The Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative, managed by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), provides enhanced training and support activities to dislocated workers, new entrants in the workforce, incumbent workers and individuals facing barriers to employment due to economic distress or structural shifts in local industries in the Appalachian, Delta and Northern Border regions. As part of WORC, ARC partners with the Department of Labor to develop comprehensive approaches addressing economic distress and workforce development activities throughout Appalachia. Successful WORC projects draw on long-term economic growth strategies, building on bottom-up, collaborative plans maximizing economic resilience and regional strengths.
WORC’s Impact in Appalachia
Since 2019, the Department of Labor has invested more than $145.3 million in 83 projects specifically preparing displaced workers for new opportunities across Appalachia through WORC. Together, these investments are projected to place workers in new or enhanced jobs in construction, healthcare, information technology and manufacturing throughout the region.
