Hanford Job Center can fully fund training

Kings County’s Job Training Office says its downtown Hanford One-Stop center can do more than help people print resumes or search listings. County materials show the office offers vocational scholarships for eligible adults, youth and older workers, along with career counseling, job matching and on-the-job training support. The office also serves laid-off workers, veterans and eligible military spouses through specialized programs. The center operates at 124 N. Irwin St. in Hanford, according to Kings County and related workforce listings. Kings County Economic Development Corporation says it partners with the Job Training Office and other providers through the Kings County One-Stop Job Center to train and screen job seekers for local employers. The Hanford Sentinel on May 21 listed a business story headlined, “Need help finding a job? Check out Hanford’s Job Center,” describing the site as part of downtown Hanford. (countyofkingsca.gov) ### What can the Hanford center actually pay for? Kings County says scholarships for vocational training are available to eligible participants for “tuition, books, tools and transportation.” The county’s job-seeker page says those scholarships are aimed at training in demand occupations and are open to eligible youth, adults and older workers. (countyofkingsca.gov) A separate Kings County welfare-to-work program says eligible CalWORKs participants can receive childcare, transportation and work-related expenses while they are in the program. That page is not the same as the Job Training Office scholarship page, but it shows county employment programs already use supportive services to reduce barriers that can keep residents from finishing training or accepting work. (countyofkingsca.gov) ### Which kinds of training are offered? Kings County’s education and training page lists local and regional providers including West Hills Community College, College of the Sequoias, Fresno City College, Hanford Adult School, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts and San Joaquin Valley College. The county says training is available at public and private schools in and around Kings County. (countyofkingsca.gov) The same county page gives examples of sponsored training fields that include industrial maintenance, licensed vocational nurse, certified nurse’s assistant, registered nurse, dental assistant, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, bookkeeping, truck driving and POST or security guard training. Those examples indicate the office is steering funding toward credentialed fields tied to local hiring needs. (countyofkingsca.gov) ### Who is the center built to help? Kings County says displaced worker services are available to workers laid off because of business closures, displaced homemakers and people unlikely to return to their previous line of work. The county also says it provides business-closure assistance that can include orientations on One-Stop services, financial management, job search help, resume assistance and career counseling. (countyofkingsca.gov) The Job Training Office’s veteran services page says education, on-the-job training and career counseling are available to eligible military veterans and spouses. The office says its staff includes military veterans and directs applicants to ask for a Veteran Services Representative at the Hanford office. (countyofkingsca.gov) ### What help is available if someone is not ready to start school right away? Kings County says the center provides resume assistance, help completing job applications, typing certificates, fax machines, photocopiers and email access. The county also says counselors offer interest and aptitude testing, career guidance and help identifying transferable skills for people changing careers. (countyofkingsca.gov) Employers can also use the office. Kings County says its on-the-job training program offers employers a 50% wage reimbursement to offset the cost of hiring and training qualified new employees. ### Where does someone go next? The county directs residents to the Job Training Office at 124 N. Irwin St. in Hanford and lists the main phone number for veteran-related help as 559-852-4932. (countyofkingsca.gov) Kings County’s website also says draft local workforce planning documents for program year 2025-2028 are posted for public comment, indicating the office’s training and employment programs are continuing into the current planning cycle. (countyofkingsca.gov)