COLTON, Calif. (Sept. 26, 2013)—When Boyd Industries, manufacturers of the popular jerky brand, Carnivore Candy, began marketing their products, orders grew to more than 40,000 bags per month. The business needed to triple their staff to keep up with demand.

The County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board’s (WIB) expert recruiters made the process easy by screening and referring excellent candidates at no cost to Boyd Industries.  After Boyd Industries hired three applicants, the WIB provided On-The-Job Training funds to help offset the cost of training.

“The Workforce Investment Board program provided our company with the right candidates at the right time and saved us money,” says Jae Boyd, chief executive officer for Boyd Industries. “This allowed Boyd Industries to focus on what we do best: creating an excellent product, expanding our product lines, and delivering great jerky to our loyal customers.”

Jae Boyd launched Boyd Industries after the factory he worked at closed. Jae used family recipes to create Carnivore Candy and Boyd’s Jerky lines, fulfilling a 27-year dream to own a jerky company. Two and a half years later, Boyd Industries now employees nine and is pursuing national distribution.

“With entrepreneurs such as Boyd Industries gaining traction, a skilled workforce is critical to economic recovery in San Bernardino County,” states Sandy Harmsen, executive director for the Workforce Investment Board. “By delivering qualified applicants to expanding companies, we are encouraging business growth and the creation of further job opportunities for our residents.”

Boyd Industries anticipates orders will double in the next year and is already preparing for expansion.  Fortunately, finding employees to meet demand will be simple with help from the WIB.

“The Workforce Investment Board provides services tailored to help businesses grow and succeed and to help our residents get the skills training they need to find good-paying jobs,” San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Rutherford said. “In just one year, the WIB helped train 3,300 job seekers and made connections with 2,800 local businesses.”

For information about the County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board’s no-cost programs from businesses and residents, contact 1 (800) 451-JOBS or visit www.csb-win.org.

About the Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County

The Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County (WIB) is comprised of private business representatives and public partners appointed by the County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors.  The Workforce Investment Board strives to strengthen the skills of the County’s workforce through partnerships with business, education and community-based organizations. The County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors is committed to providing county resources, which generate jobs and investment.

The Workforce Investment Board, through the County of San Bernardino’s Economic Development Agency and Workforce Development Department, operates the County of San Bernardino’s Employment Resource Centers (ERCs) and Business Resource Centers (BRCs). The ERCs provide individuals with job training, placement and the tools to strengthen their skills to achieve a higher quality of life. The BRCs support and provide services to the County’s businesses including employee recruitment.

Employers and job seekers who are interested in the Workforce Investment Board programs may call: (800) 451-JOBS or visit www.csb-win.org. Also follow us on: Facebook www.facebook.com/SBWIB; Twitter @InlandEmpireJob; and YouTube http://www.youtube.com/SBCountyWIB.