Business Services

Your workforce is an important asset. Let us help you find and keep the best talent.

WorkSource and Workforce Southwest Washington can help you

- Craft job postings for improved results.
- Source job candidates through job fairs and hiring events.
- Identify possible tax credits.
- Provide customized workforce data analysis.
- Establish market-competitive wage rates to attract and retain talent.
- Grow skilled workers with apprenticeships, internships and training options.
- Learn how incorporating WorkSource into your onboarding process can increase employee retention!
- Stay in the loop with WorkSource Business Services by signing up for our newsletter here!

Contact us about your workforce needs

Healthcare & Technology
Karin LaValla
karin.lavalla@esd.wa.gov I 360.735.4957

Construction & Transportation
Susan Milke
susan.milke@esd.wa.gov I 360.735.4981

Manufacturing, Public Administration, and Professional Services
Margarita Marochkina
margarita.marochkina@esd.wa.gov I 360.735.4976

Local Veteran’s Employment Representative Vancouver
Josh Jackson
josh.jackson@esd.wa.gov I 360.735.4978

Local Veteran’s Employment Representative Kelso
Daniel Ledgett
daniel.ledgett@esd.wa.gov I 360.578.4248

Read how other businesses are finding success utilizing WorkSource Business Services

Success StoriesVIEW ALL

WorkSource and Recovery Cafe: shared goals and shared success

WorkSource works with all sorts of businesses—from major healthcare providers to trucking companies. But sometimes, we get the opportunity to work with community partners too, in service of a common goal. Recovery Café works with individuals in long-term recovery from drugs and alcohol—empowering them with resources and community to reach their full potential. In a […]
Wilcox + Flegel finds tailored hiring help with WorkSource

Finding the right person for the job is no easy task. Candidates must have the right experience, and the right culture fit—two attributes that can be hard to find in the same person. When it comes to jobs with specific training requirements, it may be difficult to find a candidate that checks every box. WorkSource’s […]
WorkSource and NEXT Success partner to help job seeker change careers

When Sarah came into WorkSource, she already knew she wanted to become a Dental Assistant. Her goal was to become self-sufficient, and Dental Assisting provided her with an opportunity to enter a stable, in-demand healthcare career. Like all WorkSource job seekers interested in job training, Sarah attended our Employment and Training Orientation. This is the […]
Success Story: Job seeker finds work post-incarceration with WorkSource

While finding work is hard, it’s even harder when you’ve been incarcerated. Job seekers everywhere struggle with the process of finding work—whether that be with their resume, interviewing, or just finding the right positions—but the experience becomes significantly more difficult with a criminal record. In June of 2021, Erin Hart was released from prison and […]
Hiring event participant wows staffing agency and finds permanent work

WorkSource is happy to bring job seekers and employers together, but after they meet—the work is up to them. We were delighted to receive this email from a local staffing agency that attended a hiring event and found a stand-out job seeker who was able to find permanent employment! I wanted to reach out and […]
WorkSource customer finds hope for the future

We never know the state someone is when they come into our centers—we just know that they’ve put themselves in a vulnerable position. Asking for help is never easy, but sometimes, it makes all the difference. This customer recently reached out to our office to share their journey—from initial conversations with an Employment Specialist, all […]
Vancouver Clinic and WorkSource join forces to create talent pipeline

Every week, WorkSource has hundreds of qualified job seekers walking through our doors, looking for help with discovering their next step. These job seekers can access free resume reviews, workshops, career guidance, mock interviews, and in some cases: job training and support services that can help remove barriers from returning to work. But thanks to […]
How many people were awarded training scholarships in 2024?

When we talk about job training, what we’re really talking about is changing lives. For eligible candidates, training in an in-demand career can be an opportunity to get a foot in the door in a new industry and set course for uncharted waters. With training comes the potential for higher earnings, job retention, and career […]
Success Story: Facing homelessness, a job seeker finds support from WorkSource

When we fall into hard times, barriers to employment can persist even after we’ve come out the other side. This was the case for Laura, a WorkSource customer who recently earned her bachelor’s degree in social services but was still struggling to find employment due to her history of substance abuse disorder, even though she’d […]
WorkSource helps 72-year-old displaced homemaker change careers

We all have barriers to finding work. Whether it’s lack of experience or formal training, there are many hurdles in the search for employment. Every customer’s story is different, but they all start the same way: taking the first step by visiting their local WorkSource center. Today, we’re proud to present a success story that […]
What our customers are saying about WorkSource staff

WorkSource has the potential to change lives. And our positive, friendly staff are experts at providing not only resources, but hope. We wanted to share a little of what our customers are saying about our WorkSource staff, and how they’ve helped them on their employment journey! Everyone’s a super star. The sincerity and helpfulness you […]
Success Story: Recent immigrant finds full-time work and support from WorkSource

WorkSource helps many people find work every year. These people come from a plethora of backgrounds and circumstances with their own individual needs. Our Employment Specialists work with each of these job seekers to help them achieve their goals. It’s what we do—and we’re proud to do it. Andrii is our most recent success story, […]
Success Story: Two WorkSource customers earn their CDL

Earning a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is a great way to increase your earning potential. Drivers are in high demand right now, but training can cost anywhere between $3,700 to $6,270. The barrier to a life changing career change is enough to stop many job seekers in their tracks. But that’s where WorkSource comes in. […]
We helped 1,124 job seekers return to work in 2023

When we talk about WorkSource helping people get back to work, it isn’t hypothetical. Every day, our staff assist real people—just like you—who may need something as simple as a resume review, or something as life-changing as re-training. Everything we do is in service of a singular goal—re-employment at a quality wage. But how many […]
What our customers are saying about WorkSource workshops

WorkSource offers a bevy of workshops that aim to help our job seekers upskill on their way to finding quality work. Covering a range of topics such as Overcoming Ageism, Work Concepts, Health and Well-Being, Communication, Creating the Right Resume, Embracing Change, and Tips for the Successful Interview, these classes form just one prong of […]
Success Story: Nursing student receives tuition assistance and more!

WorkSource helps people return to work every day. Schooling isn’t cheap. While higher education can elevate your earnings, the cost can be prohibitive for many. It’s easy to dream, but when looking at the numbers, many would-be students wonder: how am I going to pay for this? Luckily, WorkSource can help eligible participants with the […]
Success Story: WorkSource customer finds higher paying job after attending workshops

When WorkSource enters someone’s life, often times they’re at their lowest. Maybe they’ve just lost their job and are searching for their next step. Maybe they’ve been looking for work so long that they’ve become numb to the whole process. We know exactly how discouraging it can be to put yourself out there many times […]
Success story: WorkSource customer receives 90% funding for CDL training

At WorkSource, we’re always happiest when helping our customers return to work. Whether it’s resume reviews, mock interviews, career guidance, or training scholarships, WorkSource exists to connect job seekers with the resources, support services, or training needed to help them on their re-employment journey. Recently, we received a lovely message from one of our participants […]
Success Story: Raul goes from WorkSource customer to business owner

Raul Barasa was lost and directionless, in and out of prison. Then, he made a very important decision. Everybody knows Raul in the WorkSource office. He visits from time to time, approaching his old case managers with warmth, appreciation, and an infectious smile. But Raul is no longer a WorkSource customer. In his time […]
4 job seekers wanted to change their lives. Here’s how WorkSource helped them do it.

For those that want to learn a trade, few jobs are as lucrative as truck driving. As many of us learned during the pandemic, we rely heavily on the transportation of goods—and when this is disrupted, we all suffer. According to Indeed.com, the average base salary for a truck driver in Washington state is $80,663. […]
Success Story: WorkSource work study program leads to bigger things for local veteran

WorkSource helps people get back to work and our success stories are proof of that. But while we often expect these stories to come from the greater community, sometimes they come from within WorkSource itself. Jovan Merceron was a work study participant working with our Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) team at WorkSource in Vancouver. […]
WorkSource Wins: Support services pave the path for success!

The WorkSource system offers individual support to job seekers that can help them overcome barriers to employment. This is an easy thing to say, but it’s important to remember that these services have a tangible impact on people’s lives. Recently, we had a WorkSource customer in training to become a dental hygienist reach out to […]
Interview: Renee Hernandez talks career, employee retention, and Foster Farms’ 25th year in Cowlitz County

We were lucky enough to sit down with Foster Farms’ Production Manager Renee Hernandez to delve into what makes Foster Farms a special place to work. With Foster Farms’ quarter century anniversary on the horizon, it’s high time to acknowledge the poultry company’s contributions to the Cowlitz County workforce. WorkSource interviewed Production Manager Renee Hernandez […]
Malarkey Roofing Finds Hiring Success at WorkSource

Post-COVID, hiring has become more challenging and time-consuming than ever. When shingle manufacturer Malarkey Roofing reached out to WorkSource, they were ready to put their hiring woes behind them. After an initial call, WorkSource Business Support Team member Susan Milke toured the Malarkey facilities to meet the team and asses their needs. In doing so, […]
Marketing EQ provides a launchpad for web technology intern

During the Spring of 2021, Esther Pisano was hard at work, studying Web Development at Clark College and looking to launch her career in the STEM field. After previously earning an Associate of Arts from Clark College she made the decision to return to school to further her career development. During May of 2021, Esther […]
Fast candidate recruitment helps company meet obligations

When Add Security needed to hire several new employees quickly, the WorkSource team in Vancouver jumped into action. WorkSource secured Add a table at a veterans hiring event where they were able to interview candidates and hired one new employee right on the spot. Over the next two weeks through concentrated recruitment efforts, WorkSource identified […]
Veteran is on the road to success, with help from WorkSource

Ron Kennedy has full-time employment and is on the road to self-sufficiency, thanks to assistance he received from the team at WorkSource Cowlitz/Wahkiakum. When Ron went to WorkSource, he was having difficulty finding a permanent full-time job. He began working with Case Manager Sandra Schmaltz and the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) to develop a […]
Former WorkSource client now helps others find jobs

Stacie Manley worked at Cowlitz Public Utilities District as a Meter Reader for eight years until her job was phased out in 2014 when meters became readable electronically. After her layoff, Stacie pursued her associate’s degree at Lower Columbia College (LCC). After meeting with Crystal Heitz at LCC for the worker retraining program, she was […]