Finding a job in the Shenandoah Valley just got a little easier as the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board activated an all-new brand this month: Virginia Career Works. All local career centers in Harrisonburg, Winchester, and Fishersville are now known as “Virginia Career Works” centers.
The new name and brand has also been adopted by Virginia’s 14 other regional workforce boards as well as the Virginia Board for Workforce Development, creating a single, unified identity for the entire workforce system.
“Through a strong network of regional workforce boards and local career centers, Virginia has deep, strategic resources to help connect employers with qualified, trained job seekers,” said Gov. Ralph Northam at the Virginia Career Works unveiling in Richmond. The Governor has championed the development of the new brand since taking office in January.
“Our new brand is vibrant, attractive, and most of all, recognizable no matter where you are in the state,” said SVWDB CEO Dr. Sharon Johnson. “Having consistency from county to county and region to region will help job seekers and employers know they’re in the right place and in very good hands.”
A special event celebrating the new look will be held at the Virginia Career Works – Harrisonburg Center on January 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The New Year, New Career! job fair is for individuals seeking full or part time employment.
Creating better awareness for the system’s programs and services was one of the primary drivers for establishing a unified brand. In a 2017 poll of Virginians looking for employment or career enhancement, only 25 percent were able to identify a local or state workforce organization. Roughly 50 percent of the state’s employers surveyed were able to do the same.
Workforce, education, and economic development leaders from across the state have been fully engaged in the 12-month branding process and participated in multiple work sessions to clarify the system’s strengths and opportunities, as well as identify the brand’s key characteristics.
The process was guided by market research, including an initial poll of corporate hiring managers to quantify awareness of the system, and a second, similar poll of adult residents across the state. Later in the branding process, employers and job seekers were again polled to test potential names and brand marks or logos. Based on the market research, Virginia Career Works was selected due to its strong appeal with both customer groups.
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