Annual
Report
July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026
Our New Priority Goals: 2026-2028
Effective January 1, 2026, the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County adopted a new two-year set of SMART (Strategic, Measurable, Ambitious, Realistic, and Time-bound) Goals to guide our work through January 1, 2028. These goals were shaped during a Board strategic planning session and align with, while extending beyond, the activities outlined in our Regional and Local Plans. They reflect where Ventura County's workforce system needs to go next: toward better jobs, a workforce ready for a changing economy, deeper regional partnership, and a stronger organization behind it all.
- Goal 1, Encourage Quality Jobs in Ventura County. By 2028, Ventura County employers will be educated on quality jobs, career pathways will be built, and the WDBVC's Quality Jobs Policy will be fully implemented.
- Goal 2, Prepare a Future-Ready Workforce. Expand training offerings, integrate AI and emerging technologies into training, support small business inclusion, and increase youth exposure to in-demand career pathways.
- Goal 3, Strengthen Regional Collaboration and Public Awareness. Increase awareness of and participation in Ventura County's workforce system among job seekers and employers through coordinated, bilingual outreach and equitable access to no-cost training and employment services.
- Goal 4, Strengthen Internal WDBVC Operations and Capacity. By 2028, improve operational efficiency and service quality by implementing standardized Human-Centered Design feedback systems, increasing range of funding sources, and training all staff and contracted partners in Family-Centered Coaching.
These goals will guide every WDB agenda over the next two years, with quarterly tracking to hold the Board and staff accountable for real progress.
Messages From...
Source: FutureWorks BI; Data derived from the PIRL; Program Year 2023 Data
For more information about this infographic, including definitions of terms and how to access more local Workforce Board data insights, please visit https://futureworksystems.com/board-infographic
Impact Report
12,094
visitors to our America’s Job Centers of California. A 66.4% increase from last program year
over
4,077
services provided to businesses
17
initiatives to serve job seekers and businesses
more than
4,479
job seekers served in our programs
~63%
of WIOA served individuals secured jobs
Program Year July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026
Our Service Locations
Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm
Release
WDBVC Receives National Trailblazer Award
VENTURA — The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County received the 2026 WIOA Trailblazer Award from the National Association of Workforce Boards, a national honor recognizing leadership, innovation, and regional partnership in workforce development. WDBVC was selected from more than 570 workforce boards nationwide for excellence in strategic planning and labor market forecasting.
Executive Director Rebecca Evans credited the honor to the community's employers, educators, nonprofit partners, and local leaders who work together to create pathways that change lives across the county.
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A NACo Award-Winning Program for Community and Workforce Resilience
Restoring Foster Park, Rebuilding Careers: A NACo Award-Winning Program for Community and Workforce ResilienceIn the wake of unprecedented winter storms in January 2023, Ventura County faced widespread damage, including devastating flooding that severely impacted Foster Park—one of the county’s oldest and most beloved public parks. A vital recreational asset for the underserved communities of Ventura and Oxnard, Foster Park sustained catastrophic damage: deep sediment deposits, uprooted trees, destroyed irrigation and electrical systems, and unusable picnic and play areas.
Amid this environmental crisis, the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) saw an opportunity—not only to restore a treasured community space, but to simultaneously rebuild lives and strengthen the local economy. Leveraging a National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) from the U.S. Department of Labor, WDBVC partnered with the Ventura County Parks Department to launch a temporary employment program that aligned disaster recovery with workforce development.
Through this unique collaboration, dozens of dislocated and unemployed Ventura County residents were hired to support the park’s recovery. Under the supervision of the Parks Department, workers engaged in critical restoration efforts—removing debris, repairing damaged infrastructure, and helping revitalize the park’s 10-acre landscape. For many participants, this was more than just a temporary job. It was a pathway back into the workforce, offering them new skills, a steady income, and the dignity of contributing to their community’s recovery.
“This partnership exemplifies how workforce development can be an engine for resilience,” said Rebecca Evans, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County. “We didn’t just clean up a park—we provided real jobs with real impact.”
In 2025, this innovative program was recognized with a National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award, honoring Ventura County’s leadership in aligning workforce development with disaster response. The award highlights the program’s effectiveness, creativity, and positive community outcomes, placing Ventura County among a select group of national honorees.
The project also highlighted the strength of cross-department collaboration. By aligning federal workforce funds with local disaster response, the County maximized its ability to serve residents on multiple levels—restoring public infrastructure, strengthening the local labor market, and supporting economic mobility.
Expanding Opportunity in the Workforce
We are committed to building a community where everyone has the chance to succeed. Our work focuses on removing barriers that prevent people from accessing good jobs and advancing in their careers. We pledge to amplify the voices of those who have traditionally been excluded from economic opportunities and to address the factors that contribute to unequal outcomes. This means ensuring that all our programs are designed to open doors, broaden access, and create pathways into meaningful work. By examining gaps in employment and income across industries, we are working to ensure that the public and private workforces better reflect the full talent of Ventura County. Our goal is a workforce system where ability and potential, not background or circumstance, determine opportunity.
Note: The participants below were enrolled in WIOA. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) authorizes workforce development boards (WDBs) to drive the vision of the workforce system at the state and local levels and maintain the critical role of leading state and local implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
Workforce on Wheels Brings Free Job Training to Underserved Communities
VENTURA COUNTY — WDBVC launched Workforce on Wheels in February 2026, a refurbished mobile classroom that holds up to 20 people for training and travels to libraries, job fairs, and community sites across the county, from Port Hueneme and Oxnard to Simi Valley, Ventura, and Fillmore. The roaming classroom extends the reach of employment services to residents who may not be able to get to WDBVC's office locations, arriving equipped with job resources and computers alongside the training itself.
The program is funded by a $7.5 million federal grant targeted at areas hit hard by wildfires. Up to 250 qualified clients will receive free training and hiring support as clinical medical assistants, phlebotomists, and medical billing specialists through the end of 2027, addressing healthcare personnel shortages that board members in the health care industry identified after the Thomas Fire forced Vista Del Mar Hospital in Ventura to close temporarily.
“We’ve had a great reception of it so far,” said Executive Director Rebecca Evans. Residents interested in training or employment help can call 805-648-WORK to connect with the right program.
The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) and the Ventura County Department of Child Support Services (VCDCSS) have formed a new partnership to support unemployed parents in securing meaningful employment. This collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding, reflects a shared commitment to strengthening families, promoting financial stability, and building a healthier community.
At the heart of the partnership is the recognition that stable employment benefits not only individual parents but also their children and the broader Ventura County economy. By working together, WDBVC and VCDCSS are expanding access to employment services for parents, enabling them to acquire the skills and resources necessary to secure sustainable employment and fulfill their child support obligations.
Through this partnership, WDBVC provides trained staff and employment workshops that cover essential skills, including resume building, interviewing, and job search strategies. Workshops are accessible to all Ventura County residents and are offered to meet the needs of working families. VCDCSS, in turn, provides dedicated space, resources, and a streamlined referral system to ensure that parents can easily connect with the services they need.
The collaboration is designed not only to improve employment outcomes but also to foster community awareness, align organizational strategies, and measure impact through increased job placements and child support compliance. Together, WDBVC and VCDCSS are creating a pathway to long-term stability for families while supporting the region’s economic vitality.
This partnership demonstrates the power of cross-agency collaboration by aligning workforce development with family support to deliver lasting results for Ventura County.
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Building Quality Jobs in Ventura County
Despite a shrinking working-age population, Ventura County's labor market is becoming more competitive. Since 2020, the population has decreased by 1.7 percent, and projections indicate this trend will continue through 2030. Yet, more residents are actively working; labor force participation rose from 61.0 percent in 2021 to 63.5 percent in 2025. Job growth has kept pace locally, increasing by 6.9 percent since 2020, though this remains below the state's 10.7 percent growth rate.
With fewer new workers entering the scene, employers in Ventura County can't rely solely on recruiting. To stay ahead, they must focus on retaining and enhancing their current workforce, making job quality a top priority.
The signs of a tight labor market are clear. In May 2026, the unemployment rate was just 3.88 percent, a sharp drop from 6.20 percent five years earlier. County data from the Employment Development Department shows similar figures, hovering between 3.9 and 4.4 percent through spring and early summer. Key industries like health care, retail, and food services, often offering lower-wage roles, are driving this growth.
This combination of a shrinking labor pool and industries sensitive to wages underscores the importance of improving job quality. Better jobs mean better outcomes for workers and employers alike.
The business benefits are real. JUST Capital's Job Quality Scorecard reveals that top-scoring companies in job quality outperformed their industry peers, with a 12.2 percent higher return. Closer to home, Trust Automation, a manufacturer with over 100 employees, launched an on-site childcare center in 2016. Since then, they've seen a 100% return rate among employees returning from family leave, along with improved retention, productivity, and customer satisfaction. These results didn’t require reinventing the business; they came from intentional choices around pay, scheduling, support, and employee voice.
This year, WDBVC's business services team introduced a Job Design Framework centered on three pillars: Core, meeting basic needs like fair pay and safety; Opportunity, building skills and advancing careers; and Voice, empowering employees to influence how work is done. This framework helps staff turn employer concerns about turnover, recruitment, or low morale into actionable solutions. It builds on the Board's own Quality Jobs Policy and the Quality Jobs Menu for Employers, developed with Shift Work Forward, giving Ventura County employers practical tools to improve jobs.
In July 2026, the team shared this framework with WDBVC's contracted service providers through the 'Activating Industry Leaders to Improve Job Quality' initiative. This effort ensures that the focus on job quality is shared across the Board and its partners.
Looking ahead, WDBVC will keep integrating job quality into employer discussions, linking data on our shrinking labor force to actionable steps. Building a stronger Ventura County workforce means not just filling jobs but making sure those jobs are worth holding onto.
The
News
Free training available to job seekers
The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County wants to get local residents back to work. To better help the 19,700 unemployed workers seeking jobs, the board has rebranded its existing workforce development program. Now called Ventura County WORKS, the program helps job seekers in the county upgrade their skills and receive training in a variety of career fields at no cost.
Community members can learn more about available services that can help prepare them for careers in advanced manufacturing, information technology, health care and customer service.
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With guidance and support from his Career Navigator, Carina Hernandez, Juan remained focused on his objectives and navigated each step of the training process. His success demonstrates how workforce development programs can connect individuals to meaningful career pathways, helping residents build in-demand skills while strengthening the region's healthcare workforce.
Building Strong Employer Partnerships
This year, the WDBVC’s Business Solutions team paired a full calendar of hiring events with real investment in the systems behind them. The team hosted or co-hosted community-anchored events including the first-ever Colonia Job and Resource Fair in Oxnard (78 job seekers, 16 employers), the Camarillo Job Fair (230+ attendees, 29 employers, featuring the Workforce on Wheels mobile unit), and Naval Base Ventura County's semi-annual career fair alongside VC HEAL (200+ job seekers), plus targeted recruitments for employers like Livingston Memorial and CAL-OSHA. The team also tracked and responded to Rapid Response activity across multiple WARN notices this year, including closures affecting workers in Ventura and Camarillo, while finalizing a Business Solutions Representative Standard Operating Procedure to standardize service delivery system-wide. Behind the scenes, the team advanced its Job Quality Initiative through a national coaching partnership, built out Launchpad's Events Module and Rapid Response tracking for better data capture. It delivered Supervisory Series workshops with the Economic Development Collaborative. Across the full year, that added up to 58 HR Hotline calls, 369 employers reached through 12 webinars, 2,191 job seekers connected through 38 hiring events, and 1,716 workers supported through Rapid Response.
58
employer contacts via HR Hotline
369
attendees at webinars provided to employers
38
Rapid Response events hosted for companies laying off employees
careers explored by individuals through Virtual Reality headset events
1,716
individuals assisted by Rapid Response to layoff activities
The
News
Free training available to job seekers
The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County wants to get local residents back to work. To better help the 19,700 unemployed workers seeking jobs, the board has rebranded its existing workforce development program. Now called Ventura County WORKS, the program helps job seekers in the county upgrade their skills and receive training in a variety of career fields at no cost.
Community members can learn more about available services that can help prepare them for careers in advanced manufacturing, information technology, health care and customer service.
Addressing
Service Gaps
The map also shows where WDBVC's own footprint is working. Resources remain heavily concentrated along the 101 corridor, and a two-year comparison (FY 2023-24 to FY 2024-25) shows real gains in reaching high-need residents along that same corridor. The clearest remaining opportunity is the high-need, low-participation pocket in and around El Rio, Oxnard, and Port Hueneme, exactly where this year's Workforce on Wheels stops and community service center hours have started to concentrate.
View the interactive map here.
In Summary
Program Year 2025–2026 was a year of recognition and reorganization for WDBVC. The Board's strategic planning work, business focus groups, and performance evaluation system earned national recognition through the WIOA 2026 Trailblazer Award from the National Association of Workforce Boards, even as WDBVC transitioned from the Human Services Agency into the County Executive Office's Economic Vitality and Service Excellence Unit. In January 2026, the Board adopted new 2026-2028 Priority Goals centered on quality jobs, a future-ready workforce, regional collaboration, and stronger internal operations, giving the year ahead a clear throughline.
The numbers behind the year reflect a system reaching more people than ever: 12,094 visitors to our America's Job Centers, 4,479 job seekers served across all WDBVC programs, and 4,077 services delivered to 1,132 businesses countywide. Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion work saved 297 jobs, while the Business Solutions team hosted 38 hiring events,12 employer webinars, and 24 Virtual Reality career exploration events. New efforts like Workforce on Wheels brought free healthcare career training directly into underserved communities, and initiatives like VC HEAL, NFJP's Fields of Opportunity, and VC Build Forward expanded pathways in healthcare, agriculture, and the skilled trades. Alongside these results, the county's Service Gaps GIS mapping shows WDBVC's locations and mobile outreach are concentrated where the need is greatest, in the Santa Paula-Fillmore-Piru corridor and the Oxnard-Port Hueneme area.
The Federal Landscape
At the national level, the workforce system remains in the middle of a consequential budget fight. The House Appropriations Committee has advanced a FY27 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill that would cut the U.S. Department of Labor's budget by roughly 27 percent, with WIOA Title I formula grants facing a proposed 62 percent cut. As introduced, the bill would eliminate the WIOA Adult and Youth formula programs almost entirely, leaving only the Dislocated Worker program largely intact. The Administration has also proposed replacing core WIOA funding with a new Make America Skilled Again (MASA) block grant that would give states more flexibility but consolidate multiple programs, and has proposed eliminating Job Corps, a move opposed by lawmakers in both parties and currently blocked by an ongoing federal court injunction. None of this is final. Congress has repeatedly relied on short-term continuing resolutions to keep the government funded while this and other FY27 bills work through the House, the Senate, and a conference process, and the eventual outcome will shape how much federal funding reaches local boards like ours going forward.
There is a bright spot alongside the funding uncertainty. The new Workforce Pell Grant program took effect July 1, 2026, extending federal Pell eligibility to short-term, high-quality training programs for the first time. States and state workforce boards now carry the responsibility of identifying which in-demand programs qualify, which means the next year will be about making sure Ventura County's priority sectors and training providers are positioned to benefit.
A Call to Advocacy
The federal funding fight matters here, but the most effective advocacy happens close to home:
- Community members can attend a Board meeting, share a success story, and contact their congressional representative about the proposed WIOA cuts.
- Business organizations and employers can partner with WDBVC on training and apprenticeships, and speak up through their chamber or industry association for stable WIOA funding.
- Local and state officials can support bridge funding if federal cuts land and help shape how California implements the new Workforce Pell Grant.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we work together to strengthen Ventura County's workforce and economy.
Click here to view our Impact Report, highlighting WDBVC’s latest achievements and milestones.