Rapid Results: WIOA Rapid Response Team Sets the Standard for Swift Workforce Support

Arkansas Workforce Connections houses the state’s Dislocated Worker Unit and Rapid Response team.

Rapid Response is a pro-active, business-focused, and flexible strategy designed to respond to layoffs and plant closings by quickly coordinating services and providing immediate aid to companies and their affected workers. Rapid Response teams work with employers and any employee representative(s) to quickly maximize public and private resources to minimize disruptions associated with job loss. Rapid Response can provide customized services on-site at an affected company, accommodate any work schedules, and assist companies and workers through the challenges associated with job loss.

Rapid Response is initiated when the state or local Rapid Response team learns of impending layoffs. Many companies will contact the Rapid Response team to notify them of a layoff and invite them to come on-site to help the workers who will be laid off.

In January, Cargill, the nation’s largest privately held company, announced it would shut down its turkey production plant in Springdale. This closure put approximately 1,000 Arkansans out of work and affected over 100 farmers who supplied turkeys to the company. Arkansas Business published a story about the team’s efforts to find new job opportunities for those affected by the closure.

Since the announcement, the Rapid Response team has organized workshops and job fairs to help Cargill employees find new employment opportunities. On June 20, the Springdale Chamber of Commerce hosted a career and resources fair featuring area businesses looking to hire, and the team was present to assist on the mobile workforce centers —RVs equipped with technology and resources to help workers connect with potential employers.

Chris McMaster, who served as Cargill’s senior human resources business partner at the time, wrote in a LinkedIn post, “I am eternally grateful to this team of professionals that showed up for us, along with the community partners they brought with them.”

Future events are in the planning stages, including a career exploration fair aimed at introducing impacted workers to multiple career pathways through virtual reality. Training providers and employers will be invited as the agency intends to connect individuals with high-quality job opportunities.

“We can always count on the Rapid Response team to deliver,” said Eddie Thomas, Director of the Office of Employment and Training within Arkansas Workforce Connections. “Regina and her team consistently provide attentive and compassionate service.”

Learn more about the Rapid Response team here.

Regina Moss
Program Operations Manager
Dislocated Worker Services Unit
Email: [email protected]
TEL: 501-683-1412