Virginia Works Biennial Evaluation, Approved by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development on March 27, 2026
Summary
Virginia Works Biennial Evaluation, approved by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development on March 27, 2026 and presented by the Center for Public Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University. The Board requested an independent evaluation of the operational and program objectives of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement (Virginia Works), using individual interviews and an electronic survey, conducted December 1, 2025 through January 30, 2026. The survey invitation went to 352 stakeholders. In the survey, 46.1% agreed the agency reduced duplicative efforts and 45.4% agreed it streamlined service delivery for employers. Recommendations include investing in field staffing for outreach and employer engagement and supporting dashboards for data driven decisions.
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“Virginia Works Biennial Evaluation, Approved by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development on March 27, 2026.”
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VIRGINIA WORKS
BIENNIAL EVALUATION
APPROVED BY THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ON MARCH 27, 2026
This report is presented by:
The Center for Public Policy
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs
Virginia Commonwealth University
Robyn McDougle, PhD
Associate Dean of Research and Outreach
Consultants and Researchers
Gina Barber, MPA
Jess Smith, PhD
Editor
Wheeler Wood, MS
The Center for Public Policy would like to express our gratitude to Anthony Reedy,
Executive Director of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, for his
invaluable support and insights throughout this project.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 2
CONTENTS
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 4
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 6
Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 7
Survey Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Interview Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 8
Analysis and Findings ............................................................................................................... 9
Survey Results ................................................................................................................................................ 9
Overall Survey Themes............................................................................................................................ 9
Participation ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Virginia Works Objectives .................................................................................................................... 11
Virginia Works Mission ......................................................................................................................... 15
Agency Performance .............................................................................................................................. 17
Agency Effectiveness ............................................................................................................................. 19
Agency Functions ................................................................................................................................... 21
Additional Respondent Feedback ........................................................................................................ 25
Interview Results ......................................................................................................................................... 28
Overall Interview Themes ..................................................................................................................... 28
Board Member Interview Themes ....................................................................................................... 29
Virginia Works Leaders Interview Themes ........................................................................................ 31
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................33
Appendices ...............................................................................................................................35
Appendix A: Survey Questions ................................................................................................................. 36
Appendix B: Interview Questions ............................................................................................................ 41
Appendix C: Virginia Works Strategic Plan Commitments (Initiatives)............................................. 43
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 3
Executive Summary
The Virginia Board of Workforce Development (Board) requested the VCU Center for Public Policy
(CPP) conduct an independent evaluation of the operational and program objectives of the
Department of Workforce Development and Advancement (Virginia Works), in compliance with
Code of Virginia 2.2-2472.A.16. The evaluation is the first of the biennial evaluations for the newly
established agency and focuses on gaining an understanding of the perceptions of the Virginia Works
operational and program objectives using individual interviews and an electronic survey with key
stakeholder groups.
Participation in the online survey was targeted towards Virginia Works staff, representatives of the
Local Workforce Development Boards, and partners from other state agencies. Interviews were
conducted with members of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, including the Executive
Director, as well as functional leaders within Virginia Works.
The findings of this assessment generally support the observation that the intended benefits of
establishing Virginia Works are being achieved. Naturally there are “growing pains” with any newly
formed agency and opportunities exist to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization
as well as build upon the initial successes of the agency.
The most prominent themes emerging from survey and interview responses were:
• Perception of Virginia Works as a bridge to connect job seekers and employers.
• Creation of Virginia Works improved coordination across workforce development programs
in the Commonwealth for some stakeholder groups.
• Data collection and tracking workforce metrics viewed as most successfully implemented
mandate.
• Communication and marketing to the public regarded as needing improvement.
• Engagement with business customers seen as needing significant improvement.
Survey and interview participants praised Virginia Works as “eliminating existing silos” and utilizing
tracking and performance outcomes to “pivot or scale Virginia’s workforce strategy.” However, survey
participants seemed to be split on whether Virginia Works reduced duplicative efforts across
workforce development programs, with 46.1% agreeing the agency reduced duplicative efforts. While
a slight majority of survey respondents agreed the creation of Virginia Works streamlined service
delivery for job seekers, only 45.4% agreed the creation streamlined service delivery for employers.
When discussing challenges, survey participants expressed some concerns about staff having to spend
significant time responding to unemployment questions. According to several survey participants,
there still exists confusion within the public regarding the difference between Virginia Works and the
Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). Additional challenges reported by survey respondents
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 4
included key agency mandates being ambiguous and staffing shortages making implementation of
mandates difficult.
Findings from the interviews generally supported those of the survey but a few insights contradicted
some of the survey results. For example, the interview participants saw positive outcomes from
internal and external communication while survey participants noted improvements were much
needed. This difference is possibly due to the majority of survey respondents coming from Virginia
Staff and the majority of interview responses coming from Board members.
The following summary of recommendations was developed based upon the themes from the
participants and, where applicable, are correlated with the Virginia Works Strategic Plan Commitments
(see Appendix C).
• Ensure a clear separation (outreach, training, signage, etc.) for the support and handling
unemployment functions
• Invest in field staffing for outreach and employer engagement (2B Fall 2025-Fall 2030)
• Diversify funding sources to expand impact (5G Fall 2025-Fall 2030)
• Improve internal communication to support execution of the agency mandates (5K In
Progress-Fall 2030)
• Increase efforts (staffing, funding, etc.) to support a comprehensive outreach, branding and
marketing for Virginia Works services targeting both job seekers and employers. (5H Fall
2025- Fall 2026)
• Support investments in dashboards to enable data driven decisions for both state and regional
programs, services, etc. Note this requires consistency in the data and data collection
processes. (5A Fall 2025-Fall 2026)
• Increase efforts to connect with Virginia businesses; increase awareness of business services
function (3A ,Fall 2025-Fall 2030, 3B In Progress-Fall 2026, 4A In Progress-Fall 2030, 4D,
Fall 2025-Fall 2030, 5C Fall 2025-Fall 2030)
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 5
Introduction
The Virginia Board of Workforce Development (Board) requested the Center for Public Policy (CPP)
conduct an independent evaluation of the operational and program objectives of the Department of
Workforce Development and Advancement (Virginia Works). This request enables compliance with
the Code of Virginia 2.2-2472.A.16. This evaluation is the first of the biennial evaluations for the
newly established agency.
The Board requested the CPP evaluate the Virginia Works operational and program objectives
through individual interviews and an electronic survey with key stakeholder groups. The interview and
survey instruments focused on the following areas of the Virginia Works operational and program
objectives, as determined by the Board Executive Director:
• Policies and procedures
• Communication and collaboration with staff and partners
• External outreach efforts to individuals and employers
• Use of technology
• Data and metrics related to workforce development
This report presents the results of this evaluation conducted December 1, 2025 through January 30,
2026.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 6
Methodology
The methodology for this evaluation was developed in collaboration with the Board Executive
Director. The evaluation featured two components: an electronic survey and individual interviews with
key stakeholder groups. Survey and interview participants were notified by the Executive Director in
advance that CPP would be contacting them to participate in this evaluation. Their participation was
voluntary but highly encouraged.
Survey Methodology
In November 2025, consultants from the Center for Public Policy (CPP) drafted a survey as part of
the overall evaluation of Virginia Works. The survey was reviewed and approved by the Executive
Director of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, who also provided contact lists for
relevant participants.
On December 1, 2025, an electronic survey invitation was sent out to 352 stakeholders, including: 316
Virginia Works staff, 7 workforce partners from other state agencies, and 24 representatives from
Local Workforce Development Boards (Directors and board members). The survey was open through
December 31, 2025. Stakeholders received 3 reminder emails to take the survey before the close date.
CPP consultants used the survey tool, QuestionPro, to administer the survey. Each respondent
received an individual email invitation with a personalized survey link and were prevented from taking
the survey more than once. Survey respondents were informed that all responses were confidential
and any written comments shared during the survey will be reported anonymously when shared with
the Board, the Virginia General Assembly, and the Virginia Governor’s Office.
The survey respondent list was developed by the Board Executive Director. The survey questions
were developed by CPP consultants in collaboration with the Board Executive Director. A copy of the
survey questions is provided in Appendix A.
The survey was open from December 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, with reminders sent by
CPP to those who had not yet completed the survey on December 10, 17, and 31, 2025.
Role Invitations Participation Rate
Virginia Works staff 316 51.58% (163)
Representatives from Local Workforce
24 70.83% (17)
Development Boards
Workforce partners from other state
7 85.71% (6)
agencies
Total 352 52.84% (186)
Table 1: Evaluation Survey Participants
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Interview Methodology
On December 3, 2025, invitations to participate in individual interviews were sent to 28 individuals by
CPP. The interviews were conducted by phone. Participants were notified their responses to interview
questions would be kept confidential and their responses would be reported anonymously; the CPP
would not identify which respondent provided which response. The interview participant list was
developed by the Board Executive Director. The interview questions were developed in collaboration
with the Board Executive Director. The list of questions is provided in Appendix B.
A reminder email was sent by CPP to those who had not yet scheduled an interview on December 15,
2025. The interviews were completed by January 13, 2026. A total of 15 interviews were conducted
and reflect a response rate of approximately 54%.
The following table shows the participants invited to be interviewed as part of the evaluation and the
participation rate:
Role Invitations Participation Rate
Board Executive Director 1 100% (1)
Members of the Board 20 50% (101)
Virginia Works Functional Area Leaders 7 57% (4)
Total 28 54% (15)
Table 2: Evaluation Interview Participants
1 The participation rate for the Members of the Board does not include the Board Executive Director; the analysis of the
Board interviews includes the Director’s feedback.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 8
Analysis and Findings
Survey Results
Overall Survey Themes
Based on the survey responses from Virginia Works staff, agency partners and representatives from
both the LWDBs and the VBDB, the following themes emerged:
• The majority of respondents clearly understand the objectives of Virginia Works and agree
with its mission.
• The majority of the agency has been relatively successful in fulfilling its mandates.
• Challenges exist with both internal and external communications resulting in a significant
number of participants indicating they do not have sufficient information to gauge how well
the agency is accomplishing its mission, objective, mandate, etc..
• Respondents believe current staffing levels are not sufficient.
Responses to all survey questions are presented in detail throughout this section. Survey responses
were also examined by respondent role type to determine whether perspectives differed across
organizational positions. Overall, responses were largely consistent across roles, with no meaningful or
significant variation observed in most items. Given the limited differences, results are reported in
aggregate throughout this section rather than reported separately by role for each question. When
notable differences2 by role were identified, they are highlighted and discussed in the relevant sections.
2 Crosstabulation and chi-square tests were used to assess whether responses to each question varied by respondent role
type. No statistically significant associations were observed.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 9
Participation
A total of 232 invitees attempted the survey and after reviewing responses, 46 responses were
removed for failure to complete the survey beyond demographic questions leaving 186 responses for
analysis. Of the valid responses, 163 participants were Virginia Works agency staff, 6 were workforce
partners from other state agencies, and 17 were representatives from Local Workforce Development
Boards.
Virginia Works Affiliation
9%
3%
Agency Staff
Workforce Partner
Local Workforce Development
Board Representative
88%
Figure 1: Evaluation Survey Participation Rate
Of those 186 responses, the majority of participants (80%) indicated they worked for a program that
was consolidated into Virginia Works. Participants' professional experience in the workforce industry
ranged from under 1 year to over 40 years, with an average of 12.5 years.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 10
Virginia Works Objectives
Following Virginia Works introductory questions, participants were asked to describe the objectives of
Virginia Works in their own words. The following themes emerged:
Theme Overview
The most frequent theme that emerged described Virginia Works as acting as a
bridge or matchmaker, connecting job seekers and employers.
Respondents described the bridge as transitioning job seekers “from jobs to
“The Bridge” meaningful careers” while “providing family-sustaining wages” and “upskilling”
between job to workers.
seekers and Concerning employers, participants viewed Virginia Works as a “talent pipeline”
employers. and “recruitment partner” that helps ensure employers remain competitive for
attracting qualified job seekers and job seekers have the skills employers need.
Cementing the theme of Virginia Works as a bridge, close to 15% of respondents
included the phrase: “We connect people to careers and employers to skilled
talent.”
The next most frequent theme described Virginia Works as serving as a “unified
hub” for helping individual job seekers and employers. Specifically, participants
cited Virginia Works as “eliminating existing silos,” “moving away from
fragmented services to a centralized and unified hub” for Virginians.
The “unified
hub.” Numerous participants also cited Virginia Works as providing alignment for the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, “managing partners to ensure
streamlined programming.”
Similarly, several participants elaborated that Virginia Works utilizes tracking and
performance outcomes to “pivot or scale Virginia’s workforce strategy.”
Another theme identified from participant responses concerning the objectives of
Virginia Works centered around the agency “moving beyond job matching” to
“providing holistic support” and “removing barriers for job seekers.”
Several responses described the “person-centered” nature of the agency,
Removing highlighting the wraparound services offered to Virginians, to include “assisting
barriers for with housing, transportation, and license reinstatement.”
support and Within this theme, respondents also highlighted the targeted support offered to
services. specific populations, including “justice-impacted individuals,” veterans, and
“those with significant barriers to employment.”
Additionally, a handful of participants called attention to the agency offering
“support during stressful transitions of unemployment” and providing
“emotional support and knowledge” for Virginians.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 11
Theme Overview
While the overwhelming majority of descriptions of Virginia Works’ objectives
reflected a positive view of the agency, a handful of participants offered criticisms
of the agency's realities as compared to stated objectives.
A gap between • Unemployment Information - several noted they were handing requests
stated about unemployment with one respondent noting they are "SUPPOSE to
objectives and focus on Job Services but the majority of our time is still dealing with
operational unemployment questions."
realities. • Objective Uncertainties - a handful of respondents identified
uncertainty surrounding the objective of the agency, detailing “our
objectives are ambiguous at best” with another stating the objectives “are
all over the place” and the newly formed agency is “a blunder.”
Table 3: Respondent Perceptions of Virginia Works Objectives
In addition to asking participants to describe the objectives of Virginia Works, respondents were also
asked to state their level of agreement, from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”, with a series of
statements related to the objectives of the agency. Across all statements, respondents were more likely
to agree than disagree, specifically, most respondents selected “Agree” as the most common response.
It should be noted, however, the second most common response across all statements was “Don’t
Know.” Participants were rather evenly split in their levels of agreement surrounding agency
objectives.
A majority of respondents (54.1%) agreed the creation of Virginia Works improved coordination
across workforce development programs in the Commonwealth. Only a slight majority, 50.7%, agreed
the creation of Virginia Works enhanced efficiency. Participants seemed to be most split on whether
Virginia Works reduced duplicative efforts across workforce development programs, with 46.1%
agreeing the agency reduced duplicative efforts and 31.9% disagreeing. While most respondents
(52.2%) agreed the creation of Virginia Works streamlined service delivery for job seekers, only 45.4%
agreed the creation streamlined service delivery for employers.
When questions concerning agency objectives were examined by role type, the most noted variations
were noted in questions regarding the perceived improvements stemming from the creation of
Virginia Works. While only a quarter (26.0%) of agency staff disagreed the creation of the agency had
improved coordination across workforce programs, 63.6% of representatives from workforce boards
disagreed. Similarly, close to a quarter (24.0%) agency staff disagreed the creation of the agency had
enhanced efficiency across workforce programs, 72.7% of representatives from workforce boards
disagreed. Another notable variation was present in regard to the streamlining of service delivery for
employers in the wake of the creation of Virginia Works – with 45.9% of agency staff agreeing but
only 18.9% of agreement from workforce board representatives.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 12
Strongly Strongly
Agency Objectives
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Don’t Know
The creation of Virginia Works
has improved coordination
across the Commonwealth’s 15.1% 39.0% 18.1% 9.3% 18.5%
Workforce Development
programs.
The creation of Virginia Works
has enhanced efficiency across
the Commonwealth’s 14.6% 36.1% 16.1% 10.7% 22.4%
Workforce Development
programs.
The creation of Virginia Works
has reduced duplicative efforts
across the Commonwealth’s 11.3% 34.8% 21.6% 10.3% 22.1%
Workforce Development
programs.
The creation of Virginia Works
has streamlined service delivery 11.7% 40.5% 17.1% 11.2% 19.5%
for job seekers.
The creation of Virginia Works
has streamlined service delivery 9.8% 35.6% 17.6% 10.2% 25.8%
for employers.
Table 4: Respondents perspectives on Virginia Works Objectives
Color Key Max Min
Participants who disagreed or strongly disagreed with any statement related to agency objectives were
subsequently invited to provide explanations for their responses. Common explanations include:
• Confusion surrounding unemployment - the most frequent comment regarding agency
objectives cited the public’s inability to distinguish Virginia Works from the Virginia
Employment Commission. Several participants reported being overwhelmed by customers
seeking assistance with unemployment benefits, which takes time away from agency priorities.
• Confusion surrounding agency purpose - several survey respondents reported a lack of
collaboration between Virginia Works, partner agencies, and local workforce boards that
seemed to be driven by a lack of communication. Specifically, respondents noted “Virginia
Works is treated as a competitor rather than a partner.” Similarly, several participants relayed
that the public, including partner agencies, are unclear about the purpose of the agency, citing
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 13
“we still have signs up indicating that we are Virginia Employment Commission and we are
not so for the average customer it is misleading” and “employers do not know we are Virginia
Works because there has been no communication.” One participant offered a
recommendation to address the confusion: “there needs to be some branding that highlights
VA Works on television and radio media. Most people are delighted and surprised (to learn) of
the resources and services available to them.”
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 14
Virginia Works Mission
In addition to asking participants about their agreement with statements related to Virginia Works
objectives, respondents were also asked to rate their level of agreement, from “Strongly Agree” to
“Strongly Disagree”, with a series of statements concerning the mission of Virginia Works. Across all
statements, respondents were more likely to agree than disagree, specifically, most respondents
selected “Agree“ as the most common response.
Strongly Strongly
Agency Mission Agree Disagree Don’t Know
Agree Disagree
I understand the mission of
45.2% 48.6% 3.4% 1.9% 1.0%
Virginia Works.
The agency’s mission to
improve coordination and
streamline workforce services 33.2% 51.9% 9.1% 4.3% 1.4%
has been clearly
communicated to you.
The agency’s mission to
improve coordination and
streamline workforce services 22.1% 41.8% 12.0% 4.8% 19.2%
is clearly communicated to
stakeholders.
The agency’s mission to
improve coordination and
streamline workforce services 19.2% 35.6% 20.2% 13.0% 12.0%
is clearly communicated to
customers.
My daily work aligns with the
agency’s overall mission and 32.2% 50% 7.2% 5.8% 4.8%
objectives.
Table 5: Respondent’s perspectives on Virginia Works Mission
Color Key Max Min
There appears to be strong internal confidence surrounding the mission of Virginia Works as an
overwhelming majority of participants (93.8%) reported agreeing (48.6%) or strongly agreeing (45.2%)
with the statement “I understand the mission of Virginia Works.” Similarly, 85.1% of respondents
agreed the “agency’s mission to improve coordination and streamline workforce services” had been
clearly reported to them. A smaller, yet still majority, percentage of participants (64.0%) agreed the
agency mission had been clearly communicated to stakeholders. However, clear communication to
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 15
stakeholders received the highest number of “Don’t Know” responses with 19.2%. A slight majority
(54.8%) agreed the agency’s mission had been clearly communicated to customers, while 33.2%
disagreed and 12.0% reported they did not know. Lastly, over 80%, (82.2%), agreed their daily work
aligned with the agency’s overall mission and objectives.
When questions concerning agency mission were examined by role type, the most noted variations
were presented in the questions regarding the communication of agency mission to stakeholders and
customers. While only 16.4% of agency staff disagreed the agency’s mission was clearly communicated
to stakeholders, 36.4% of representatives from workforce boards disagreed. Similarly, 32.8% of agency
staff disagreed the agency’s mission was clearly communicated to customers, 63.6% of board
representatives disagreed.
Participants who disagreed or strongly disagreed with any statement related to agency mission were
subsequently invited to provide explanations for their responses. The common explanation among
participants seemed to focus on client confusion surrounding the agency mission. For example,
• “customers are still referring (to) our Agency as the ‘Unemployment Agency’.... we will
continue needing better marketing.”
• “customers, especially job seekers, are not yet aware of the changes to their local/regional
workforce centers, partly because our workforce centers are not promoting the new agency
identity consistently yet.”
• “many individuals and stakeholders do not have a clear idea of what Virginia Works is and
what we do.”
• “while the agency’s mission to improve coordination and streamline workforce services may
be well-defined internally, it is not consistently or effectively communicated to either
stakeholders or customers in practice.”
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 16
Agency Performance
After the questions related to Agency Mission and Objectives, participants were next presented with a
series of mandates implemented by Virginia Works and asked to rate how successfully those mandates
had been implemented, on a scale from “Very Successful” to “Not at all Successful”, by Virginia
Works. “Tracking workforce metrics” was viewed as the most successfully implemented mandate with
16.8% of participants agreeing the mandate was implemented very successfully and 37.6% agreeing the
mandate was successful. “Engaging the business community” and “collaborating with institutions of
higher education” were viewed as the next most successful with 11.4% and 11.9% participants viewing
the mandates as “Very Successful” and 31.2% and 34.2% viewing the implementation of the mandates
as “Successful”, respectively. Conversely, “communicating system changes to the public” was viewed
as the least successfully implemented mandate of Virginia Works, with 30.2% reporting the
implementation was only “Somewhat Successful” and 23.27% reporting the implementation was not
successful at all. It should be noted that between 15.3% and 23.3% responded “Don’t Know” across
all agency mandates.
Although no statistically significant differences by role type were observed in ratings of agency
mandate performance, it is noteworthy that no representatives from workforce boards rated any
agency mandate performance as “Very Successful.”
Very Somewhat Not at all
Agency Mandates Successful Don’t Know
Successful Successful Successful
Engaging the business
11.4% 31.2% 28.7% 9.4% 19.3%
community
Collaborating with
institutions of higher 11.9% 34.1% 24.8% 5.9% 23.3%
education
Tracking workforce
16.3% 37.6% 19.8% 7.4% 18.8%
metrics
Communicating system
4.5% 26.7% 30.2% 23.3% 15.4%
changes to the public
Streamlining service
9.4% 30.7% 24.8% 16.8% 18.3%
delivery.
Table 6: Respondents perspectives on Virginia Works Performance
Color Key Max Min
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 17
Participants who rated any agency mandate implementation as “Not at all Successful” were then
invited to provide explanations for their responses. Across comments, participants reported similar
themes as in other questions.
Mandate Impediments Respondent Feedback
• “the public still thinks we’re the unemployment office”
• “the public doesn’t understand we are a separate agency from
Lack of external communication
VEC”
• “a lot of employers do not know who we are.”
• “communication from management isn’t clear”
Internal communication • “poor internal communication has led to poor external
communication.”
• “We don’t really have time to do any outreach… we need more
time and more staff”
• “outreach becomes almost impossible, somebody has to mind
the store”
Staffing Shortage
• “we need more field staff, we need people to actually deliver
the services”
• “there are insufficient staff to meet the needs of the business
community.”
Table 7: Perceived impediments to implementing agency mandate
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 18
Agency Effectiveness
Following the rating of the implementation of agency mandates, survey respondents were then asked
to rate their level of agreement, from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree” to a series of
statements related to agency effectiveness. Across all six statements, agreement consistently
outweighed disagreement, with 65.2% of participants agreeing that Virginia Works is a programmatic
leader in workforce development and 65.3% of participants agreeing the agency is an effective central
coordinator for Workforce Development. Similarly, 61.8% of respondents agreed Virginia Works is
effectively delivering workforce programming across the Commonwealth and 59.3% agreed the
creation of Virginia Works has improved the coordination of Workforce Development in the
Commonwealth. A slight majority (52.8%) agreed the consolidation of multiple workforce programs
in Virginia Works has been effective and 55.6% agreed the creation of Virginia Works has streamlined
workforce services in the Commonwealth.
Strongly Strongly
Agency Effectiveness Agree Disagree Don’t Know
Agree Disagree
Virginia Works is a programmatic
leader in Workforce 19.2% 46.0% 18.1% 7.1% 16.2%
Development.
Virginia Works is an effective
central coordinator for Workforce 18.1% 47.2% 16.1% 6.0% 15.6%
Development.
The creation of Virginia Works
has improved the coordination of
15.6% 43.7% 11.56% 8.5% 20.1%
Workforce Development in the
Commonwealth.
Virginia Works is effectively
delivering workforce
14.6% 47.2% 11.1% 8.5% 18.6%
programming across the
Commonwealth
The consolidation of multiple
workforce programs in Virginia 13.6% 39.2% 12.6% 12.1% 22.6%
Works has been effective.
The creation of Virginia Works
has streamlined workforce 14.6% 40.9% 14.1% 9.6% 20.7%
services in the Commonwealth.
Table 8: Respondents perspectives on Virginia Works Effectiveness
Color Key Max Min
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 19
Responses to statements regarding agency effectiveness were also analyzed by role type. Overall,
responses were very similar across roles, with the most noted variation was present in the statements
related to effectiveness of Virginia Works in delivering workforce programming. While only 18.3% of
agency staff disagreed the that workforce programming was being delivered effectively, over half
(54.5%) of representatives from workforce boards disagreed. A similar discrepancy was apparent in
agreement that Virginia Works “has improved the coordination of workforce development” in the
Commonwealth.
Participants who disagreed or strongly disagreed with any statement related to agency effectiveness
were subsequently invited to provide explanations for their responses. As a consequence of the higher
level of agreement regarding the agency’s effectiveness, fewer explanations were offered by
participants. As such, no clear themes emerged in responses. However, several participants offered
insightful comments:
“I don't understand how anything has been 'Streamlined'. Everyone, and I
mean EVERYONE, is still operating exactly as before. This agency has the
potential to do all of the above, but we need a true vision and a forensic
audit. We need to give our local centers and staff the support and respect
that is due to them.”
“In my experience, the consolidation of multiple workforce programs under Virginia
Works has not been effective in the field. The streamlined structure has created
confusion and disrupted the natural flow of communication. Each program truly
needs its own dedicated chain of command led by a subject matter expert who
understands the program’s needs, the field operations, the financial responsibilities,
and the team dynamics. Since consolidation, communication has become mixed and
often delayed. For example, field staff are now receiving direction from individuals
who are not fully versed in program-specific requirements, leading to inconsistent
guidance and misaligned expectations.”
“I don't see the change or hear from other Virginia Works staff that we are
changing, streamlining services, consolidating programming, or improving
coordination. It's basically business as usual. The agency has tried and I'm
all onboard for the change and help promote and get the word out, I just
don't see the changes we are looking for.”
“I don't think the efforts to date have yielded strong statements like 'streamlined' and
'effective.' Certainly the agency has been a leader and a convener.”
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 20
Agency Functions
Participants were next presented with a series of new functions implemented by Virginia Works and
asked to rate how successful they had been implemented, on a scale from “Very Successful” to “Not
at all Successful.”
“Developing Registered Apprenticeships” was viewed as the most successfully implemented agency
function with 18.9% of participants agreeing the function was implemented very successfully and
33.7% agreeing the function was successfully implemented. “Partnering with local workforce boards”
and “Partnering with businesses” were viewed as the next most successful with 16.1% and 13.5%
participants viewing the new functions as “Very Successful” and 33.5% and 31.1% viewing the
implementation of the new functions as “Successful”, respectively.
While “Partnering with businesses” was successfully implemented by some, others thought should be
a focus area for improvement as it was also viewed as the least successfully implemented new function
of Virginia Works, with 26.4% reporting the implementation was only “Somewhat Successful” and
7.3% reporting the implementation was not successful at all. It should be noted that between 21.8%
and 36.3% responded “Don’t Know” across all agency mandates - the highest levels throughout the
survey.
Although no statistically significant differences by role type were observed in ratings of the
implementation of agency functions, it is noteworthy that only one representative from a workforce
board rated any agency function as “Very Successful:” partnering with local workforce boards.
Additionally, workforce board representatives were more likely than agency staff to rate “Building a
grant funding strategy” as “Not at all successful.”
Participants who rated the implementation of any new agency function as “Not at all Successful” were
then invited to provide explanations for their responses. Across comments, participants reported
similar themes as in other questions.
Overall, respondents expressed limited confidence in progress related to Registered Apprenticeship
(RA) and broader work-based learning initiatives. While a small number of comments acknowledged
early-stage momentum or potential for improvement, the predominant theme seemed to be that the
implementation of certain functions has been fragmented, understaffed, and poorly communicated,
resulting in some participants not witnessing the observable impact at the field level. Relevant
responses regarding Registered Apprenticeships included:
• “the entire RA grants team resigned in late 2024 and early 2025, it caused significant
confusion” around applications, timelines, points of contact, and award decisions.
• “RA has devolved” and “we had so much success when we could effectively partner… we
miss the employer support and the opportunity to work with RA since it has moved.”
• “the agency has increased the number of registered apprenticeships, participants and sponsor
employers, and in general the business community does not understand how or where to start
with registered apprenticeship.”
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 21
Staffing shortages and vacancies in key roles was noted as further exacerbating challenges:
• “the agency doesn’t have enough staffing so it does not offer work-based learning
opportunities outside of RA”
• “lacks the internal capacity to fully implement and execute these initiatives.”
• “We have been unable to hire and retain a Work-based Learning Director,” leaving programs
unable to expand even through partnerships.
Very Somewhat Not at all
Agency Functions Successful Don’t Know
Successful Successful Successful
Developing Registered
18.7% 33.7% 18.1% 6.7% 22.8%
Apprenticeships
Developing work-based
learning beyond Registered 9.3% 28.5% 18.7% 10.4% 33.2%
Apprenticeships
Building a grant funding
6.2% 31.1% 17.6% 9.3% 35.8%
strategy
Partnering with local
16.1% 33.7% 20.2% 8.3% 21.8%
workforce boards
Partnering with businesses 13.5% 31.1% 26.4% 7.3% 21.8%
Partnering with business
11.4% 29.5% 23.8% 7.3% 28.0%
associations
Partnering with employee
8.3% 25.4% 21.8% 8.3% 36.3%
organizations
Leveraging data insights 10.4% 36.8% 18.1% 4.7% 30.1%
Table 9: Respondents perspectives on Virginia Works agency functions
Color Key Max Min
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 22
To explore the perceptions of functions of Virginia Works in more detail, participants were asked to
select the functional areas of Virginia Works they perceive to be most successful and the areas in need
of the most improvement. Participants were asked to select no more than three areas3. The functional
areas selected the most are listed below:
Most Successful
1. Service Delivery – direct support of individuals and employers through
workforce centers.
2. Technology and Data – providing data on the
labor market, economic analysis, providing Most in Need of Improvement
guidance on technology use, and providing
technology resources. 1. Partnerships and
3. Partnerships and Engagement – working with Engagement
employers and industry groups, convening partners 2. Service Delivery
and stakeholders for events, hosting webinars, and
providing digital resources. 3. Policy and Strategy
4. Policy and Strategy – setting policies for the 4. Programs and Grants
workforce system, developing and executing Management
initiatives, and providing strategic guidance.
5. Technology and Data
5. Outcome, Evaluations, and Improvement –
tracking metrics that matter and effective 6. Outcome, Evaluations,
communications of outcomes to partners, and Improvement
stakeholders, and policy makers.
6. Programs and Grants Management –
compliance, technical assistance, and creating grant funding opportunities.
As compared to agency staff, workforce board representatives viewed 1) Policy and Strategy, 2)
Outcome, Evaluations, and Improvement, and 3) Partnerships and Engagement as the most
successful functional areas. In an interesting shift, board representatives identified 1) Service Delivery
as the functional area most in need of improvement, followed by 2) Programs and Grants
Management.
3 As participants were asked to select their top 3 functional areas and 3 areas most needing improvement, functional areas
can appear on both the “Most Successful” as well as on the list of those in “Most Need of Improvement.” It is
recommended additional research be conducted to better understand respondent perceptions.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 23
Upon rating the most successful agency functional areas and those most in need of improvement,
participants were asked how Virginia Works might improve those identified functional areas. Across
responses, recommended improvements focused on:
• Clear separation and support for unemployment functions4: Several participants
recommended structural changes such as “totally separate unemployment from Job Services
locations” and adding unemployment services capacity within workforce settings by “placing a
VEC representative within each Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to provide
Unemployment Insurance (UI) services.” Others urged enabling staff to support customers
comprehensively, “by allowing us to help the whole customer… VEC help plus job services.
BOTH.”
• Investment in field staffing: A common improvement request was increased staffing in local
offices. “The most critical need is increased field staffing,” including requests to “hire needed
employees in field offices” and “more front-line staff to work in local workforce centers.”
Participants also mentioned the need to “fill open positions in the centers.” These capacity
constraints were described as directly limiting outreach and employer engagement -“Not
enough staff to be responsible for engaging the business community,” and “somebody has to
mind the store.”
• Improving communication: Respondents highlighted inconsistent guidance and insufficient
communication, both internally and externally. For example, several participants repeated
concerns surrounding external communication - “the public still thinks we’re the
unemployment office” and “the public doesn’t understand we are a separate agency from
VEC” and “a lot of employers do not know who we are.” Internal communication was also
cited as an impediment to success, with participants noting “communication from
management isn’t clear” and “poor internal communication has led to poor external
communication.”
4 Requirements for a comprehensive center is available here.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 24
Additional Respondent Feedback
The final question of the survey asked participants to share any additional thoughts or comments
about Virginia Works. The following reflect comments (edited for clarity and brevity) reported by
participants:
Agency Structure Challenges
“The agency has shifted to increase upper-level staff but has neglected our local branches
with much needed staff. At this point most of your offices are staffed with 1 manager and 1
career navigator with no mention of career strategies or pay increase.”
“Virginia Works is facing serious structural and operational challenges that cannot be
ignored…. high turnover, low morale, and widespread dissatisfaction among staff
reflect deeper issues within the organization. The agency has potential, but meaningful
improvement will require decisive action: stronger leadership, unified and
comprehensive guidance, and a commitment to rebuilding trust with employees.”
“We need more employees please.”
“This agency has become an upside-down pyramid. Front facing employees are
severely underpaid and underappreciated.”
“The agency is off to a great start. It is time for increased management and focus on
running the agency itself.”
“While the mission and function of Virginia Works remain clear, unaddressed staffing
shortages at the local level continue to hinder meaningful delivery of services, morale,
and community engagement.”
“The current organizational structure at Virginia Works is heavily top-weighted, with
insufficient staffing in the field to support effective service delivery.”
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Internal Communication Opportunities
“Management needs “The agency has been going “I love my job and the work I
to listen… People feel through a serious transition, do, but I feel that the lack of
"talked down to" and and most realize that it will be communication with staff is
NOT listened to.” some growing pains and it a major gap that needs to be
would not be an overnight addressed.”
process, but respectfully, you
“Leadership also has have to show genuine concern
to do a better job of for the boots on the ground “Communication across
communicating policy because inevitably, they're the cross-functional areas is
changes that directly ones tasked to do the job that desperately needed”
impact staff at the makes all of this work.”
program level.”
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Agency Strengths
“I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the agency as an employee and look forward to
making a greater contribution to its future initiatives, growth and success.”
“We do great things for the citizens of Virginia. I am proud to provide the services, resources,
education, knowledge, skills and abilities to our clients (individuals and businesses).”
“I am enjoying the changes that have taken place over the last year and one-half and I feel it
is heading in all the right directions to make a very strong organization with continued
growth.”
“I am proud to be an employee of Virginia Works. I am excited about the future of the
Agency and look forward to adding value as an employee.”
“In the past two years there has been tremendous effort and successful implementation of
where we are going and why we are going to get there that was not there in the old workforce
systems/programs before. I have really enjoyed watching this transformation and I hope we
can continue to see how far and how successful it can be for the future.”
“Virginia Works is an excellent agency to work for and seems to be evolving daily”
“Great Employer to work for”
“I love the Agency and the leadership that represents our agency. I feel like we have very
smart and talented people who work in our management positions.”
“I'm so impressed with the accomplishments of Virginia Works to date. I believe serving job
seekers and employers is their primary responsibility, which is achieved through collaboration
with others.”
“Virginia Works shows real promise as a unifying force in Virginia's workforce system. By
bringing agencies, employers, and job seekers under a more coordinated structure, it has the
potential to make services easier to access, reduce duplication, and better align training with
real labor-market needs. If it continues to strengthen collaboration and stay responsive to
both workers and businesses, Virginia Works can become a powerful driver of economic
opportunity and statewide prosperity.”
“Virginia Works has some amazingly talented and dedicated staff, it's (sic) creation was a
great idea and overall has a tremendous amount of potential. But, it must get the foundations
in place before it takes on a single additional initiative or project. The window is closing to
get this done right and it will be much harder to fix after the fact.”
“The transition has been somewhat painful, but necessary, and I feel we are on the "other
side" of the transition. Workforce in general is particularly vital in this chaotic, uncertain time
and economy. Our services are only going to be more in demand, with AI prompting a serious
need for greater training and education in these areas. We need to be ready to help that sector
progress (and with human beings).”
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 27
Interview Results
Overall Interview Themes
The majority of the interviews (67%) were conducted with Members of the Board, while four
interviews (26%) were conducted with leaders of Virginia Works functional areas. Throughout the 15
interviews, the following themes were repeated consistently:
• A top priority is continuing and expanding the agency’s efforts to collect and report workforce
data.
• Communication and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders were generating
positive impacts for the Commonwealth.
• Additional efforts are needed in marketing and outreach to Virginia businesses.
When asked about positive impacts brought by the establishment of Virginia Works, one of the most
commonly mentioned impacts was data collection and reporting. Members of the Board, the
Executive Director, and Virginia Works leaders agreed that significant progress has been made over
the last two years to collect workforce data from around the Commonwealth. The objective of this
data collection is to establish benchmarks for workforce programs, which will allow for the
establishment of program goals. Interview participants agreed there is more work to be done in this
area and Virginia Works is on the right track. A new dashboard was recently debuted to the Board in
December 2025 that visually presents the progress the agency has made. The Board and Virginia
Works leaders are looking forward to future dashboard updates where the data can be reported by
workforce region (instead of only the Commonwealth overall).
Another positive impact brought by Virginia Works is the increased communication and collaboration
with stakeholders across the Commonwealth. Interview participants detailed examples of Virginia
Works increasing communication with the American Job Centers, local workforce partners, and other
workforce agencies. Members of the Board reported seeing the impacts of this increased
communication in the regions they represent. Virginia Works leaders reported seeing the increased
collaboration positively impact their work in Richmond. Interview participants are looking forward to
this communication and collaboration continuing.
One challenge that interview participants agreed needs additional attention is the efforts to connect
with Virginia businesses. Members of the Board, the Executive Director, and Virginia Works leaders
agreed that most businesses are not aware of the services the workforce system can offer them.
Participants believe increased awareness in the business community of these services would support a
healthier workforce overall. One participant gave an example of a business that had a large layoff and
may not have known they could contact Virginia Works before the layoff was necessary to receive
help in keeping those individuals employed. Participants agreed an intentional push to conduct
outreach to these businesses should be a focus.
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Board Member Interview Themes
Interviews were conducted with 10 Board members and one Board Executive Director. Ten of the 11
Board participants have been on the Board for more than two years. This group has experience with
the Virginia workforce development system before the establishment of Virginia Works. They agreed
that the consolidation of multiple workforce programs into one agency was a good decision. The
consensus is that Virginia Works is on the right track with more work to be done. The following
information highlights the benefits and opportunities for Virginia Works.
Objectives of Virginia Works
All interview participants were asked to put the objectives of the agency into their own words. The
most common words used to describe the objectives were:
• Connecting job seekers to employers
• Addressing the needs of both job seekers and employers
• Providing training and skill building services
These perspectives align well with the Virginia Works mission of “We connect people to careers and
employers to skilled talent.” It appears that the understanding of participating Board members aligns
with the stated objectives of the agency.
Positive Impacts of Virginia Works
All interview participants were asked to share positive impacts brought by the agency over the last two
years. The most common impacts shared were:
• More available data and greater capacity to make decisions based on this data
• Increased collaboration and communication with external stakeholders
• Responses during times of workforce crises, e.g., layoffs and business closings
Board participants mentioned they have access to data and outcomes of the workforce system they did
not previously have due to the efforts of Virginia Works. They are excited about future opportunities
to expand this data to include more regionally specific data. They recognize that each region has
unique circumstances and the ability to make decisions based on regional data will be helpful. In this
area, Board members agreed Virginia Works is on the right track and they are expecting more progress
in the short term.
Board members also reported seeing additional communication and collaboration with external
stakeholders. They see Virginia Works reaching out to local partners, other agencies, and even other
Secretariats to maximize their reach. Interview participants saw these efforts positively and wished for
this work to continue.
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The final common theme across the Board participants was the agency’s efforts to respond when jobs
seekers and businesses needed support urgently. The two examples provided were recovery after
Hurricane Helene and during the federal government layoffs. Board participants saw the efforts made
by the agency to provide services and support to those in need of workforce services.
Challenges Still Facing Virginia Works
When asked about the challenges the agency has faced that need additional efforts, the Board
participants once again brought up data and technology. They are encouraged with the progress made
so far, but articulated there is plenty more work to do. Specifically, they are looking for consistency in
the data and data collection. They are also looking for technology resources that will allow for
improved data collection. Members of the Board referred to the unsuccessful effort to implement a
data portal for the Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs). They support collecting data at
the regional level but shared these efforts to force the implementation of this particular tool were not
effective. They support the implementation of another data collection tool that will allow for the
unique aspects of each region while still collecting consistent data that can be reported to the Board.
Opportunities for Future Growth
All interview participants were asked what they were looking forward to seeing from Virginia Works
in the next one to two years. The most common responses were:
• Continuing the overall progress that has been made in the last few years
• Increased efforts in branding and marketing to businesses customers
• Additional data dashboards and continued data-driven decision making
Multiple Board participants stressed the importance of staying the course on the activities Virginia
Works is doing even amidst the changing gubernatorial administrations. They recognized that
changing administrations can sometimes cause disruption and they hoped this would not be the case
this year. They shared that Virginia Works is still in its early stages and have asked that the agency be
permitted to continue its work so that the model can be matured. They stressed that it will take time
to see if the work being done is successful and hope the agency will be given that time.
In addition, Board interview participants agreed that too many potential workforce customers are still
unaware of the services offered by the public workforce system. Now that Virginia Works has been
established, the participants see many opportunities to market this brand. They mentioned paying
particular attention to Virginia businesses who do not realize regional and statewide Business Services
Teams exist to help them. A few participants mentioned businesses that are aware of Virginia Works
associate the public workforce system with too much paperwork and too many restrictions. Board
participants hope that with a coordinated effort, this perception can change.
Finally, Board participants are looking forward to the creation of additional data dashboards to help
them better understand the outcomes of the workforce system. They explained the importance of
focusing on goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) so they could make data-driven decisions.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 30
They are hoping data collection can be standardized and systems unified so that real-time data at the
state and regional levels will be available.
Feedback from the Board on Collaboration with Virginia Works Staff
All Board interview participants were asked about their experiences working with agency staff. The
majority described Virginia Works staff as professional, responsive, and knowledgeable. Many
recognized Virginia Works Commissioner Nicole Overley specifically for her work with the Board. A
couple of the Board participants provided mixed reviews of working with agency staff; at least one
noted the staff members with whom they did not have positive experiences are no longer with the
agency.
Virginia Works Leaders Interview Themes
Four of the seven invited agency leaders participated in interviews and represented different parts of
the agency. Due to the small sample size (and to protect the anonymity of those participating), limited
themes were generated from the interview results.
Overall, Virginia Works leaders reported:
• The agency is intentionally developing a workplace culture that is different from a
stereotypical state agency, and these efforts have been largely successful.
• The agency is working actively to diversify funding streams given the agency is almost
entirely funded by federal funds that include many restrictions.
• There is limited time for focused, heads-down work (e.g., having to attend meetings),
which is limiting the effectiveness of the agency.
Project-based Workplace Culture
Participating Virginia Works leaders reported intentional efforts to establish a project-based workplace
culture rather than function-based. They report this type of culture enables siloes to be broken down
and staff to contribute more directly to the overall mission of the agency. This is in contrast to
workplace cultures (e.g., the culture of some of the agencies consolidated into Virginia Works) where
staff complete their job functions without connecting the work to the current agency context or
priority.
Participants reported that agency staff are willing to try new things and consider ways of working that
may be more effective than traditional methods. They report the breaking down of silos has led to
staff better understanding what other workforce programs do. This silo-breaking benefits the
American Job Centers where it is leading to better referrals and co-enrollment for workforce
customers. Participants report increased communication and training provided to the American Job
Centers is resulting in an improved workplace development culture across the Commonwealth. They
also noted the increased focus on talent development through internal training is seen to be a positive
opportunity for the future of the agency.
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Diversify Funding Streams
Additionally, a high priority for the agency going forward is to diversify the agency’s funding streams.
Participants reported the agency hired a grants manager, which has led to the agency receiving
additional workforce grants. However, federal funding is typically restricted to specific programs or
functions. Participants are hoping for state funding in the future that can be used for initiatives that
federal funding cannot cover.
Increase Worker Productivity
Finally, participants reported some difficulty in finding time for focused, independent work. While the
increased collaboration and communication across the agency and Commonwealth is seen as a
positive, the constant meetings and interruptions throughout the work day make completing other
work difficult. Reported suggestions for alleviating this strain include increasing the number of “work
from home days” from one to two days per week and limiting the amount of hours per day staff
spend in meetings.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 32
Recommendations
The findings of this assessment, when considering the results of the surveys and interviews generally
support the observation that the intended benefits of establishing Virginia Works are being achieved.
Naturally there are “growing pains” with any newly formed agency and opportunities exist to improve
the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization as well as build upon the initial successes of the
agency.
The following recommendations were developed based upon the themes from the participants and,
where applicable, are correlated with the Virginia Works Strategic Plan Commitments (see Appendix
C).
Strategic Plan
Recommendations Background
Commitments5
Ensure a clear separation Staff shared there is confusion (both internally
(outreach, training, and externally) regarding the role of Virginia
signage, etc.) for the Works versus the Virginia Employment N/A
support and handling Commission which results in having to spend
unemployment functions time handling unemployment related questions.
A common improvement request was for
Invest in field staffing for
increased staffing in local offices as current 2B (Fall 2025-Fall
outreach and employer
capacity constraints were described as directly 2030
engagement
limiting outreach and employer engagement.
Participants reported the agency hired a grants
manager, which has led to the agency receiving
additional workforce grants. However, federal
Diversify funding sources 5G (Fall 2025-Fall
funding is typically restricted to specific programs
to expand impact 2030)
or functions. Participants are hoping for state
funding in the future that can be used for
initiatives that federal funding cannot cover.
5 These commitments may partially address the recommendation and additional analysis is likely needed to determine if
other actions are required to address the assessment findings.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 33
Strategic Plan
Recommendations Background
Commitments5
Survey results show a need to improve employee
understanding of the agency mandates and
Improve internal objectives, as a number of participants did not
communication to know how well the organization was performing 5K (In Progress-Fall
support execution of the regarding these items. Feedback also showed 2030)
agency mandates “communication from management isn’t clear”
and “poor internal communication has led to
poor external communication.”
Increase efforts (staffing, According to assessment participants there still
funding, etc.) to support a exists confusion within the public (job seekers
comprehensive outreach, and employers) regarding the services offered by
5H (Fall 2025- Fall
branding and marketing Virginia Works and how it differs from the VEC.
2026)
for Virginia Works Participants also noted challenges in collaborating
services targeting both job with other state agencies as some see Virginia
seekers and employers. Works as a competitor rather than a partner.
Support investments in
dashboards to enable data
driven decisions for both The Board and Virginia Works leaders are looking
state and regional forward to future dashboard updates where the
5A (Fall 2025-Fall
programs, services, etc. data can be reported by workforce region (instead
2026
Note this requires of only the Commonwealth overall) and support
consistency in the data data driven program decisions.
and data collection
processes.
3A (Fall 2025-Fall
Participants agreed additional focus is needed to 2030)
connect the agency with Virginia businesses. 3B (In Progress-Fall
Increase efforts to Members of the Board, the Executive Director, 2026)
connect with Virginia and Virginia Works leaders agreed that most
4A (In Progress-Fall
businesses; increase businesses are not aware of the services the
2030)
awareness of business workforce system can offer them. Participants
services function. believe increased awareness in the business 4D (Fall 2025-Fall
community of these services would support a 2030)
healthier workforce overall. 5C (Fall 2025-Fall
2030)
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 34
Appendices
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 35
Appendix A: Survey Questions
Welcome to the Virginia Works Evaluation Survey. In 2023, the Virginia General Assembly passed
legislation to establish the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, also known as
Virginia Works, to consolidate key workforce programs and serve as a centralized workforce
coordinator. On behalf of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, the VCU Center for Public
Policy (CPP) is conducting an independent evaluation of the operational and program objectives of
Virginia Works. As staff, partners, and stakeholders of Virginia Works, we are interested in
your perspectives about the newly formed agency. All responses to this survey are confidential. Any
written comments shared during the survey will be reported anonymously. Results of the survey will
be analyzed and shared with the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, the Virginia General
Assembly, and the Virginia Governor’s Office. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to
complete. For questions about the survey, please email the CPP at cpp@vcu.edu. Thank you for
sharing your opinions with us!
1a. Which of the following best describes your affiliation with Virginia Works?
a) I am a staff member of Virginia Works
b) I am a staff member or representative of a state agency workforce partner
c) I am a director, staff member, or representative of a local Workforce Development Board
d) Other __________
1b. Did you previously work for one of the programs that were consolidated into Virginia
Works?
a) Yes
b) No
2. Which of the following best describes your Virginia Works functional area?
a) Policy and Strategy
b) Partnerships and Engagement
c) Service Delivery
d) Programs and Grants Management
e) Technology and Data
f) Outcome, Evaluations, and Improvement
g) Other: __________
3. How many years have you worked in the workforce industry? (open-ended response)
4. In your own words, please describe the objectives of Virginia Works. (open-ended
response)
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 36
5. Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements:
Strongly Strongly Don't
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Know
I understand the mission of Virginia Works.
The agency’s mission to improve coordination
and streamline workforce services has been
clearly communicated to you.
The agency’s mission to improve coordination
and streamline workforce services is clearly
communicated to stakeholders.
The agency’s mission to improve coordination
and streamline workforce services is clearly
communicated to customers.
My daily work aligns with the agency’s overall
mission and objectives.
If you responded Strongly Disagree or Disagree to any of the statements above, please explain why.
(open-ended response)
6. Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements:
Strongly Strongly Don’t
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Know
The creation of Virginia Works has improved
coordination across the Commonwealth’s
Workforce Development programs.
The creation of Virginia Works has enhanced
efficiency across the Commonwealth’s
Workforce Development programs.
The creation of Virginia Works has reduced
duplicative efforts across the
Commonwealth’s Workforce Development
programs.
The creation of Virginia Works has
streamlined service delivery for job seekers.
The creation of Virginia Works has
streamlined service delivery for employers.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 37
If you responded Strongly Disagree or Disagree to any of the statements above, please explain why.
(open-ended response)
7. Please rate the degree to which you feel the following mandates have been successfully
implemented by Virginia Works:
Very Successfu Somewhat Not at all Don’t
successful l successful successful Know
Engaging the business community
Collaborating with institutions of higher
education
Tracking workforce metrics
Communicating system changes to the public
Streamlining service delivery
If you responded “Not at all successful” to any of the statements above, please explain why. (open-
ended response)
8. Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements:
Strongly Strongly Don’t
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Know
Virginia Works is a programmatic leader in
Workforce Development.
Virginia Works is an effective central
coordinator for Workforce Development.
The creation of Virginia Works has improved
the coordination of Workforce Development
in the Commonwealth.
Virginia Works is effectively delivering
workforce programming across the
Commonwealth.
The consolidation of multiple workforce
programs in Virginia Works has been
effective.
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 38
The creation of Virginia Works has
streamlined workforce services in the
Commonwealth.
If you responded Strongly Disagree or Disagree to any of the statements above, please explain
why. (open-ended response)
9. Please rate the degree to which you feel the following new functions have been successfully
implemented by Virginia Works:
Very Somewhat Not at all Don’t
successful Successful successful successful Know
Developing Registered Apprenticeships
Developing work-based learning beyond
Registered Apprenticeships
Building a grant funding strategy
Partnering with local workforce boards
Partnering with businesses
Partnering with business associations
Partnering with employee organizations
Leveraging data insights
If you responded “Not at all successful” to any of the statements above, please explain why. (open-
ended response)
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 39
10. What functional areas of Virginia Works do you find to be most successful? Please select
no more than three.
□ Policy and Strategy – setting policies for the workforce system, developing and executing
initiatives, and providing strategic guidance.
□ Partnerships and Engagement – working with employers and industry groups, convening
partners and stakeholders for events, hosting webinars, and providing digital resources.
□ Service Delivery – direct support of individuals and employers through workforce centers.
□ Programs and Grants Management – compliance, technical assistance, and creating grant
funding opportunities.
□ Technology and Data – providing data on the labor market, economic analysis, providing
guidance on technology use, and providing technology resources.
□ Outcome, Evaluations, and Improvement – tracking metrics that matter and effective
communications of outcomes to partners, stakeholders, and policy makers.
□ None of the Above
11. What functional areas of Virginia Works do you believe need the most improvement?
Please select no more than three.
□ Policy and Strategy – setting policies for the workforce system, developing and executing
initiatives, and providing strategic guidance.
□ Partnerships and Engagement – working with employers and industry groups, convening
partners and □ stakeholders for events, hosting webinars, and providing digital resources.
□ Service Delivery – direct support of individuals and employers through workforce centers.
□ Programs and Grants Management – Compliance, technical assistance, and creating grant
funding opportunities.
□ Technology and Data – providing data on the labor market, economic analysis, providing
guidance on technology use, and providing technology resources.
□ Outcome, Evaluations, and Improvement – tracking metrics that matter and effective
communications of outcomes to partners, stakeholders, and policy makers.
□ None of the Above
12. How might Virginia Works improve upon these areas? (open-ended response)
13. Please share any additional thoughts or comments you may have about Virginia Works.
(open-ended response)
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 40
Appendix B: Interview Questions
Workforce Board Interview Questions
ID Question
1 What is your role on the Board and how long have you been on it?
2 What is your understanding of the objectives of Virginia Works?
3 What has been your experience when directly collaborating with Virginia Works staff?
4 Based on your first-hand experiences or observations, how would you describe Virginia Work’s
effectiveness over the last 2 years?
5 What changes, if any, has Virginia Works implemented that you feel have had a positive impact
on workforce development effectiveness?
6 What changes, if any, has Virginia Works implemented that you feel have not been as effective as
they could have been?
7 Looking forward, what opportunities for improvement exist for Virginia Works? Which of these
opportunities would you like to see prioritized?
8 Is there anything else you would like to share today?
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 41
Virginia Works Interview Questions
ID Question
1 What is your role in Virginia Works and how long have you been in it?
2 How does your functional area support the mission of Virginia Works? What are your functional
area’s objectives?
3 Does your functional area work directly with customers (individuals seeking
employment/training or businesses)?
a) If so, does your functional area collect data on customer satisfaction?
b) If so, how would you characterize that feedback? What is the customer’s impression of
the effectiveness of your functional area?
4 How would you describe the effectiveness of your functional area when you first joined?
a) If greater than 2 years ago, how would you describe it as of this time in 2023?
5 What changes has your functional area experienced since this time in 2023?
a) Which of those changes, if any, have had a positive impact on your functional area’s
effectiveness?
b) Which of those changes, if any, have been the most challenging for your functional area
to respond to?
6 How would you describe the effectiveness of your functional area now?
7 Looking forward, what opportunities for improvement exist for your functional area? Which of
these opportunities could be accomplished in the next year?
8 Which other functional areas do you collaborate with the most?
a) How would you characterize your area’s collaboration with these other areas?
b) What changes, if any, could make that collaboration more effective?
9 If you were Commissioner for a day, what changes would you make to your functional area?
10 Is there anything else you would like to share today?
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 42
Appendix C: Virginia Works Strategic Plan
Commitments (Initiatives)
Virginia Works Commitments per the 2025 – 2030 Strategic Plan
Commitment Action Timeline
Embed artificial intelligence into Virginia Works’ job In Progress
search and career coaching tools and services. Fall 2026
Provide world-class, Launch the skills hub of Virginia Has Jobs to increase
In Progress
omnichannel service exposure to learning & upskilling opportunities on AI,
Fall 2026
delivery to both data science, human skills, and more.
employers and Implement mobile service delivery systems. Fall 2025 - Fall 2030
individuals Host AI-focused business education events to help
small businesses understand and adopt AI Fall 2026-Fall 2030
technologies.
Launch Workforce Innovation Lab with explicit goal Winter 2026-
of state-local collaborative pilot projects. Winter 2027
Implement omnichannel client experience – digital, in-
person, hybrid - including redesign of American Job
Fall 2025 - Fall 2030
Centers’ (AJCs’) service delivery models (hours,
staffing, mobile access, surge support).
Lead in convening the Commonwealth’s workforce
Build active, resilient In Progress
ecosystem, cataloging programs, and building an
partnerships at the state Fall 2030
engaged best practices network.
and local level
Create and disseminate relevant, timely, and actionable In Progress
career navigation content for individuals Fall 2030
Employment support for justice impacted individuals In Progress
through Opportunity Advocates. July 2026
Establish and operate a Veterans’ Portal to support
transitioning service members into training and Fall 2025 - Fall 2030
employment.
Establish quantitative and qualitative mechanisms for
continuous employer needs assessment & “market Fall 2025 - Fall 2030
scanning”.
Build the highest-
Refresh and digitize the Business Services Guide and
performing client In Progress
approach to present a unified, holistic view of business
service organization Fall 2026
services.
Track & forecast workforce supply / demand and In Progress
program outcomes. Fall 2028
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 43
Virginia Works Commitments per the 2025 – 2030 Strategic Plan
Commitment Action Timeline
Design and implement industry communities of In Progress
practice Fall 2030
Reimagine Layoff Aversion services to provide talent In Progress
concierge services to employers. Fall 2030
Launch employer-focused Commonwealth-wide effort In Progress
around work-based learning (experiential learning) Fall 2030
Design and implement career pathways and work-
based learning internal talent programs (i.e. RA) – In Progress-Fall 2026
“practice what we preach”.
Implement effective and Formalize Virginia Talent Network as collaborative
responsive sector- group of state partners led by VW, VEDP, and Fall 2025 - Fall 2027
focused talent strategies Chamber that showcases talent solutions to employers.
Align education and training with employer/industry
Fall 2025 - Fall 2030
needs to strengthen talent development.
Expand Registered Apprenticeship Program through
In Progress
accelerator program for healthcare and childcare and
ongoing
by increasing number of RA Intermediaries.
5A. Create and launch comprehensive Virginia Works
operations dashboard to track and manage system Fall 2025 - Fall 2026
capacity.
5B. Implement customer satisfaction measurement at
Spring 2026 – Fall
scale, including employer net promoter score and
2026
penetration rate.
5C. Implement an employer customer relationship
Fall 2025 - Fall 2030
management system,
5D. Lead the ecosystem in using metrics and
5. Build nation-leading Fall 2025 - Spring
outcomes data to drive process and service delivery
workforce tech stack & 2026
improvements.
data capabilities that
5E. Define and measure return on investment (ROI) of
allow us to see progress In Progress
specific programs and include in annual impact report
both in real time and Fall 2030
for stakeholders.
over time
5F. Lead in how we share data across partners to In Progress
support collective goals. Fall 2027
5G. Lead in how we bring partners together to
Fall 2025 - Fall 2030
diversify and grow our collective funding.
5H. Create, implement, and continuously
communicate a unified and coherent external brand Fall 2025 - Fall 2026
for the ecosystem.
5I. Create easy-to-use, digital program reference In progress
guides to empower all team members (and partners as Fall 2026
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 44
Virginia Works Commitments per the 2025 – 2030 Strategic Plan
Commitment Action Timeline
desired) with basic program info and standardize ways
of operating.
5J. Upskill and cross-train all agency team members on In Progress
all programs, services, and latest technology. Fall 2026
5K. Deliver focused, interactive professional
In Progress
development experiences at all levels with a focus on
Fall 2030
client services, communication, and accountability.
5L. Launch internal employee recognition and awards In Progress
programs. Fall 2026
Center for Public Policy | Virginia Works Evaluation 2026 | 45
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