“Better Skills, Better Jobs” June 18, 2014 NFWS 4 th Annual Meeting

Population of 229,264 (2,706 square miles) Labor Force of 104, % do NOT have a high school diploma or GED 13.5% have a Bachelor’s degree Unemployment rate 9.5% with 9,800 people seeking work Snap Shot of Southern Virginia

The Issue (not unique to Southern VA)  The structure of the labor market is changing, creating fewer unskilled jobs.  There is a shortage of skilled workers and the highest employer training needs are for foundational skills.  There is a disconnect between workforce education & training and employment opportunities.

A NEW Workforce Story  Short-term strategy for economic development  Address employer concerns  Soft Skills  Industry certifications

SOVA CWRC Progress CWRC TargetCWRC Goal Status (as of April 2014) % Goal Emerging NCRC % Current NCRC % Transitioning NCRC % Business Support %

Leveraged Funds/Mutual Goals Dan River Region Collaborative DOL Social Innovation Fund VA Tobacco Commission Employers WIBs Community Colleges K-12

Employer & Community Engagement  Improved understanding of NCRC value among economic and workforce development communities  Increased interest among employers to use Work Keys and NCRC o 9 job profiles for three manufacturers (match) o Pre-assessment tool (recruitment) o Incumbent worker training (advancement)

Julie J. Brown, Ph.D. Dan River Region Collaborative