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WV Jobs Network

Connecting great talent with good jobs in West Virginia

READ AN OVERVIEW OF THE WV JOBS NETWORK HERE

People believe there are not opportunities for them in the Mountain State, while employers are desperately trying to fill open jobs. The new WV Jobs Network is here to connect great applicants with good jobs, provide valuable professional development for existing staff, and build successful careers and businesses across the mountain state. We are building a workforce pathway that truly works for everyone.

First2 and WVJN Spring 2025 Co-Conference Save-the-Date (1)

Registration is open for the First2 Network and WV Jobs Network Spring 2025 Co-Conference!

This conference will focus on:

Fostering a culture of learning and collaboration among students, job seekers, faculty, administrators, workforce trainees, employers, and industry professionals.
Championing interdisciplinary, cooperative strategies to drive systems change and enhance the impact and sustainability of workforce development and STEM education initiatives.
Facilitating meaningful discussions about policies at all levels that influence STEM education and workforce development and implementing actionable strategies to drive impactful policy changes.
Showcasing successes and best practices to elevate workforce development and STEM education outcomes.
Identifying strategic next steps to enhance and expand both networks.

About WV Jobs Network

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN JOB SEEKER AND EMPLOYER

The WV Jobs Network believes to solve workforce problems it takes the entire workforce from employer to job seekers. One of our goals is to provide support to both sides of the equation and elevating voices and concerns from both. Supporting both will provide a more holistic understanding of our current workforce pathways issues.

Employer Support

Access to hiring support through the Career Connector’s applicant pool.
Learning from employers about their workforce successes and needs.
Connecting employers with quality training and certification programs for employers across the mountain state.
Bringing employers and job seekers together at our conference to learn from one another.
Compiling services to help build employers’ capacity for hiring and training.
Facilitating resource-sharing to promote best practices and policies among employers to improve our communities together.
Provide access to the Appalachia Connect program, which provides employers with resources to engage and retain employees.

Job Seeker Support

Connecting job seekers to job applicant resources as well as resume and interview prep resources through Generation WV’s Career Connector.
Meeting job seekers wherever they are in their path toward a livable job.
Supporting opportunities for on-the-job training from Coalfield Development, High Rocks, First2 Network, and AmeriCorps programs across the state.
Maintaining a resume database to keep job seekers’ resumes available for future opportunities.
Providing ongoing training, certifications, and professional development.
Compile career- and life-coaching opportunities to meet and support job seekers.
Provide support through networking opportunities such as conferences to learn more about job seekers challenges.

WV Jobs Network Services

POWER SKILLS CERTIFICATION

Are you are an individual looking to get Power Skills certified or an organization looking for quality professional development for your team? We are accepting candidates now. Sign-up today.

What is the Power Skills Certification:

Power Skills: Power Skills are the combination of soft skills and leadership skills that employers and organizations in West Virginia are asking for. Power Skills are next-level skills.

Prove your ability: The WV Jobs Network is piloting a Power Skills Certification program with job seekers, current staff, AmeriCorps members, entrepreneurs, workforce trainees, and even students.

What you get: This program will allow you to build a powerful work portfolio that demonstrates mastery of Power Skills, gearing you up to be a top candidate for whatever opportunity comes next. You’ll have access to online learning, coaching, and a digital certification. This digital certification badge is independently verifiable by employers, and is a valuable credential that can be used on resumes, social media profiles like Linked In, and even on email signatures.

The WV Jobs Network Power Skills include Initiative, Time Management and Prioritization, Focus and Productivity, Workplace Communication, Project Management, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Teamwork, and Leadership.

What does the program provide?

Curriculum structure
Supplementary online learning modules at your own pace
Opportunities to improve your skills in real time
Power Skills coaching
Coaching for coaches
Evaluation rubrics and tools
Industry review
Digital credentials
Powerful work and skill portfolio

When does it start?
November - January: Sign up and preparation
February - March: Training for coaches and orientations
March: Cohort begins
August: Wrap up

What’s the time commitment?
March-August, estimated 1-3 hours per week

What is the program based on? The WV Jobs Network has identified a regional need for a strong workforce development model that includes a Power Skills Certification for West Virginia and the Appalachian region. We put the Department of Labor’s Competency Model Clearinghouse together with input from local industry leaders and proven innovators in workforce development in the Appalachian region to create a West Virginia Jobs Network competency model that defines 15 Power Skills that will help you level up in your current or future opportunity.

CAREER CONNECTOR

The Career Connector: powered by WV Jobs Network partner Generation WV, is a workforce development hub connecting West Virginia jobs seekers and employers to increase access to opportunity in the Mountain State. Check it out now.

Job Board: The Career Connector will feature full-time positions as well as paid internships and AmeriCorps opportunities all in one place. Check it out when you are ready for that next step in your workforce journey.

Resume Bank: Additionally, the Career Connector provides a resume bank service for those who do not see an opportunity that matches their current aspirations and will keep an eye out for a good job that fits their skills. Add your resume to their job applicant pool today by submitting here.

Job Readiness: Needing some support for that transition? Generation WV has you covered with some job readiness resources to start on making that transition to a career right here in West Virginia. You can find the job readiness resources here.

Employers: The Career Connector isn’t just a job board–we do the heavy lifting to help connect your business to talent in West Virginia. Utilize our resources to access a higher level of skill and reduce the cost of hiring. Interested in the resources that GWV has to offer, let them know today by filling out this form.

APPALACHIAN CONNECT

We are working with Appalachian Connect workforce sustainability model here in the Mountain State. Appalachian Connect works with employers to provide human-to-human assistance for workers by meeting them where they are and navigating the resources they need to be successful at home to bring their best self to work.

To find out more about the model send email inquiries to info@highrocks.org or check-out WV Jobs Network partner Bristol's Promise

LEARN MORE TODAY

Want to learn more about the Power Skills Certification or ready to level-up your skills? Learn more!

Who is the WV Jobs Network

The WV Jobs Network has five anchor partners: High Rocks, Coalfield Development, First2 Network, Appalachia Connect, and Generation WV. These cross-sector partners aim to improve the workforce pathway and connect talent to opportunity.

The WV Jobs Network uses a collective impact framework to conduct its work. Collective Impact efforts have a common agenda, shared metrics, continuous communication, aligned activities, and strong backbone support.

We are always looking to grow the WV Jobs Network. Want to find out more? Email us at info@highrocks.org

Connect with the WV Jobs Network

As part of the Collective Impact, the WV Jobs Network will bring together partners and stakeholders from across the state to learn together and share what’s working, as we all work to help people stay and thrive in West Virginia.

To get involved or learn more, contact WV Jobs Network Coordinator Cree Lahti at cree@highrocks.org.

Thanks to the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Benedum Foundation for their support of this work.