Employment commission hires new manager

By Sally Voth -- svoth@nvdaily.com

The Virginia Employment Commission's Winchester office has a new manager, although she is a familiar face.

Donna Holloway said she started her new position May 25, but has been working for the office for the past five years.

Her prior job was with the Workforce Investment Act program and the trade program, she said in a Wednesday afternoon phone interview.

Holloway said before relocating to Winchester she had done similar work in Texas.

The VEC Winchester office serves residents in Winchester, and Frederick, Shenandoah, Warren and Clarke counties, she said. The tough economic times are keeping staffers occupied.

"The last three years it has been, as far as unemployment, it has been very, very busy," Holloway said. "Basically, what we're doing now that unemployment is beginning to slow down somewhat, we're not only helping people with their unemployment, but also we're helping them with their re-employment.

"We have workshops that are available that will help to inform people of what employers are looking for now, what kind of skills they're looking for, how to modernize their resumes and interviewing skills.

"We're reaching out more and more to our employers."

Holloway said an open house is planned in June to let employers come to the center and get acquainted with what services it provides and offer feedback to VEC staff.