Lerandeau, Jones serve as mobile office consultants for Grangeville, Kamiah, Orofino and Weippe

Heather Lerandeau

As a workforce consultant, Heather Lerandeau delivers a wide range of employment services to job seekers and employers who visit the department’s mobile office locations in Grangeville and Kamiah.

Photo: Heather Lerandeau

Heather Lerandeau

Helping Idahoans find jobs and rural employers recruit qualified employees is her favorite part of the job and keeps her busy. Some customers are referred to local education and community resource centers for workforce training or basic needs. For others it means support with navigating the process of filing for unemployment insurance benefits.

Before joining the department in 2021, Heather Lerandeau worked as a surgical assistant for St. Mary’s Hospital in Cottonwood. This helped her prepare for her new role with the Idaho Department of Labor as a workforce consultant assigned to Grangeville, Kamiah and Riggins (opening April 14).

“My time working in the medical field taught me how to put others before myself,” said Lerandeau. “It taught me how to work with many types of people under very stressful circumstances and above all, to appreciate the little things in life.”

Heather’s favorite Idaho location to visit is Dworshak Reservoir and she hopes to someday visit the vast and unspoiled beauty of Banff National Park in Canada. Skydiving is at the top of her bucket list and she is currently reading “Tears of the Silenced” by Misty Griffin. Her favorite TV show is “Longmire. “

Monica Jones

Photo: Monica Jones

Monica Jones

Helping people realize their potential and achieve their career goals is what makes Monica Jones tick as a workforce consultant assigned to mobile Idaho Department of Labor locations in Orofino and Weippe.

Jones joined the agency after working for 15 years as an owner of KLER Radio. Her first job was working as an office aide at the local elementary school, filing, making copies for the teachers and doing other small jobs.

“The one thing I learned during my first job is the importance of making people feel their contribution is valued,” said Monica. “I was only working a few hours after school, but the teachers and school secretary made me feel like I was part of their team.”

Monica and her family also own and operate Central Idaho Broadcasting which includes KLER AM/FM Radio, where she continues to work part time doing commercial production, event broadcasting and some office work.

When she’s not spending her free time with her children and grandchildren, Monica enjoys kayaking and hiking at Dworshak Reservoir and floating on the Clearwater River. Visiting the Grand Canyon is high on her bucket list, and eventually she wants to take her mother back to Germany so she can visit her family. When she’s not reading “Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life” by Cleo Wade, she tunes into the “Great British Baking Show.”