Florida's Workforce Ambassadors

Parker

Green Circle Bio Energy: Partnering with Workforce for Talent in a Rural Economy

Kelly Parker, Human Resources and Safety Manager

Green Circle Bio Energy Inc. – a leading producer of wood pellets used in European coal power plants as an alternative energy source – turns to Chipola Workforce Board to meet talent and training needs. A member of the Employ Florida network, Chipola Workforce Board provides workforce services to businesses and jobs seekers in Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty and Washington counties.

Green Circle Human Resources and Safety Manager Kelly Parker values Chipola’s array of business services, including candidate recruitment and screening that begin with the Employ Florida Marketplace at EmployFlorida.com. Most importantly, she values the top-notch talent connections made by Chipola Workforce Board.

“I’m very happy with the quality of applicants referred by Chipola Workforce Board,” said Parker said. “They come in ready to work, with great skills, attitudes and work ethic. Though I’ve only been here a short while, I already am interested in expanding Green Circle’s use of local workforce resources as we hire more employees.”

Among recent Green Circle hires is Industrial Electrician Randal Hardbower, a Navy veteran who was laid off from his corrections job with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in 2011. Chipola Workforce Board initially matched Hardbower to a Green Circle opening based on electrician skills he gained while in the military. According to Parker, those skills helped him get the job.

“Chipola Workforce Board helped me find a job I like that pays better than the one I lost,” Hardbower said. “Laid-off workers should get help at their local workforce boards. With persistence and the right help, something good will come through.”

Chipola Workforce Executive Director Richard Williams has led the workforce board’s success in spite of the challenges of doing business in a rural region.

“Chipola Workforce Board works hard to ensure that connecting job seekers and employers is our top priority every single day,” said Richard Williams. “The business community needs to be assured that, as a team, workforce and economic development will go the extra mile to overcome challenges to attracting and retaining companies and jobs in this region.”
 
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