Latest News
News Articles

Looking for Employment or Job Training in Barron County?
Click Here to Download Latest Information
Workforce Resource Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer and service provider functioning under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have a disability and need assistance to access services or need information in an...

MyFreeTaxes by United Way
Mar 7 2023MyFreeTaxes helps people file their federal and state taxes for free, and it’s brought to you by United Way.
Learn More!

Looking for Employment or Job Training in Polk County?
Click Here to Download Latest Information
Workforce Resource Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer and service provider functioning under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have a disability and need assistance to access services or need information in an...

West Central Works Attending #NAWBFORUM23
Mar 1 2023#NAWBFORUM23 brings the workforce system together for collective learning, exchange, and growth. I'll be there, starting March 25th in D.C., for one of the most important events of the year!
Learn More About the Event
Millions of workers are still missing from the US labor force three years after Covid-19 surfaced, and economists are scratching their heads as to how big the gap actually is and where all these people went.
One estimate found at least 2.1 million who retired earlier then expected. Another...
This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Scott LeBlanc, a labor and employment attorney with Husch Blackwell in Milwaukee.
LeBlanc discusses a sweeping rule proposal from the Federal Trade Commission that would establish a new national standard for non-compete agreements. He explains the current non-compete landscape differs...

Join the Wisconsin Workforce Development Association as it hosts the annual Talent Development Conference (TDCON) on April 11 - 12, 2023 at La Crosse. Each year we welcome more than 250 attendees, including executives, business leaders, human resources professionals, dozens of Wisconsin industry and trade associations, policymakers, and workforce development...
Talent recruitment and workforce development is top of mind for economic developers looking to meet the needs of growing companies, while ensuring their community can support additional business growth and attraction. Those who are fortunate to have strong partnerships with local community colleges may find that programs are already in...
A newly formed lobbying and advocacy organization called Powering Wisconsin aims to “protect the status quo” around wind and solar development in the state.
That’s according to Peder Mewis, regional policy director for the Clean Grid Alliance, based in Minnesota. Powering Wisconsin is a new initiative of the CGA,...
There are several tried-and-true economic and community development tools for downtown and neighborhood revitalization. One that can be effective and sometimes even vital to such efforts is historic designation. Having properties officially listed as historic can afford local, state, and federal protections and incentives for their maintenance, repair, renovation, or...
With the number of manufacturing job openings in the United States averaging 830,000 per month over the past year, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute have partnered with FactoryFix to launch and power Creators Connect, a new digital career resources platform designed to help students, parents, career...
New EOU Programs Address Area Workforce Needs
Feb 15 2023This article originally appeared on and was written for La Grande Economic Development by Golden Shovel Agency.
Workforce advancement is a multi-faceted endeavor to meet the needs of employees and employers alike. In rural communities like La Grande, developing a skilled workforce is critical to advancing the region’s economy....
Reports of layoffs have cast a shadow over the recent surge in quitting. Tech behemoths like Amazon and Meta and, most recently, Dell and Microsoft have led the way in cutting jobs, along with companies like BlackRock and Goldman Sachs; layoffs are planned at McDonald’s, as well.
In absolute...
"Please think about your legacy because you are writing it every day" - Gary Vaynerchuk
What kind of difference is your organization making for your community? How will the work you do change things for the better? This introspection is critical - too many leaders get so caught up...
Wisconsin, like much of the country, saw a surge in new businesses created during the COVID-19 pandemic. But those businesses have faced challenges in the form of inflation and the ongoing labor shortage.
Despite obstacles and uncertainty around the global economy, many of the state’s new entrepreneurs have persevered....
Good morning, Chairman Gundrum and members of the Committee. I want to thank you for inviting me to speak with you today about WEDC’s work and the outlook for Wisconsin’s economy.
At the Chairman’s request, I’m going first to walk you through some of WEDC’s history and an overview...
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is launching SizeUpWI, a new big data intelligence tool to help small and midsize businesses — a group that collectively represents almost 99% of Wisconsin’s economy — thrive and grow by making sound strategic business decisions.
Read here for the complete article.
West Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board Launches New Website to Help Businesses and Workers
Jan 30 2023New Website Will Help West Central WI Workers Get Back to Work
MENOMONIE, WI -- West Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board, aka West Central Works, recently launched a newly designed website, created by Golden Shovel Agency, to further strengthen its online presence and foster workforce development in the West...

The Connector Editor Highlight – Deb Nichols
Jan 23 2023The members of the Chamber’s Workforce Development Committee take time to help curate and edit the monthly Connector. This month we are highlighting Deb Nichols.
Deb Nichols is the Director of Business Services for West Center Wisconsin Workforce Development Board. She has worked in the field of advocacy and...

Hot Jobs and Employment Resources in Polk County
Jan 23 2023Click Here to Download Flyer
Workforce Resource Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer and service provider functioning under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have a disability and need assistance to access services or need information in an alternative format, including language assistance or translation, contact our EO Officer,...

Gov. Evers, DWD Announce Youth Apprenticeship Offerings, 14 New Occupational Pathways for Students
Dec 22 2022Gov. Tony Evers today announced that Wisconsin high school juniors and seniors heading back to school this fall will have 14 new occupational pathways that local employers can support, thanks to ongoing modernization efforts by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
“We have to make sure our kids...
$12 Million in Grant Funding Awarded to Wisconsin Home and Community-Based Services Professionals
Nov 3 2022First wave of awards will bring innovation and enhancement to the state’s direct care workforce
Today, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) awarded $12 million to 43 organizations that will focus on improving home and community-based services for people who are elderly or have disabilities. Awards will reach...
Registered nurse and Oshkosh native Mackenzie Summerville and her fiance spent more than a year looking for their first home.
In August, the couple finally had an accepted offer — after placing nine offers, many of which were above asking price, on different homes. They moved into their new...
Mental Illness is Delaying Young Adults from Entering the Workforce. A New Program Can Help
Nov 2 2022The last few years have been heavy for potential candidates entering the workforce, and a new program aims to help future workers — not through a training program alone, but also by addressing mental health needs head on.
The Career EXCELerate Wisconsin Project is a collaboration of Rawhide, Goodwill...