ROCHESTER &8212; Workforce Development Inc. has been named the 2007 Outstanding Rural Workforce Investment Board as awarded by the National Workforce Association. Workforce Development Inc. is the Workforce Investment Board serving 10 counties in southeast Minnesota including Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele and Wabasha counties.

The award was presented by National Workforce Association Chief Executive Officer David Bradley during the annual meeting of the organization. NWA is an organization which provides guidance in workforce issues throughout the nation. Dawn Thompson from Good Samaritan Communities of Albert Lea and board chairwoman for Workforce Development Inc., received the award.

In presenting the award, Bradley cited the work of the WDI board to be responsive to the needs of local industry in meeting demands for employee skill development. WDI has worked to align key industry representatives on the Workforce Investment Board with the needs of employers and jobseekers in the region. Best practice innovations developed in southeast Minnesota have been pre-vocational academies for health care and manufacturing applicants, the creation of targeted industry scholarship funds, and efforts to promote employee retention and training on the job.