Greetings from Return to Roots!
In this issue:
You Graduated, What Now?
Graduation is wrapping up around the country and the Commonwealth. How will you stand out in the increasing pool of potential applicants? Why not let Return to Roots help you with your efforts. Whether you recently graduated, or have been finished with college for years, we want to help you find a career. There are more people out there now than ever before and there is a great need to be increasingly competitive. The employers that we have registered with our program are looking for those hard to find skill sets that you possess. Upload your detailed resume to our website today and help yourself to stand out in the crowd. Return to Roots can help you find careers; the tried and trues as well as the innovative positions you thought were only found in more urban areas. Log on to www.ReturntoRoots.org today and see the wealth of positions available in these various fields.
Back to Top
Send Us Your Success Stories!
We are continuously looking for success stories to feature on our website. We would love to hear from you if you have interviewed or hired anyone from the Return to Roots program since registering with us.If you have a success story, please email Carl Mitchell, Program Manager, cmitchell@vebinc.org.
Back to Top
Interesting Jobs Available!
Position: Chiropractor
Target: Management
Location: Southwest Virginia
Description: A position is available immediately in beautiful SW VA for a motivated self-starter with interest in making an impact in the community. We offer a competitive salary with opportunity for significant growth. Office is well established and has a long history of providing patient focused, quality care.
Position: Technical Lead
Target: Mid Career (2+ years of experience)
Employer: CGI
Location: Lebanon, Virginia
Description: CGI is looking for a Technical Lead to join our Federal Business Unit in our Lebanon, VA office who will support an upcoming project with the EPA. The project is a Service Oriented Architecture-based network that handles the exchange of environmental data between EPA and its stakeholders (states, tribes, municipalities, private industry). The program builds, operates, and maintains this network and is responsible for building the data flows and environmental applications that operate on and integrate on the network.
The Technical Lead will lead a 3-5 person team for a number of data flows or environmental applications for the program. The successful candidate will have 8 years of experience in Java, XML, Web Services, .NET, and ASP technologies. Environmental program expertise preferred.
Position: Program Director
Target: Management
Employer: Joy Ranch Home for Children
Location: Hillsville, VA
Description: Non-denominational faith-based non-profit residential children's home seeks a mature individual who will be responsible for the development and implementation of the programs and services offered to children ages 5-17. Oversees resident assessments and service planning; staff scheduling, supervision and training of direct care staff, nurse and case managers.
Employment Standards:
1) Master's degree in social work, psychology, counseling or nursing and a combination of two years' professional experience with children, in a children's residential facility and in administration or supervision; or
2) Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, counseling or nursing and a combination of three years professional experience with children, in a children's residential facility and in administration or supervision; or
3) Bachelor's degree and a combination of four years of professional experience with children, in a children's residential facility and in administration or supervision.
4) A license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia in social work, psychology or counseling is preferred.
5) Must be at least 21 years of age.Back to Top |
Virginia’s Great Southwest
Are you or someone you know interested in returning to or living inVirginia’s Great Southwest? Be sure to visit www.swvaonline.org. This website provides information for locals, tourists, visitors and for newcomers relocating to Southwest Virginia.
Local Events of SWVA
Appalachian Trail: Garden Mountain, Chestnut Ridge, &
Brushy Mountain
Location: Bland County, Virginia
This saunter over Chestnut Ridge to Poor Valley and over
Lynn Camp and Brushy Mountains offers the kind of remote,
wild feeling for which the southern Appalachian Trail is
known. The American chestnut that gave the ridge its name no
longer survives, but there is still plenty to enjoy: the
lush farmland of Burkes Garden, a spring-fed pond for
cooling off, the stillness of the deep woods of Beartow...
To learn more,
click
here.
Pandapas Fishing Pond
Locality:
Montgomery County
Blacksburg Ranger District, USDA Forest Svc.
Jefferson Nat'l. Forest, 110 Southpark Dr.
Blacksburg,
VA 24060
Pandapas Pond is an 8-acre man-made pond on the edge of the
Eastern Continental Divide. It features warm-water fishing
and canoeing. A one-mile circuit trail goes around the pond,
and several other popular Jefferson Nat'l. Forest trails
connect to it.
To learn more,
click
here.
Region:
Blue Ridge Highlands
Locality:
Floyd County
110A N. Locust Street
Floyd, VA 24091
Driving Directions
Oddfellas' relaxed atmosphere and fantastic whole foods make a remarkable venue
for live music. Specializing in "Appalachian Latino" cuisine, vegetarian dishes
and Floyd County raised beef, Oddfellas has something for everyone.
Average Cost: $10-$20
The Wizard of Oz
Location: Abingdon, VA
127 West Main St.
Abingdon, VA 24142
Various Dates and times throughout the month.
Dorothy's not in Kansas anymore as a twister hits her farm and carries her "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Join Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion as they go "Off to See the Wizard" in one of the most beloved family stories of all time!
Barter Theatre
Carter Family Fold
Hiltons, Virginia
Saturday, May 30th, 2009, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons,
Virginia, will present a concert of old time music by Bill Lowe and Cripple Creek.
Admission to the concert is $5 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.
Saturday, June 6th, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia,
will present a concert by Willard Gayheart and the Grassy Hollow Bluegrass Band.
Adult admission to the concert is $5, $1 for children 6 to 11, and under age 6 free.
Château Morrisette Winery
www.thedogs.com
Floyd County
Chateau Morrisette, Inc.
287 Winery Road S.W.
Floyd, VA 24091
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains above the Rock Castle Gorge Wilderness Area, Chateau Morrisette produces some of Virginia's premier and most popular wines. Open seven days a week, year round, visitors are welcome to tour our unique timberframe winery, taste our wines and savor our innovative cuisine, while enjoying such seasonal events as our summer "Black Dog Concerts" and "Winemaker's Dinners" all in an elegant, old world atmosphere. Easily accessible from the Piedmont Triad, Charlotte, Roanoke, Martinsville and the southeast, Chateau Morrisette is both a relaxing and exciting experience for anyone who enjoys fine wine, good food and natural surroundings. Chateau Morrisette Winery, Milepost 171.5 Blue Ridge Parkway, Meadows of Dan.
Hours:
Opens: 10:00 AM
Closes: 5:00 PM
Blue Ridge PBS JobQuest
Join Blue Ridge PBS in a community service partnership addressing the employment challenges facing our citizens. JobQuest—a monthly one-hour program broadcast live from the Blue Ridge PBS studio– make job seekers aware of job openings in our region.
The program is a partnership with Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc., the Return to Roots program and other organizations and area business resources. Employment experts and local leaders are on hand to share their insights on the local job market. Human resource experts from the area are in the studio to take viewer calls and offer tips on the hiring process. JobQuest is a high-definition production of Blue Ridge PBS.
To learn more click here.
The next hour-long program will be aired on Tuesday, June 9th at 7:00 PM.
|
“Blue Ridge America” Comes to Explore Park
All that you love about Blue Ridge America will be incarnated in the form of a park coming to Southwest Virginia sometime this October. The park will include everything from luxury hotels, live theater and restaurants, to tree-house cabins, Smith Mountain Lake excursions, and the most exciting feature – the world’s longest zipline!
Although not located directly in Southwest Virginia, “Blue Ridge America” will be developed at the site of Explore Park in neighboring Roanoke County. Similar to an amusement park but without the rides, the park is intended to offer families a 2-3 day getaway in the heart of nature. According to The Roanoke Times, the park is planned to be approximately 1,100 acres, and to begin construction no later than June 13, 2010.
Not only will the park provide enjoyment for as many as 700 during peak season, but it will also provide employment for about 150 full-time employees, as well as 500 extras during the summer. The only problem is that the park won’t be able to open up these new jobs until it receives funding – a catch-22 in these tough economic times.
I love the idea of everything this park has to offer; luxury hotels for those who want a relaxing vacation and tree-house cabins for those who don’t mind getting dirty. My only criticism is that the park may have been better placed within Southwest Virginia in the gorgeous parks of Appalachia, rather than farther east in Roanoke. I wish the park was going to be completed before I move out of Southwest Virginia this coming summer, but this will definitely give me a reason to come back and visit.
-Kristina Ticknor
Back to Top
Six Sigma Green Belt Training And Project Support
The Manufacturing Technology Center will be presenting a 12-week course of Six
Sigma Green Belt (SSGB) Training and Project Support. The course will present the SS Green Belt
body of knowledge in an application oriented manner. Six Sigma Green Belt tools will be demonstrated
using a project simulation that takes the participant through the D-M-A-I-C process improvement
methodology.
Course Objectives
- Present the Six Sigma Green Belt body of knowledge
- Demonstrate the use of Six Sigma tools through a hands-on simulated project
- Follow the D-M-A-I-C project methodology
- Have each participant complete a job related project with measurable impact
- Train-and-Do approach
- Weekly, 4-hour class meetings
- Community College Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) awarded
12-Week Course Begins June 2, 2009
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: 125 Grayson Hall
Wytheville Community College
Back to Top
“JobQuest” Broadcasts Good News, Optimism
On May 5, for the first time, "JobQuest" was available in live streaming video at the Blue Ridge PBS web site, giving viewers another venue for watching the show online. Roanoke-based CBS affiliate WDBJ7, a "JobQuest" partner, has also been streaming program video on its web site. From a toll-free telephone line to an Internet chat room, the "JobQuest" team continues to look for ways to share valuable employment information and advice.
"We're finding our audience is technologically segmented," said James Baum, Blue Ridge PBS President and CEO. "At one end we have callers asking where they can find a computer and others who can no longer afford to pay for Internet access at home. Then we have people who spend most of the show in the chat room getting advice from our human resources volunteers. We want to reach all these people."
During the show, host Julie Newman took both TV and web viewers inside the Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, Va. to explore the wide range of opportunities and growing demand for workers in many healthcare professions. Nursing graduates, for example, can find high paying positions with a variety of employers across the region. For more information about the Jefferson College of Health Sciences, visit their website at www.jchs.edu/.
The most recent episode also highlighted 60 new job openings and expert advice on how to land one. Featured advice included tips for how to make a good first impression with a great cover letter.
For the June 9 episode, "JobQuest" will offer advice on using key words in resumes that will be screened by online job application programs. The next show will also feature more expert opinions on the regional employment scene, and provide valuable suggestions to help shorten the job search process.
Back to Top |
