1. VIRGINIA WORKFORCE NETWORKS Michael Somers, Business Development Manager, Department of Rehabilitative Services, Commonwealth of Virginia Blue Ridge Region

2. Business Friendly Employer Outreach Tool Businesses demand single point of contact from employment programs Filling job orders with qualified applicants

3. You’re in good company... t Bills Barbecue t Boddie-Noell Enterprises t Masonic Home t Manpower t Colortree t Chesterfield County t Educational Credit Management Corporation t Home Depot t Onmi Richmond t Prudential Cleanroom Services t Kroger t Hawkeye Manufacturing t Spherion t World Access t Aramark t Westminster Canterbury t Alliance for Seniors t Richmond ARC t 7-Eleven t Suntrust t Internal Revenue Service t TruGreen Chemlawn t ServiceMaster Services t Imperial Plaza t RideFinders t Corman Construction t Federal Express t WAWA t Bank of America t Charter One Mortgage t Owens & Minor t STAT Employment Services t Target t Wal-Mart t Peoples Financial Services t Jefferson Hotel t Ranstad t PARI t Virginia Capitol Police t Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. t Chick-Fil-A t Unistaff t City of Richmond t Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Services t BB&T t Ronson Communication & Information Systems t Ukrops

4. “NETWORKING” “A group of people who exchange data or information to gain a common goal or cause”

5. MEETING The members of the network (Workforce professionals) Meet with Businesses (Employers)

6. Workforce Professionals t Social services t Vocational rehabilitation t Schools (transition specialists, counselors) t Employment commission t WIA – one stop t Corrections t Aging t Supported Employment t Veterans, Military Programs t ARC t Etc, Etc

7. EMPLOYERS t Human resources t Regional managers t Managers t Foremen t Owners t New start-ups

8. Our Vision t To provide and avenue for dialogue with the area business regarding employment information t To share job leads and information t To disseminate local labor market information

9. Mission Statement “To enhance partnerships among workforce development professionals and the business community”

10. Our Ground Rules t Please bring job leads that you are aware of to share with the group t Bring a business card... We will give you a list of those present to facilitate ongoing communication t Please be on time out of consideration for our guest speakers t No discussion of individual agency and client information

11. POP QUIZ t Speaker or Guest Employer t The JOB SWAP t Business Card Information

12. Benefits for Members t Develop contacts t Develop employer knowledge (Perks and Quirks) t Establish oneself as a resource for workers t Network with other agencies t Share job leads t Learn names and faces of HR persons in the community

13. Benefits for employers t Profile and showcase the company at no cost t Access to prescreened applicants t Clearly state expectations of employees t Tax credits t OJT, internships, job coaching and other training options t Learn names and faces of workforce professionals in the community

14. Benefits for School Personnel Validate actual jobs and job requirements in community to share with career development and training staff Develop potential internship sites Develop potential situational assessment/shadowing sites Recruit potential career/vocational advisory committee members

15. Types of Networks t Meeting on the Employers job Site t Same location each meeting t Mixed

16. Does it Work? VA has 20 Networks Average of 25 Members Average of 10 meetings a year Average of 2 speakers per meeting Average of 15 job leads at each meeting

17. Does It Work? 500 people meeting each month 5,000 Each Year 40 Businesses are showcased each month 400 Each Year 340 Job Leads discussed each month 3,400 Each Year

18. Yes, It Works! If each of the Members (25) use only five Of the 3,400 job leads each year 2,500 New Hires Each Year

19. FAQ’S t Who owns the networks? t Who Manages the networks? t What tools are necessary to start a network? t Do the Networks ever do anything else other than host speakers?

20. Page-Luray Workforce Network Prince William County Workforce Network PD-9 Workforce Resource Network Region 2000 Area Network for Employment (RANE) Rockingham/Augusta Workforce Network Shenandoah County Employment Resource Group South Central Workforce Network Winchester/Frederick/Clarke Workforce Network Workforce Network – Roanoke Charlottesville Area Workforce Network Greater Fredericksburg Workforce Network Hampton Roads Workforce Network Loudoun Workforce Network Martinsville Area Disability Employment Network Metro Richmond Workforce Network Middle Peninsula/Northern Neck Employment Connection New River Valley Employment Network Northern Virginia Workforce Network