County Executive Bryan Hill sat down recently with Daniel Mekibib to discuss how Fairfax County is helping residents find better jobs and build stronger careers.
Fairfax County serves more than 1.2 million residents and helping them find good jobs is a top priority. Mekibib, director of Workforce Development Programs, leads efforts to connect people with careers that can change their lives.
“Workforce development is a system of care, where we bring together policies, programs and partnerships,” Mekibib explained. “The goal is to create economic opportunities for our residents and also make sure that it is responsive to the county’s businesses who are looking for talent.”
The ALICE Population: Working But Still Struggling
One of the biggest challenges facing Fairfax County is helping the ALICE population. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are people who work multiple jobs but still can’t make ends meet.
More than 112,200 households in Fairfax County fall below the ALICE threshold, representing a significant portion of working residents who are still struggling financially.
The county is testing a guaranteed income pilot program to see how extra money might help these families. The goal is to understand what works and help people move from barely getting by to financial stability.
Supporting Federal Workers in Transition
With changes happening in the federal government, many federal workers are losing their jobs. Fairfax County has created a task force to help these residents transition to new careers.
The challenge is that federal work is often very specialized, while county government is broad and handles many different services. The county can help by identifying transferable skills and by holding resume workshops that help teach people how to sell themselves to employers in the private sector, nonprofits or local government.
Technology and the Future of Work
Artificial intelligence and automation are changing how people work. While some worry about losing jobs, Mekibib sees new and exciting career paths emerging in the field of technology too.
“I think sometimes people focus on the displacement effect of AI, which is true, and we have to pay attention to that. But we are also looking at the opportunities it provides because all these tools that we see being currently utilized and changing the place of work, we’re trying to help individuals take advantage of.”
Bringing Services Closer to People
The county runs four workforce centers in Reston, Fairfax, Annandale and South County. About 500 people visit these centers each month with a goal of reaching even more working families.
Our public libraries bring job services closer to neighborhoods, including holding hiring events and workshops after hours and on weekends when working people can attend.
Partnership Makes the Difference
Workforce development doesn’t happen in isolation. The county works with many partners, including the SkillSource Group and Northern Virginia Community College.
One successful partnership resulted in TalentUp Fairfax, which connects small businesses looking to hire with people whose talents were overlooked or underused. Small businesses make up 94% of all businesses in Fairfax County, so these connections are vital.
The county also holds large job fairs. A recent event at the Government Center brought together 1,500 job seekers and approximately 70 employers. Many attendees were federal employees or contractors looking for new opportunities.
Measuring Success
The county tracks its progress through dashboards and data from the countywide strategic plan. This helps to focus on areas and populations that need the most help. Vulnerability indexes are used to identify where to concentrate efforts and look at emerging job sectors to make sure training matches what employers need.
The goal is to reduce the ALICE population percentage year by year while increasing homeownership and financial stability for residents.
Getting Help
Residents looking for work can visit one of the four workforce centers or attend online workshops. The most popular sessions focus on resume writing, especially for people transitioning from federal jobs.
The county’s workforce professionals hold national credentials and are mission driven. They work with both job seekers and businesses to create matches that benefit everyone.
For residents who need help finding work or improving their careers, Fairfax County’s workforce development programs offer a path forward. The services are free and designed to help people not just find jobs but build careers that can support their families and strengthen the community.
Connect With County Leaders Podcast
The “Connect with County Leaders” podcast is a monthly opportunity to meet and connect with Fairfax County leaders, to learn about the latest county news and information, and hear more on specific programs and services in Fairfax County.
Listen or watch past episodes of “Connect with County Leaders” on SoundCloud, on YouTube and on Channel 16’s podcast on demand page. For other Fairfax County podcasts, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/podcasts, and for additional audio content, tune in to Fairfax County Government Radio at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/radio.
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