The Virginia Association of Workforce Directors (VAWD) was awarded the Commonwealth Award by Governor Terry McAuliff at the 2016 Virginia Workforce Conference in Richmond September 28 for outstanding strategic contributions to the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program.
Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board (SVWDB) Chief Executive Officer Sharon Johnson, who is also VAWD Chairperson and a member of the State Steering Committee for the V3 program, was on hand to accept the award.
The award comes following a series of significant contributions by the VAWD in support of theV3 program, particularly in showcasing the role of Virginia Local Workforce Development Boards in providing services to veterans as mandated by the federally-funded Department of Labor Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA). Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDA) throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia offer a range of standard WIOA services for veterans as well as a variety of special initiatives organized within each LWDA.
According to a release from the Governor’s office, the V3 program has consistently surpassed challenges by Governor McAuliffe to get veterans hired by V3-certified companies. At over 18,000 hired to date, the program continues on pace towards reaching the 20,000 hired mark by January 2017, a year ahead of the January 2018 target date.
About V3
The Virginia Values Veterans Program is a free training and certification program geared to help employers implement nationally recognized best practices in recruiting, hiring, and retaining highly-skilled and dependable Veterans. The V3 Program is an official Commonwealth of Virginia Program, authorized under the Code of Virginia (§ 2.2-2001.2). It is organized under the directorate of Veterans Education, Training, and Employment (VETE), within the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS), an agency of the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs.
About SVWDB
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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