About Testimonials

Testimonials

WorkForce Central (Tacoma-Pierce County)

National Emergency Grant

WorkForce Central created jobs for unemployed Pierce County residents to clean up and repair damage caused by last winter’s flood.

Employer Testimonial "Working with WorkForce Central’s Business Connection has been a very rewarding experience for our company. They have assisted us in hiring many security officers for the past several years with their extensive and superb skills in recruitment. The services they provide have saved our company a great deal of time, money and resources in identifying qualified applicants for employment opportunities with Doyon Security Services." - Kurt Illig, Chief of Guards Doyon Security Services

Employee Testimonial “Thank you profusely for your assistance; it has given me the opportunity to obtain employment in a capacity for which I am much better suited. I am certain I would not have made it through the next two weeks successfully and I would very likely have been on the street by the first of the year. I am eternally in your debt. I also thank you for the training information; I am investigating some options which hopefully will prevent me from ever being in an unemployment line again.” - Employee

2nd Annual Construction Career Day

More than 1,000 attended WorkForce Central’s 2nd Annual Construction Career Day, November 5, 2009 at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center.

Teacher Testimonial “Some of these kids aren't used to such positive adult interactions. I felt like so many of our kids left the career fair with hope, knowing that there are adults out there waiting to give them a chance in life. "After all the kids were on the bus and ready to leave, we were missing one student. Sure enough, we found him at the crane simulator. He couldn't get enough the first time through and was so involved with what he was doing he completely lost track of time. All of the kids talked a lot about it when they got back to school. Each one of our kids felt valued, that someone had gone to a lot of trouble for them that day.” – Career Specialist White River High School "Thanks so much for the great Construction Career Day!" – Occupations Teacher Wilson High School

Student Testimonial “I am a student attending Graham Kapowsin High school and I went to the Construction Career Day on November 5, 2009. I wanted to thank everyone that put on the event. It was a very good, fun and hands-on day. I have learned a lot and got to talk to the right people for my career pathway. So I would like to thank you and everyone else that put the event on and I hope you can keep doing more career days like this for the community.” – Graham-Kapowsin student

"One of the secrets to success is hiring the right people. WorkForce’s Business Connection worked day and night to make that happen."

Alfred Marsh, General Manager, Western Container

“We were reluctant to change from the testing we had heavily invested in, but our turnover was at 30%.  After taking a hard look at JobFit with our management and attorney, we decided to switch.  This has been very good for us.  We realized a change from 30% turnover to 10% within the first quarter.  A surprise benefit was the hiring efficiencies.  We went from an interview-to-hire ratio of 20% to a ratio of 80%, which amounts to a lot of time I can dedicate to other priorities.  We are extremely happy with this decision and with WorkForce’s Business Connection for bringing it to us.  I would strongly encourage my colleagues with other businesses to use this tool and process.”

Russ Krey, HR Manager, Simpson Commencement Bay Operations

“JobFit has been an awesome recruitment tool!  In addition to the ‘hands-on’ support from WorkForce’s Business Connection staff, they have saved me tremendous interview time by assessing and prescreening the most qualified candidates with the JobFit system, not to mention the ability to generate very valuable reports from this internet based program."

Ruth Lobe, Employee Development Director, NW Cascade, Inc.

"My department of one just became two with your addition. You have been consistently helpful and professional. Over the past year, our best hiring successes were through your service. I could not ask for a better representative."

Sally Jordan, Human Resources and Training, Continuant

"Last January I contacted WorkForce’s Business Connection to get help finding qualified applicants. We'd had a vacancy in our Human Resources Department for a period of five months, which added challenges to our recruiting efforts. WorkForce’s Business Connection has been an outstanding resource ever since. The combination of services they provide has led to the hiring of 20% of all of our current facility's headcount. They consistently bring in people who meet our demands, even in an increasingly tight job market. The cost of using their services has been miniscule compared to what we receive. After filling the HR position, we still find it beneficial to continue to use The Business Connection. Great job!"

Wade Jones, Tacoma Tempering, Milgard Manufacturing

"AHBL, Inc. has used WorkForce’s Business Connection's services for many years. In addition to assisting with electronic job postings, sourcing their resume banks, and utilizing their salary comparison services, we have found them to be very professional in their relationship with us. We rely on their salary comparison services when making important wage decisions/comparisons; it also allows us to stay on top of the market. We highly recommend the salary comparison service; it is extremely helpful and informative."

Christine Ness, Human Resources, AHBL, Inc.

"WorkForce’s Business Connection is a strong partner in our economic development efforts.  Their attention to detail and ability to find solutions customized to client needs have proven to be a great asset to Pierce County based companies."

Office of the Pierce County Executive Economic Development Division

"At our busiest time of year, after months of looking for and not finding any qualified seasonal employees, we turned to WorkForce’s Business Connection to fill our vacancy.  Within a day they had several qualified candidates for us.  With their help, we made our selection, and this new employee gave us the staffing we needed to meet our deadlines."

Michael Stevenson, Brink & Sadler

"Our company was referred to WorkForce’s Business Connection by our CPA. In the past we have spent much time going over every resume and job application to find a new employee. The Business Connection did all the searching and screening for us and delivered how ever many applicants we requested. They saved us time and money. I am confident we will use them the next time we need to hire and will certainly recommend them to others."

Jan Cooley, Spanaway Water Company

“As a business executive, there is no higher priority than assuring that our strategic growth initiatives have a skilled workforce to see them to fruition. WorkForce’s Business Connection has proven to be a valuable resource and a critical partner in the sourcing, recruiting and selection of high quality employees. The services they provide to job seekers and businesses serve to streamline the hiring process and allow businesses to confidently respond to growth opportunities. The Business Connection, and leadership provided by WorkForce Central in workforce development, makes Pierce County a great place to do business.”

Eric Hahn, Vice President of Organizational Development of General Plastics Manufacturing Company

"Working with WorkForce’s Business Connection has been a very rewarding experience for our company. They have assisted us in hiring many security officers for the past several years with their extensive and superb skills in recruitment. The services they provide have saved our company a great deal of time, money and resources in identifying qualified applicants for employment opportunities with Doyon Security Services."

Kurt Illig, Chief of Guards, Doyon Security Services

WorkForce’s Business Connections has been our only resource when recruiting new employees. Our company is a contractor on Fort Lewis and Julie Sandstede has been a life saver when we have needed to fill positions. The time spent reviewing only applications that have been screened by Julie and Business Connections reduces the time our management is required to spend during the hiring process. Business Connections also facilitates our required background check, drug test and DOL check. All done efficiently and professionally. Recently, we had to supply background checks of all 50 employees to our main office and they were needed immediately. They provided all background checks, including copies, within a few hours of the request.  Again, coming to the rescue!

I recommend the Business Connection to facilitate your hiring needs. They will post the job and job requirements, screen the applications and send only the resumes that are qualified. No phone calls, or going through countless unqualified resumes. 

We have received excellent customer service and great employees and consider Business Connections a valuable resource which we will use again and again.

Michelle Abbott, CE McKenzie and Associates, LLC

I would like to take a moment to thank you, Julie and Beth and all of your staff for the outstanding services and guidance that you have provided for myself and Continuant over the last four years.

When I initially contacted WorkForce’s Business Connection in the fall of 2006, it was with the expectation that my employment ads would be posted on the go2worksource.com website. You have done that and so much more. Being a one person recruiting department for a fast growing telecommunications company, I have come to depend on your office as I would a valued assistant. Your expertise in the areas of employment law, recruiting practices and suggestions for  fresh and innovative approaches have made a real difference in for me and for Continuant as we continue to navigate through our growth and expansion. 

In the upcoming months Continuant will be expanding even more. With the acquisition of a new office building and plans to grow our staff, I know that I will be depending even more on the advice and assistance of my business partners at the Business Connection. I look forward to continuing our relationship in the new year.