Best Job & Career in Virginia — 15 resources

About Job & Career for Women

Job and career resources for women run through the 2,400+ American Job Centers (AJCs) nationwide, the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau, and SBA Women's Business Centers. AJCs offer free job search, resume help, and WIOA-funded training (often

0,000+ in tuition for in-demand occupations). WANTO grants fund women entering nontraditional trades like construction, electrical, and HVAC. Registered Apprenticeships pay workers during training, and organizations like Chicago Women in Trades, Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW), and Dress for Success support entry and re-entry. For formerly incarcerated women, programs like the Center for Employment Opportunities provide transitional jobs. This directory includes AJCs, WBCs, apprenticeships, and women-focused workforce programs.

Job & Career in Virginia

Virginia has Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts handling custody, visitation, and child support (for unmarried parents and modifications), plus Circuit Courts handling divorce. The Division of Child Support Enforcement operates under DSS. Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Richmond, Arlington, and Alexandria are the largest cities. Central Virginia Legal Aid and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance serve women.

15 Resources

1. Virginia Employment Commission — Free

VEC at 703 E Main St in Richmond runs the state unemployment insurance program and operates the Virginia Workforce Centers — 36 statewide locations offering free career counseling, resume help, and job placement to women job seekers. (866) 832-2363 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

(866) 832-2363 · 703 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23219 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Virginia Workforce Connection — Free

Virginia Workforce Connection at vawc.virginia.gov is the state's free job-search portal and labor-market dashboard — women can post resumes, search openings, and find training programs aligned to in-demand occupations. (866) 832-2363.

(866) 832-2363 · Online platform · 24/7 online · Visit Website

3. SkillSource — Northern Virginia — Free

SkillSource at 8300 Boone Blvd Suite 450 in Vienna is the Northern Virginia Workforce Development Board operating American Job Centers in Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, and Manassas. Free workshops, training scholarships, and computer access. (703) 752-1606 Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm.

(703) 752-1606 · 8300 Boone Blvd Suite 450, Vienna, VA 22182 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Goodwill of Central & Coastal Virginia — Free

Goodwill at 6301 Midlothian Tpke in Richmond runs free workforce development programs across 35 Virginia counties — IT training, manufacturing certifications, CDL, and the Job Connection Center for women returning after caregiving or incarceration. (804) 745-6300 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

(804) 745-6300 · 6301 Midlothian Tpke, Richmond, VA 23225 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

5. Virginia Small Business Development Center — Free

Virginia SBDC delivers free one-on-one business counseling through 28 regional centers serving women entrepreneurs from initial idea through expansion — pricing, capital, marketing, government contracting. Statewide line (804) 371-8253 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

(804) 371-8253 · Multiple VA locations · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

6. CareerOneStop — Free

CareerOneStop from the US Department of Labor includes Virginia's American Job Center locator (36 sites), Worker Reemployment Connection, and free O*NET career exploration. Available 24/7.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. America's Job Centers — Free

Virginia's AJCs (Virginia Workforce Centers) offer free workshops, computer access, resume reviews, and one-on-one career counseling. Find your nearest one at the CareerOneStop locator.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. DOL Women's Bureau — Free

DOL Women's Bureau publishes research on Virginia's gender pay gap, occupational segregation, and caregiving's impact on women's earnings — useful when advocating for raises or policy change.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Dress for Success — Free

Dress for Success affiliates in Richmond, Hampton Roads, and Roanoke outfit Virginia women for interviews and the first weeks of work. Free professional attire by appointment plus career coaching.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Bottomless Closet — Free

Bottomless Closet offers free online workshops on interviewing, salary negotiation, and workplace strategies that Virginia women can attend regardless of physical location.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Year Up — Free

Year Up's one-year program for adults 18-29 includes six months of skills training plus a paid corporate internship. Virginia operates Year Up sites in Northern Virginia and Richmond.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Goodwill Career Services — Free

Goodwill.org locates Virginia's three Goodwill regions: Central & Coastal Virginia, Greater Washington, and Industries of the Valleys — each offering free workforce development.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Women Employed — Free

Women Employed publishes free guides on Virginia-relevant topics like FMLA leave, ban-the-box laws, and pregnancy-accommodation rights protected under federal and Virginia state law.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. SCORE — Free Business Mentors — Free

SCORE chapters across Virginia (Richmond, Hampton Roads, Greater Washington, Greater Charlottesville, Roanoke, and more) match women entrepreneurs with retired-executive mentors for free.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. SBA Office of Women's Business Ownership — Free

SBA's OWBO funds Virginia's Women's Business Centers and certifies WOSBs for federal contracting — both open doors to capital and federal opportunities for Virginia women business owners.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many job & career resources are in Virginia?
Women's Corner tracks 15 job & career resources for women in Virginia.
Are job & career resources in Virginia free?
15 of the 15 listed job & career resources in Virginia are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Virginia have job & career resources?
Listings span cities including Richmond, Vienna.
What are some examples of job & career resources in Virginia?
Featured entries include Virginia Employment Commission, Virginia Workforce Connection, SkillSource — Northern Virginia, Goodwill of Central & Coastal Virginia, Virginia Small Business Development Center.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
5 of 15 Virginia job & career listings include phone numbers.
Where do I get free job training?
Your local American Job Center (find at CareerOneStop.org or call 1-877-872-5627) offers free training, resume help, and job placement through the WIOA program. Goodwill, Dress for Success, and Bottomless Closet provide job-readiness, interview clothing, and coaching. Community colleges run short-term certificate programs (CNA, medical billing, IT) under
,000 that lead to immediate jobs.
Are there programs that hire single mothers?
Yes. Many employers partner with Goodwill, YWCA, and Workforce Boards on second-chance and single-mom hiring tracks — childcare assistance, flexible schedules, and tuition reimbursement included. Look at 'Family Forward NC' style state initiatives, certified Family-Friendly employers, and federal contractors (required to support working parents). Healthcare and logistics are the fastest-growing single-mom-friendly fields.
How do I write a resume after years out of the workforce?
Skip the chronological format — use a functional or hybrid resume that leads with skills (organization, budgeting, time management, problem-solving from caregiving counts). Reframe volunteer work, PTA, and freelance work as professional experience. Free help: American Job Centers, Dress for Success Career Center, LinkedIn's free resume builder, and the SBA Women's Business Centers.
What if I have a criminal record?
You still qualify for most jobs — Ban-the-Box laws in 37 states delay background questions until later in hiring. Federal contractors can't ask about records on the initial application. The Federal Bonding Program insures employers against loss for hiring you. Many states allow expungement of certain records after a waiting period — ask legal aid about clearing your record.