of operation for CSC are Monday-Friday 8-5, and this will stay the same at the new location.

DHS hours are different because staff is unavailable to see clients on Fridays.

"Please note that CCCC will be continuing to collaborate with DHS and ETR for childcare assistance for eligible clients, and that childcare providers and recipients will be coming to the new address for services and consultations," Moreno said.

ETR will be continuing employment services to referred clients as well as walk-in job seekers who are not recipients of any county assistance.

Services will be available for job seekers to use ongoing services such as computers for job search, resume preparation and critique; Cal Jobs job order data base referrals, job search related items, copying and faxing services, job training orientations and enrollment, as well as employment consultations.

The only changes to the public at the present time are that the partnering CSC agency representatives are not located under the same roof and communication will be continued by phone or electronically.

Current clients who have been using the CSC for job search and training opportunities will receive similar services at the new location of 6401 Lake Isabella Blvd.

"Current and new employers who would like to use our services in placing job orders and referring job applicants may continue to call the (760) 379-6000 to inquire of services until further notice of phone number changes," said Moreno.

"This is a positive move for the Kern River Valley area in that most services of the CSC are being maintained and not lost, so residents of the community can still have local access to employment services, disability forms, computer usage, and copying, faxing, referring services without traveling to Bakersfield or Ridgecrest," Moreno said.

At present, Moreno says she is not sure if they will have the hot line to the Employment Development Department or additional phones available for job search purposes.

"We are looking into maintaining typing certificate services, but these are the only questionable services I am aware of at this time," said Moreno.

With access to computers, clients can apply online for unemployment claims and employment applications (which many employers are encouraging), and the typing tutorial is available for anyone to learn typing or enhance typing speed as well as the computer tutorial that provides self training on Windows, Word, Excel, Power Point, Internet and e-mail usage.

Moreno was transferred from the Stockdale CSC to Lake Isabella CSC when the office first opened in February 1999 as a Job Developer. Then she was promoted to Program Supervisor in August of 1999 and was assigned to supervise three Career Service Centers, (Lake Isabella, Mojave, and South Union in Bakersfield) and monitored staff assigned to Welfare-To-Work programs at four CSC sites.

"With being co-located in the same building offering additional services of the Family Resource Center, we actually will be able to offer more services than before," Moreno said. We look forward to the new location to continue current as well as additional referral services for job seekers and employers," said Moreno.

"We are happy to be able to continue providing excellent customer service through our job and training opportunities for the people in the Kern River Valley and we definitely appreciate the support of the community, the county and the school agencies as well as the Kern River Valley Collaborative and we look forward to working together in fulfilling more successes for job seekers and employers in the coming years," said Moreno.