Employees affected by Fuller Industries’ closure of its Great Bend plant can get help with job searches, resumes and retraining through Kansas WorkforceONE, which has an office in Great Bend.
Fuller ended production at the plant Friday after selling its chemical business to Betco, which is moving the work to Ohio.
Tucky Allen, business services director and rapid response coordinator for WorkforceONE, said the agency calculated that about 90 employees are affected, though he said the agency isn’t certain of the exact number. Fuller has not confirmed a number.
Allen said the agency is offering its services to affected employees and that some have already come into its local office at 1025 Main St. He said the agency has tried repeatedly to contact Fuller since October and has not received a response from the company.
What’s available
According to WorkforceONE, services for dislocated workers are provided at no cost. They include:
- Resume and interview preparation and job referrals
- Skills assessments, case management and career counseling
- Workshops and labor market information
- Help with out-of-area interviews and relocation
For workers who qualify, the agency also offers occupational training programs, on-the-job training, classes for upgrading skills, GED or alternative diploma programs, and help with transportation, child care and basic needs while in training.
How to get started
Workers begin by setting up an appointment with a case manager, who helps develop an individual employment plan based on the worker’s skills, interests and aptitudes. The agency says workers can start as soon as they have been notified of a layoff date and do not have to be out of work to begin.
The program is for people who lose a job because of a plant closure or mass layoff and are unlikely to return to their usual occupation or industry. The agency says a spouse who was dependent on a dislocated worker’s income can also qualify as a “displaced homemaker.” Eligibility for training funding is determined by the program.
The Great Bend office is at 1025 Main St. and can be reached at 620-793-5445. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. WorkforceONE’s administrative office in Salina can be reached at 785-493-8018.
