(Posted 2025 September)
Meet Andrew!
Position: Supervisor, Virginia Career Works (VCW) - Annandale and Alexandria Centers
I love the ability to see the positive difference I am making in the lives and livelihood of the people we serve. Helping customers by providing them with the resources to succeed in finding not just a job, but a satisfying career, can often be the centerpiece in impacting other areas of their life, such as helping to alleviate food, financial, social, housing, and transportation insecurity. I enjoy the variety in the role and each day brings new opportunities to contribute to the team and to our community. I also enjoy the leadership aspect of being able to bring a team together in cohesive way to become a vehicle for change and collective impact.
My career has been characterized by a passion for helping people with primarily two areas of focus: helping people attain a job (helping people strive) and helping people maintain a job (helping people thrive). While in college I had two formative experiences in Organizational Development and in Workforce Development. I interned at OKA, an Organizational Development consulting firm where I learned I had an interest in training to help individuals and teams succeed in the workplace. My career in workforce development started when I interned at the Northern Virginia Training Center with a team of Direct Services Professionals providing job coaching for individuals with disabilities.
My next internship was at The Women’s Center during graduate school helping community members looking for a job, many of whom were transitioning back into the workforce after spending years at home raising and caring for family. Then, I provided career services and training to transitioning military service members, veterans, and military spouses, helping them develop tools for success in pursuing opportunities to join the civilian workforce.
Next, I joined Fairfax County as a Career Services Specialist enthusiastic about making a larger impact on the wider local community. I currently supervise our Virginia Career Works – Fairfax Annandale and Alexandria Centers.
Seeing clients report increased confidence preparing for a job interview, becoming more knowledgeable about how to conduct a targeted job search, or learning the strategies on how to write an effective resume are all deeply meaningful aspects of the services I provide. Offering mentorship and support to my team and providing staff with the resources to succeed is also deeply rewarding.