What it is

Virginia Career Works Northern Region, formerly the Northern Virginia Workforce Development Board, is the regional workforce board for Northern Virginia. It administers services funded through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Operations are handled by The SkillSource Group, Inc., a separate nonprofit that also serves as the board's fiscal agent. Its administrative office is in McLean, and it works with partners to run career centers across the region, including locations in Annandale, Alexandria, Manassas and Fairfax County.

What it offers founders and employers

For a growing startup, the most relevant part is the Employer Solutions Team, which covers recruitment and screening, employee development and retention, and consultative and planning services through a single point of contact. Listed services include:

  • Onsite recruitment and placement assistance, job fairs, applicant screening and job posting.
  • On-the-Job Training (OJT) subsidies.
  • The Incumbent Worker grant program, which reimburses employers for training existing staff, including course and certification costs, online training and textbooks.
  • Work Opportunity Tax Credit program support.
  • Rapid Response services and a Transitional Work Experience Program.
  • Talent Up NoVA and LEAD4IT talent programs.

Who it is for

Employers hiring in Northern Virginia, plus job seekers, dislocated federal workers and contractors, veterans and military spouses, immigrants and refugees, and young adults. Job seeker resources include WIOA-funded services, LinkedIn Learning at no cost for Northern Virginia jobseekers, and a Financial Empowerment Center.

How to engage

Employers can submit the employer inquiry form or read the employer services page, which links to a brochure and a menu of services. Details on training reimbursement are on the Incumbent Worker page. The general phone line is (703) 827-3782 and email is info@vcwnorthern.com. The administrative office at 8270 Greensboro Drive, Suite 850, McLean, is not a job center and does not take walk-ins, so schedule appointments in advance. Career center locations and hours are on the contact page.

Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem

For a startup hiring its first employees in Northern Virginia, the regional workforce board is a publicly funded option for recruiting, screening candidates and offsetting part of the cost of training staff. The organization describes its business services as offered with no financial strings attached, and its employer team is a single point of contact for all of them.