First Class Business

Date: 5/22/2013Information Contact 1: Ofelia Morales : (208)364-7781 ext 3954 :  Information Contact 2: Jose Deleon : (208) 364-7781 ext 3620 : Workshop for Educators to Highlight Business Training Needs The Idaho Department of Labor and Northwest Nazarene University have put together a two-day workshop of educators in southwestern Idaho to learn about the training needs of businesses in the region. The workshop from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 24-25 on the university’s Nampa campus at 623 S. University Blvd. offers continuing education credit for participating teachers, but teachers not seeking credit can participate without charge.   “Too many students leave high school [...]

Date: 5/21/2013Information Contact 1: Janie Archuleta : (208) 364-7781 ext 3493 :  Three Companies Seeking Customer Service Agents The Idaho Department of Labor is holding a job fair on May 24 in Caldwell for three companies that are hiring customer service agents. Representatives from Citicards, Teleperformance and WDS, a Xerox company, will be on hand to discuss job openings and compensation, take applications and conduct interviews. The job fair runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the department’s Canyon County office, 4514 Thomas Jefferson St. in Caldwell. Tips on preparing for interviews are online at

Date: 5/17/2013Information Contact 1: Bob Fick : (208) 332-3570 ext 3628 :  Information Contact 2: Craig Shaul : (208) 332-3570 ext 3201 : April Unemployment Rate Unchanged at 6.1 Percent Idaho employers maintained hiring at normal levels in April, but another 1,300 people left the state labor force, driving both employment and unemployment down to keep the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stable at 6.1 percent. April saw the fourth straight monthly decline in the state’s labor force – a combination of those working and those actively seeking work – dropping the total labor force to under 771,000, the lowest level since October 2011. [...]

Cloud computing has become a mainstay of modern business. Companies are jumping into the cloud to make their businesses more competitive and profitable in a fast moving world. The cloud can do great things for a business and its customers but it’s not without its pitfalls. There is a whole world of security threats floating around out there that have the potential to wreak havoc with a business’ mission critical  [ Read More ]

Designing practical and attractive packaging for an item is an important part of product manufacturing, but ensuring that the packaging meets all the legal standards and requirements is an even bigger task. Failure to properly research the necessary requirements for product packaging can result in extra costs for inspections, returns, and even repackaging. There are many different laws when it comes to product packaging, and they vary depending on the  [ Read More ]

Date: 5/9/2013Information Contact 1: Bob Fick (208) 332-3570 ext 3628 or Georgia Smith (208) 841-5509 : (208) 332-3570 ext 3628 :  Information Contact 2: Georgia Smith : (208) 841-5509 : Idaho Wages 84 Percent of National Average in 2012 Estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Survey put the average hourly wage for all occupations statewide at $ 18.48, or 84 percent of the national average wage in 2012. In 2011, the Idaho average was 85.2 percent of the national average. Idaho’s median wage, where half the workers make more and half make less, was $ 14.58 an hour in 2012, [...]

There are more women business owners today than at any other point in history.  This means that there is more demand for business loans for women that there has ever been before.  Unfortunately, though not officially the case, it can be harder for women to get a loan to start a business, or even for an existing business, than it is for a man.  Women are still paid less than  [ Read More ]

There’s nothing more satisfying than doing a job you enjoy and feel passionate about, so whether you’re a graduate looking for your first step on the career ladder or an established professional looking for a fresh and exciting career opportunity, there’s never been a better time to make the move. The job market is flourishing, especially in sectors such as IT, so if you have a passion for people and  [ Read More ]

Date: 4/30/2013Information Contact 1: Lisa Anzaldua : (208) 364-7781 ext. 3172 :  Sorrento Lactalis Holds May 2 Job Fair in Caldwell Sorrento Lactalis, which has a cheese processing plant in Canyon County, is holding a job fair May 2 at the Idaho Department of Labor’s Canyon County office. The company wants to fill about 30 operator jobs and other classifications during the fair, which runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Caldwell office, 4514 Thomas Jefferson St. The operator jobs pay over $ 14 an hour.  The openings are posted on the Labor Department’s IdahoWorks system with applications attached. Applicants [...]

Date: 5/6/2013Information Contact 1: Lisa Anzaldua : (208) 364-7781 ext 3172 :  Stand Up America Founder to Speak to Canyon County Business Group Derrick Boles, founder of Stand Up America and advocate for the work small charities do across the nation, will speak to Canyon County business people on Thursday, May 9, during the Idaho Department of Labor’s Canyon County Employer Association meeting. Boles will discuss “Overcoming Obstacles/Challenges in the Workplace” at the meeting, which begins 11:30 a.m. at the department’s Canyon County office, 4514 Thomas Jefferson St. in Caldwell. The session, which includes lunch, costs $ 14. Reservations can be made [...]