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What is a workforce development specialist and how to become one
As a Workforce Development Specialist, you are responsible for facilitating employment training, work activities, and job placement of individual workers. You will be considered the primary point of contact between staff and management at different locations. You will focus on building a network of business-focused relationships and helping support clients. You will be responsible for helping employees grow their skills and develop the tools needed for business success. Workforce Development Specialists train an individual to be productive. You may also help different employers find specialty workers for different projects.
To be a Workforce Development Specialist, you will need either experience or education as a human resource officer. You may also become a Workforce Development Specialist with experience as a case manager or customer service representative. You will also be able to make an average salary of $48,000 per year.
What general advice would you give to a workforce development specialist?
Raina Gandhi
Assistant Dean of Career Services, American University
Also, take the time to get to know your colleagues and workplace norms, make sure you understand how performance is measured, and don't be afraid to ask for feedback. As you get comfortable with your role, look for ways to take on additional responsibilities to expand your skillset and build your reputation within the company.
You may not land your dream job right away, but this first job is critical for building your experience and gaining transferrable skills. Stay current in your field by reading articles, subscribing to email newsletters, and following relevant people and companies on LinkedIn
Avg. Salary $43,666
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 8%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%
Asian 5.84%
Black or African American 11.63%
Hispanic or Latino 16.88%
Unknown 6.29%
White 58.84%
Genderfemale 66.42%
male 33.58%
Age - 44American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 44Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Workforce development specialist career paths
Key steps to become a workforce development specialist
Explore workforce development specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific workforce development specialist skills
Skills Percentages Social Services 8.73% Training Programs 7.81% HR 7.48% Community Resources 6.10% Career Development 5.91% Complete relevant workforce development specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New workforce development specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a workforce development specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real workforce development specialist resumes.Research workforce development specialist duties and responsibilities
- Lead advocacy efforts to increase employment opportunities for veterans by contacting hiring executives and encourage the hiring of disable veterans.
- Work cooperatively with community organizations to provide support and resources to TANF clients.
- Create PowerPoint presentations for use with public speaking events.
- Conduct employment verification (I9) and drug tests.
Prepare your workforce development specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your workforce development specialist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a workforce development specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable workforce development specialist resume templates
Build a professional workforce development specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your workforce development specialist resume.
Apply for workforce development specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a workforce development specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first workforce development specialist job
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Average workforce development specialist salary
The average workforce development specialist salary in the United States is $43,666 per year or $21 per hour. Workforce development specialist salaries range between $28,000 and $66,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do workforce development specialists rate their job?
Workforce development specialist reviews
Presentation, speak for the product and share information with my audience. Able to see the information shared helps to groom my audience to success
Updated January 8, 2025
