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Execute Growing Opportunities report recommendations related to self-sufficiencyEconomic Development |
Description
Workforce Development has been identified in City Council's annual Work Plan. The activities regarding this area are managed and tracked here.
Why and What it Achieves
The Growing Opportunity report provides an overview of the local workforce climate and examines barriers to employment for low-income City residents such as basic literacy, workplace skills, transportation, and childcare. The report also presents numerous strategies for addressing these barriers. By implementing the strategies/initiatives in the Growing Opportunity report, the Strategic Action Team on Workforce Development (SAT) will help City residents achieve self-sufficiency by ensuring that barriers to employment so they can obtain and retain jobs.
Status
The Spring 2017 Growing Opportunities update can be found HERE.
During FY17, the Office of Economic Development has offered three GO training programs that provided in-demand workforce training to 18 City residents. OED staff hosted three major hiring events/job fairs that assisted nearly 100 local employers in their efforts to hire job seekers. In addition, to the job fairs/hiring events hosted by the Office of Economic Development, staff also regularly participates in the weekly job fairs held at the Virginia Workforce Center. The Downtown Job Center provided transportation assistance to 102 City residents through the GO Ride program allowing residents to be able to ride the bus to look for work and also to get to work once they obtain employment.