City Encourages Job Seekers to Apply to WIOA’s Career Readiness Program

Locally, the plan is intended to help residents who lost their careers due to plant closures, company downsizing, or some other significant change in market conditions, especially during the coronavirus pandemic which triggered a significant job loss in the labor market.
Page updated on March 14, 2022 at 2:13 PM
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City Encourages Job Seekers to Apply to WIOA’s Career Readiness Program

A DCHS Connect News Highlight

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January 13, 2022—Alexandria’s Workforce Development Center (WDC) encourages eligible job seekers to apply to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Dislocated Worker Program and attend an upcoming virtual orientation to learn more about the eligibility and the enrollment process along with the services offered.

The WIOA Dislocated Worker Program is a career readiness program intended to help individuals get back to work as quickly as possible and overcome barriers to employment. Individuals become dislocated workers as a result of job loss, mass layoffs, global trade dynamics or transitions in economic sectors. The program provides services to assist them in re-entering the workforce.

Locally, the plan is intended to help residents who lost their careers due to plant closures, company downsizing, or some other significant change in market conditions, especially during the coronavirus pandemic which triggered a significant job loss in the labor market.

In the City of Alexandria, dislocated workers are eligible for services such as skill assessment, labor market information, work search and job placement assistance. Other individualized services may include more intensive evaluation, counseling, and prevocational and vocational training.

Some of the certifications backed by the program include Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), medical billing and coding and Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

The sequence of services is on a case-by-case basis, and there are multiple eligibility criteria such as work status and income level. Generally, applicants must be unlikely to be able to return to their previous field of employment and be eligible for or have exhausted their unemployment compensations. Other factors can also be considered when determining admissibility, for example, those who are self-employed but are unable to work due to a general economic condition might be qualified to apply, as well as homemakers.

Eligible participants can receive up to $3,500 to help jumpstart their career, in addition to receiving assistance with employment, education, training and other supportive services.

To learn more about the program, register and attend a one-hour free virtual orientation which is being held every other Monday at 1 p.m.

The Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act or WIOA is federal legislation that is designed to strengthen and improve the nation's public workforce system and help get Americans with significant barriers to employment into careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers. The aim of the program is to increase employment and work retention for participants and deliver a skilled workforce to employers by providing a broad range of supportive services and training opportunities including earn-while-learn training opportunities; on-the-job training and attaining work readiness skills; credentials; resources and support necessary to build or rebuild skills for future jobs.

View and download a printable flyer to learn about the program.

For more information about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Dislocated Worker Program visit the Workforce Development Center (WDC) webpage, call 703.746.5990 or email WDC@alexandriava.gov.