Council hears reports on job training, graduations and upcoming education events

The Tribal Council received monthly reports on education and workforce programs that the council said have produced recent job placements and listed several upcoming events.

Hunter Palmer, speaking for Talking Leaf Job Corps and Career Services, said multiple in-house customized training programs have led to full-time job placements. "One of our largest graduations, the fiber technician program of graduating 15 students...by the time the graduation happened, we had all 15 students full time jobs working in the fiber industry," Palmer said. He also reported that recent graduates from business technology and building trades programs have obtained full-time positions, including three or four graduates taking jobs with a housing authority.

Mark Vance of the Department of Education outlined several upcoming events and program deadlines. He said the department will hold an Educational Pathway Summit and college-and-career fair on Nov. 20 at the CHOTUS conference center. He also announced a Children's Culture Festival on Nov. 4 at the Veneta Archery Range, saying the festival will invite about 30 schools and roughly 300 children; the Johnson O'Malley art competition registration deadline is Nov. 14. Vance said RTR applications are closed and the department is interviewing selected applicants; he clarified that once selected, RTR participants receive equipment to begin training.

Councilors briefly thanked staff for scholarship and college-resources work and asked operational questions about training equipment and event logistics. No formal council action was taken on these reports.

The presentations emphasized workforce placement in growing sectors such as fiber installation and the department's role in coordinating education and cultural events for students.