FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

O’BRIEN RECEIVES WORKFORCE  

SERVICES CERTIFICATION

            DANVILLE, VA, February 9, 2005 -- Bill O’Brien, Director of Virginia Workforce Centers serving West Piedmont Region 17 and located at Danville Community College, recently completed the Workforce Development Academy program and received his Workforce Services Professional Certification.

The Workforce Development Certificate is a nine-credit professional graduate certificate offered by the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies. The program is geared toward college administrators and faculty involved in workforce and economic development activities.

The program is part of the Workforce Development Academy, a partnership between the University of Virginia and the Virginia Community College System. It focuses on exploring the competencies needed by a successful workforce development professional; assessing strengths and weaknesses and developing a plan of action for skill enhancement; and providing a framework for the application of competencies in current work settings.