DOVER, Del. - Delawareans looking for work, new skills or a career change now have a new one-stop resource in Dover.
The Delaware Department of Labor celebrated the opening of its new Dover Workforce Center Tuesday, bringing employment assistance, job training and other workforce services together in one location.
The center, located at 650 South Bay Road, offers resources for Delawareans of all ages and stages of their careers — from young people entering the workforce to retirees interested in returning to work.
Delaware Department of Labor Secretary LaKresha Moultrie said accessibility was a major factor in choosing the new location.
"What excites us the most about this space is accessibility," Moultrie said. "Right from the major road, people can see where we are."
Moultrie said the department had outgrown its previous location and wanted a space that would be more visible and accessible to the public.
The new center offers job-search assistance, unemployment services, vocational rehabilitation, digital skills training and opportunities to earn Google Career Certificates.
"It is a one stop shop, literally has everything here," Moultrie said. "When people need unemployment benefits, when they want to reskill or upskill, if they want to obtain Google certifications to pursue something different or just increase their knowledge of different professional areas, we're here to support them."
The larger facility also has space for workforce training and job fairs, while giving employers a more direct way to connect with potential workers.
Department of Labor Chief of Staff Jeff Powell said the previous facility was difficult to see and no longer met the department's needs.
"Our old location was very easy to drive past. I don't think it was very forward facing or serving us well at all," Powell said. "It was an older building. It was dated. It didn't have any of the state of the art features that we have here."
Moultrie said the goal is to make workforce resources available to Delawareans throughout their working lives.
