Workforce Initiative Association

What is your mission and who do you serve?
At the Workforce Initiative Association (WIA), our mission is to transform lives through workforce development by connecting people, businesses, and community partners to the tools and opportunities they need to thrive.

We proudly serve both job seekers and employers across Stark and Tuscarawas Counties by overseeing and operating the OhioMeansJobs Centers. Through these centers, individuals gain access to job search assistance, career coaching, skills training, and supportive services—while employers receive help with recruitment, hiring, and workforce planning.

Our work is rooted in decades of federal workforce innovation. From CETA to JTPA, WIA, and today’s WIOA, each program has strengthened our ability to deliver accessible, employer-driven career pathways that meet the needs of a rapidly changing labor market. Guided by these evolving acts, we help ensure that every individual—youth, adults, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and others facing barriers—has a fair opportunity to build a stable career, and every business has access to talent that allows them to grow.

What is one thing someone might not know about your organization or that is unique about your organization?
Many people are surprised to learn that the Workforce Initiative Association operates as a central hub for all workforce-focused partner programs in Stark and Tuscarawas Counties. Through our OhioMeansJobs Centers, we offer a single, streamlined point of access where job seekers and employers can tap into employment services, education and training opportunities, community resources, and business support—all under one roof.

Another common misconception is that OhioMeansJobs Centers are part of the unemployment system. They are not. Instead, our centers focus on helping individuals get back to work, advance in their careers, or gain new skills through training programs aligned with local employer needs.

This integrated, collaborative model allows us to build long-term workforce solutions that strengthen our regional economy. By partnering with local businesses, schools, training providers, and economic development agencies, we are not just filling job openings—we are building sustainable career pathways and strengthening the economic future of Stark and Tuscarawas Counties.

How do you work in partnership with the OhioMeansJobs Centers?
The Workforce Initiative Association serves as the local operator of the OhioMeansJobs Stark and Tuscarawas County Centers. In this role, we manage the day-to-day operations of the centers, oversee staffing, coordinate partner programs, and ensure that services remain aligned with the requirements and goals of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

Our work includes:

• Ensuring seamless collaboration between all on-site and off-site partner agencies
• Maintaining high-quality customer service for both job seekers and employers
• Aligning training and employment programs with regional labor market needs
• Creating efficient pathways that help individuals move from unemployment or underemployment into meaningful, sustainable careers

As local operator, WIA ensures the centers operate as true community anchors—resource hubs that reflect decades of federal workforce development evolution from CETA and JTPA to WIA and today’s WIOA. These programs have shaped a system that is collaborative, inclusive, and focused on connecting people with opportunity.