Job Opportunities Plenty In Wolf Point
There are plenty of job opportunities in certain areas for the Wolf Point area as the community nears the summer months.
Colleen Topp, manager of the Wolf Point Job Service office, said about 230 positions are posted in the Wolf Point area. Employers are contacted on a regular basis to make sure postings are current.
Topp, who is also the manager of the Sidney office, has a team of workforce consultants in each office. The Wolf Point Job Service covers a five-county area including the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.
“We work with business customers, helping them connect to job seekers and support them by providing the employer resources they need,” Topp explained. “We work with job seekers to match their current skills and abilities with area employers to find a job with a good fit.”
Wolf Point Job Service also tries to assist job seekers in overcoming employment barriers so they can become job ready. This might include help with interviewing skills, resumes, training, work clothes, tools or transportation. Several programs are available with different eligibility requirements.
“Our customers’ needs are ever-changing and so our delivery of service is everchanging,” Topp said. “Job Service staff members are trained to look at the whole person and their whole situation to come up with a plan for re-employment — this may lead to training for a completely different type of occupation than what they had ever done.”
Roosevelt County’s unemployment rate is currently 5.8 percent and the Fort Peck Reservation’s unemployment rate is 6.8 percent. The state’s unemployment rate is 3.8 percent.
“One of the most difficult positions to fill is the seasonal agriculture positions. Many area farmers and ranchers have found it necessary to rely on bring in foreign labor to fill those needs,” Topp said. “The agriculture employers know these workers will work the whole season and be available for their scheduled shifts. Other areas that are really needing help are our emergency services and medical, police departments, sheriff departments, ambulance crews, nursing homes and hospitals. Social services are also in great need of help, there are city, state and tribal positions posted. These are usually very sought after positions, and many have just not been able to fill.”
She added that mechanics and truck drivers are needed throughout the area. Those positions are usually yearround with good pay. Seasonal positions are starting to open up for construction and road work. The service industry with restaurants and hotels always has a high demand.
“If you are looking for workers, we would love to help you find that match! The more we know about your business, the better job we can do help you find employees,” Topp said. “One of the things I think really helps employers get their position noticed is a good, clear job description. This helps job seekers understand what the job will be, what is expected of them and what they will get in return.”
Job Service can also work with employers to make sure they are aware of current grant opportunities for training current employees and for tax incentives that are available. Job Service enjoys working with employers that are considering an apprenticeship opportunity or if they are interested in working with Job Service on an on the job training opportunity. Job Service has programs available that can help train and place workers with employers.”
The program’s re-employment and training programs can be beneficial to area residents.
“These programs have some eligibility requirements, but we are happy to visit with you to see if you are eligible, if not we may have other resources we can share. Please contact our office and ask for information on our WIOA Programs,” Topp said. “Sometimes all a person needs to be able to accept a specific job is the uniform or help with a licensing fee. Other times job seekers are looking for assistance with obtaining a certified credential. We can help!”
