TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Citing a ‘drastic’ decline of women in the workforce due to COVID-19, the Western Indiana Workforce Development Board is looking to stop that trend.
A new initiative, Women in the Workforce, is providing female job seekers with a personalized, one-stop source for the many resources available to them to re-enter the workforce.
Women living in Western Indiana can visit one of the area’s six WorkOne Centers to gain new skills, explore education offerings, access training grants, and connect with new employers. These services are free of charge to all Indiana residents.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, there are nearly 2 million fewer women in the workforce since February 2020. Women exited the workforce to care for children, homeschool, or care for elderly family members during the pandemic.
“In western Indiana, we have an abundance of open and flexible positions, many of which do not require a four-year degree,” said Lisa Lee, Executive Director, Western Indiana Workforce Development Board, Inc. “Women and their families have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and we want them to understand the WorkOne Centers are here for them. When women succeed, our families and communities succeed.”
The program is funded through a grant from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
WorkOne Western Indiana serves Hoosier workers and employers in Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo Counties. To learn more, visit www.workonewest.com.