Governor Kaine Announces Opening of Roanoke Workforce Center

Press Release

Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced the opening of the Roanoke Workforce Center, Virginia's second comprehensive one-stop workforce center. The Center will serve jobseekers and businesses in the region from one central location and will house local and state government agencies and not-for-profit organizations.

The state-of-the-art facility features shared programming open to the public in areas such as resume writing, educational training for GED, post-secondary education, finance management and job services.

"This center underscores our commitment to providing assistance to our citizens and employers as we continue to build and improve our workforce," Governor Kaine said. "Whether we're facing economic prosperity or tougher financial conditions, like we are today, education and workforce training are critical in making the right investments to build the strength and vitality of Virginia and its communities."

All Roanoke Workforce Center staff will be trained with the Virginia One Stop staff certification training -- implemented in 2007 -- along with case-management training, agency/office cross-training and shared function procedures. Each organization will be linked by common, shared intake procedures for jobseeker and business customers.

The following organizations will be present at the Center as co-located partners:

* Department of Rehabilitative Services
* Virginia Western Community College
* Virginia Employment Commission
* Adult Education programs
* Goodwill Industries of the Valleys
* Total Action Against Poverty - This Valley Works

Plans are underway to open another nine centers in Virginia. These centers are designed to have all participating organizations work as one unit to better meet the common goals of a region so that the communities will be better served through enhanced communication and dialogue between the various stakeholders, whether they are a service provider or customer.

The customers will have one point of contact for a majority of their employment and training needs, including intake, preliminary assessment, training and education, case management, and job matching.

The Roanoke Center has served over 5,000 area citizens since it opened on July 22, 2009.

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