The Virginia Employment Commission will be co-locating its operations with the Valley Workforce Center located at 160 N. Mason Street in Harrisonburg beginning Aug. 1.
The move is in response to changes in the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act requiring that all VEC standalone employment offices be co-located with One-Stop Workforce Centers operated by regional Workforce Development Boards. The relocation will bring many state and federally-funded workforce development and job services functions together in a single location to facilitate and ease comprehensive access for career seekers and businesses in the area.
VEC Commissioner Ellen Marie Hess said, “thanks to the cooperation we’ve had with the Valley Workforce Center, we are pleased to be able to meet this new federal requirement while improving accessibility for our customers.”
SVWDB CEO Sharon Johnson echoed how the two agencies have collaborated to meet the mandate: “We are excited to welcome the VEC to the Valley Workforce Center in Harrisonburg. In addition to being able to provide more convenient access for career seekers and businesses with this new co-located arrangement, expanded office space and increased cooperative efforts between VEC and Valley Workforce partners will allow us to serve our clients in bigger and better ways.”
Other partners and programs to be located in the expanded Valley Workforce Center include the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services, Telamon Corporation, Senior Community Service Employment program, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs, Massanutten Technical Center, Blue Ridge Community College, Rapid Response, GoodCare Career Pathways initiative, and Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities initiative.
The Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board is an incorporated, non-profit organization serving sixteen localities in Northwestern Virginia. The SVWDB operates five Valley Workforce Centers and directs numerous workforce initiatives. They partner with business, education, economic development, and other community and faith-based organizations to thoroughly understand the current labor market and develop innovative solutions to address broad regional workforce issues.
For more information visit www.valleyworkforce.com or contact Sharon Johnson at [email protected], 540.442.7134 orDebby Hopkins at [email protected], 540.442.7134.
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