The Virginia Employment Commission has opened a second area office aimed at putting jobless people back to work.
The new center, which opened Oct. 20, is at 4512 Carr Drive in Spotsylvania County's Four-Mile Fork area. It's open Monday through Friday during standard business hours.
The office and its staff are funded by the federal stimulus package that President Obama signed in February. It's one of 12 "Reemploy Virginia" offices that the VEC has either already opened or plans to open across the state.
The VEC's existing office on Lafayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg will remain open. The focus of the new center will be helping those drawing unemployment benefits to find work.
To accomplish that, the new center is working with area employers to develop a list of jobs, said Rick Slusher, director of the VEC's Northern Region. It also plans to offer workshops on writing resumes, interviewing and more job-related tasks. Applicants will be directed to further training opportunities in the area.
The new facility is intended as a temporary operation that would close down as the jobless rate falls. Slusher said the plan is to keep it open until September 2010, though that could change depending on funding.
Reemploy Virginia offices have also been opened in Danville, Farmville, Warsaw, Hopewell, Portsmouth, Centreville and Fishersville. Additional office openings are planned in the next month.
Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com