3 days ago
Vermont pilots workforce expansion in Addison County, Northeast Kingdom
MONTPELIER, Vt. – (ABC22/FOX44) – Four Vermont counties will be the first to trial a new effort to get more people out of unemployment and into the workforce.
Vermont's Department of Labor is piloting the program, which aims to connect employers with job seekers. It lists among its four primary goals to increase workforce participation and increase worker wages as they enter new jobs.
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Both regions piloting the program will focus on jobs in manufacturing and health care. For the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce (NEKCC) which covers Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia Counties, health care is a particularly important employment sector in a rural and largely older region of the state. Essex County has a median age of 51 according to U.S. Census estimates, the oldest in Vermont.
'Our employers are eager for talent, and our communities are full of people ready to work but in need of better pathways,' said Loralee Tester, the director of NEKCC.
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The Addison County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC) aims to coordinate job training and outreach towards underemployed groups including youth, people without high school diplomas, and people with disabilities.
While Addison County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state, barriers remain for people who struggle with access to housing and childcare. Alex Armani-Munn, ACEDC's executive director, shared, 'With such a tight labor market, workforce development in Addison County is a complex issue with no easy fix. Having the additional capacity and support offered by the Workforce Expansion Program will be critical.'
This workforce expansion program is the result of Act 183 passed by the Vermont Assembly in 2022.
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