FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
CONTACT: Jordan Damron, [email protected]
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Gov. Justice appoints Lorrie Smith as new State Workforce Resiliency Officer
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CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice announced today that he has appointed Lorrie Smith to the new position of State Workforce Resiliency Officer.
Created by the passage of the Governor’s West Virginia Workforce Resiliency Act, the new State Workforce Resiliency Office will operate on behalf of the Governor to coordinate workforce development, job training, education, and related programs across numerous State agencies and entities to grow West Virginia’s workforce and to provide more options for West Virginians seeking work and West Virginia businesses seeking employees. The Workforce Resiliency Officer is tasked with leading these efforts.
Smith brings 24 years of workforce development, job training, and related experience on behalf of the State to the role. Most recently, she has served as Manager of the Governor’s Jobs & Hope West Virginia program, which offers support through a statewide collaboration of agencies providing West Virginians the opportunity to obtain career training and remove other barriers to job opportunities to ultimately secure meaningful employment. To date, over 1,900 Jobs & Hope participants who entered the program without work now have a job, and 300 West Virginians have graduated from the program and achieved career employment.
“Lorrie really is the perfect person to head up our new State Workforce Resiliency Office. The work that she has done helping lead the way with our Jobs & Hope program is off the charts,” Gov. Justice said. “Now, we need her to step into this leadership role with our new Workforce Resiliency Office to help even more West Virginians land great jobs and make their lives better.”
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In her new role, Smith will advise the Governor on the workforce development landscape across West Virginia and assist in developing policies, plans, and procedures to ensure that state agencies, private partners, and federal programs are effectively utilized for workforce development across the state, among other job duties.
“I would like to thank Governor Justice for his confidence in me, appointing me to serve as West Virginia’s first State Workforce Resiliency Officer. It’s an incredible honor,” Smith said. “We have incredible programs and initiatives across the state to help West Virginians achieve career employment and I’m excited to get to work connecting the people of this state with these services, while also looking for new and exciting ideas to help our people land their dream jobs. I really believe that the work we’ll be doing will make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
Smith also previously served as the Governor-appointed Director of the West Virginia Center for Professional Development.
Smith earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Glenville State University in Glenville, WV. She earned her Master’s Degree in Business from Missouri State University.
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