Who We Are

The City of Chattanooga Office of Workforce Development was launched in 2018 within the department of Economic and Community Development. Our mission is very clear; to assist constituents gain economic security by connecting them directly to career opportunities, career-readiness training, and college/university educational programs. And, to assist our employer partners with their respective workforce development and talent acquisition initiatives.

How We Got Started

Chattanooga has some of the highest income inequality in the nation; and, though our overall city unemployment rate was the lowest it had ever been at 3.6%, there were pockets of communities in Chattanooga with unemployment rates that we’d like to see come down. Our city is even experiencing a labor shortage: there aren’t enough qualified people to fill the amount of jobs that we have open. Mayor Berke implemeted the Office of Workforce Development as a reinforcement to the Office of Economic & Community Development's ongoing work.

What We Do

The City of Chattanooga Office of Workforce Development works with constituents and assist them connect to employment, career-readiness training, and college/university programs. Additionally, we work with employers, service providers, college/university programs, and stakeholders to assist with their talent development and acquisition efforts.

 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

The Workforce Development division shall have two primary areas of focus,
concentration, and commitment:

1) Organizational and Operations Development and

2) Community/Constituent Engagement and Outreach.

 

Priority 1: Workforce Development Operations

The Office of Workforce Development’s first priority is to establish the processes, procedures, and organizational capacity to develop, implement, monitor, and respond quickly to changing circumstances as related to employer workforce demands and constituent workforce readiness. We will accomplish this priority by collaboratively and actively engaging in the following:

 Establish and maintain core objectives, priorities, principles, and guiding mission required to achieve/fulfill identified workforce development needs in the City of Chattanooga. Priorities will be identified, and operation plan put into place that shall be implemented monitored, evaluated, revise as needed in a manner that effectively and efficiently governs all aspects of our operations.

 Recruitment, retain, and build Human Resource and Facility Capacity.

 Employer and Servicer Provider Recruitment, Retention, and Support Services.

 Event Planning (i.e., career-readiness services, days of action, trainings, intake orientation, economic, community, and workforce development summit, etc.).

 

Priority 2: Constituent/Partner Engagement and Outreach

The Office of Workforce Development is committed to serving as an active partner with, advocate for, and resource to our constituents, employers, service providers, stakeholder partners, and the greater community. We will accomplish this priority by actively engaging in the following:

 Community Event Participation, Partnerships, and Support.

 Volunteerism: Constituents, Employers, Partners, and in the Community.

 Constituent Services: Career Readiness Coordination/Guidance (comprehensive).

 Collaboration with (i.e., Educational Opportunity Center, TN Reconnect,
American Job Center, Jobs4TN, Career and Hiring Fairs, etc.).

 Ex-Offender initiatives.

 College/University Program Development, Implementation, Promotion.

About Us

The City of Chattanooga Office of Workforce Development is a division within the Economic Development department. Our office provides employment seekers and employer providers assist in support of, but not limited to, their respective job searches, referrals, career readiness training, talent acquisition, and educational attainment.

Contact

City of Chattanooga Office of Workforce Development
City Hall, 101 E 11th St.
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
Phone: 423-643-7347
Email: wfd@chattanooga.gov

Contact us today. Let’s get started.

 

 

© 2018 by the City of Chattanooga's Office of Workforce Development.