Regional Workforce Partners and Resources

 

Central Virginia Business Services Team Contact Information and Services:
Traci Blido, Executive Director, Central Virginia Workforce Development Board
Phone: 434-818-7612

Tim Saunders, Deputy Director, Central Virginia Workforce Development Board
Phone: 434-856-2713

Services Traci and Tim can help with include:

  • Prescreening and referral of qualified applicants to fill your positions
  • Planning and implementation of hiring events (free for employers and job seekers)
  • Job posting assistance and sharing of job postings
  • Funding to support upskilling workers who are already on your payroll

Shantel Crews, Director of Workforce Operations, Virginia Career Works Lynchburg Center
Phone: 434-941-3178

Lamont Hobson, One Stop Coordinator, Virginia Career Works Lynchburg Center
Phone: 434-944-7044

Shantel and Lamont coordinate the “one-stop” system, which brings together all the partners represented on our Business Services Team. Shantel also manages the Title I Youth, Adult, and Dislocated Worker programs in the Central Virginia area. Clients in the Title I programs can be a source of workers to fill your positions. If you hire a Title I program client, your company could be reimbursed for up to half of the worker’s salary during their first few weeks or months of employment under what’s known as an “On the Job Training” contract.
Other services that might benefit your business include:

  • Provide work experience for youth (ages 18–24) to gain valuable skills through placement in an internship at your business.
  • Coordinate targeted recruitment efforts through Title I program participants and Virginia Works partners, including outreach to individuals receiving unemployment benefits.
  • Participate in On-the-Job Training (OJT) opportunities to offset training costs for new hires.

Virginia Works
Sharon Dunham, Workforce Services Office Manager, Virginia Works
Phone: 434-439-3064

Virginia Works assists businesses with connecting to skilled and qualified job seekers. Service delivery to businesses include: job service registration via the Virginia Workforce Connection website, applicant sourcing and screening, job matching and referrals and hosting job fairs. In addition to these services, the agency assists companies who have been impacted by foreign trade, as well as organizations who have an interest in On-the-Job Training opportunities and the work opportunity tax credit. Lastly, tax representatives are available to respond to inquiries related to unemployment insurance taxes.

Additional Contacts for Virginia Works:

John Garrison, Rapid Response Coordinator
Phone: 540-471-1285

Rapid Response is a federally funded program that provides resources to help businesses avoid layoffs or closures. This service is designed to be proactive, to help businesses navigate various economic and workforce hurdles. In the event of a layoff or closure, Beckie can help impacted workers find new employment with other businesses. You can learn more about Rapid Response by visiting: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/layoffs/employers

Pedro Ortiz, Registered Apprenticeship Consultant
Phone: 434-439-3216

Pedro can assist companies with becoming a Registered Apprenticeship sponsor, which would allow them to hire apprentices to fill certain positions. Registered Apprenticeship is an occupation-specific training model that combines supervised on-the-job training with related technical instruction specific to the apprentice’s chosen occupation. A full list of apprenticeable occupations can be found at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-occupations

Tony Young, Veterans Employment Representative, Jobs for Veteran State Grant (JVSG)
Phone: 434-907-0549

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit incentive that Congress provides to private-sector businesses for hiring individuals from any of ten target groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment. Employers can earn $1,200 to $9,600 in tax credits, depending on the amount of hours worked, when hiring employees from one of the following target groups: Military Veterans (unemployed/disabled/SNAP), Ex-felon, Long Term Unemployment Recipient, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Designated Community Resident and Empowerment Zone, Vocational Rehabilitation Referral, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Recipient, Long-Term Family Assistance Recipient (LTFAR), Summer Youth Employee. Eligible certifications are filed with the employer’s annual business federal income tax forms. There is no minimum number of employees for an employer to participate and there is no maximum number of employees for which an employer can receive credit. Applications must be entered/received within 28 days of the new hires’ start to work date to ensure consideration. To learn more email Priscilla Skinner, WOTC State Coordinator, priscilla.skinner@virginiaworks.gov. 

Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Beth Sullivan, Business Development Manager, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Phone: 804-895-1696

Please visit the DARS Business Services website at: https://dars.virginia.gov/employment-services/forbusinesses/

DARS offers no-cost services to employers across Virginia to help with their employee recruiting, screening, training, and retention efforts. You gain dedicated employees, enhance your workplace’s diversity and talent, and lower your hiring and training costs.

DARS business development managers and placement counselors do the legwork by working with your organization to set up candidate pre-screening, internships, paid and unpaid work experiences, or onthe-job training to make sure the employee is a good fit.

Services provided by DARS include, but are not limited to:

  • Paid and Unpaid Work Experience or Internships
  • Disability Awareness and Employment Inclusion Training
  • Work Opportunity Tax Credit
  • On-the-Job Training Reimbursement
  • Federal Bonding Program
  • Job Accommodation and Assistive Technology

Additional contact for DARS:

Christian Wiscovitch, Lynchburg DRS Manager, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Phone: 434-947-6721

Tom Woodward – Vocational Placement Counselor – Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Phone: 434-933-2037

Central Virginia Community College
Jason Ferguson, Associate Vice President of Professional & Career Studies, Central Virginia Community College (CVCC)
Phone: 434-832-7797

CVCC offers credit-based degree programs along with continuing education and professional development training. Available programs can help workers earn degrees, certifications, and industry-recognized credentials. Fast Forward programs provide intensive, short-term training opportunities in a variety of technical fields. Online training programs and shorter classes are available. CVCC can also develop a customized program to meet a specific training need for your business. You can learn more about customized training at this website:

https://www.vccs.edu/customized-training/

Additional Contact for CVCC:

Amanda Summers, Director of Special Projects, Central Virginia Community College
Phone: 434-832-6599

Latoya Garrison, Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Central Virginia Community College
Phone: 434-832-2096

The Career Link program at CVCC facilitates work-based learning opportunities for students at local businesses. This program also helps employers leverage training opportunities available at CVCC and develop Registered Apprenticeships in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.