UC Workforce Development Board Ribbon Now Workforce Connection

Tuesday’s ribbon cutting officially opened the new home of the Upper Cumberland Workforce Development Board.

The ribbon cutting also served as the unveiling of the Board’s new name, Workforce Connection and its new slogan, “Link People and Business”. Board Chairman Bob Young said the name was too long and needed to be simplified.

“We took the objective of trying to get out and re-branding ourselves,” Young said during the ribbon cutting. “We wanted to make it where it was something when people, when we shared who are and who we are with, people would recognize it and gravitate toward it immediately.”

Young said he approached the name change like someone working in sales and with the old name no one knew who they were or what they did. Workforce Connection helps people get jobs by offering resume writing classes, free use of internet and phones, and preparation for interviews.

He said he assembled a task force to come up with the new name and rebrand the service.

“As you know, Upper Cumberland Workforce Development Board is a lot to get out in an elevator,” Young said. “You have really got to the next floor before you get the title out of who we are.”

Workforce Connection was forced to relocate after their former building was sold. The office is now located at 345 South Jefferson Avenue on the second floor of First Horizons Bank building.

“Our purpose is doing one of the hardest things that can be done,” Young said. “And that is spend public money in an effective way where it reaches the intended target. There are so many people in the region that Workforce has been able to help over the years, and it’s important.”