The Shenandoah Valley On-the-Job Training Initiative (Valley OJT), a program of the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board (SVWIB), recently issued an update on the accomplishments stemming from a $5 million grant received from the Department of Labor (DOL) in 2011.
The five year grant was awarded to generate on-the-job training opportunities in advanced manufacturing and health care industries for unemployed or underemployed individuals in the Shenandoah Valley, and has significantly exceeded projected program goals according to statistics released by Debby Hopkins, Workforce Development Project Director Valley OJT.
The Valley Workforce OJT Initiative has been extremely successful, reporting the following statistics through March 2015.
Measure Project Goal Current %___
Individuals Hired
# OJTs Hired 310 476 154%
# OJTs Completed 222 313 141%
Total wage reimbursement payments to SVWIB for advanced manufacturing and health care companies in the SVWIB region: $2,236,194.
Average wage of OJT Trainees: $14.27
Companies eligible to participate in the initiative are identified through referrals from the region’s economic development directors and from direct outreach by Valley Workforce staff. Candidates for on-the-job (OJT) training are found by companies through their own search efforts, by the Virginia Employment Commission, Valley Workforce Centers and other workforce partners.
OJT trainees are hired into full-time positions and work through a formal OJT training period. During the training period, the company receives partial reimbursement for the extraordinary cost of training a new worker while on the job. Reimbursement is typically based on employee wages.
The Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board is an incorporated, non-profit organization serving sixteen localities in Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. The SVWIB operates five Valley Workforce Centers and directs numerous workforce initiatives like Valley OJT. 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 visitwww.valleyworkforce.com or contact Sharon Johnson at [email protected], 540.442.7134.
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