DES MOINES, IA – Iowa Workforce Development has announced that the IowaWORKS Center in Denison will remain open two days per week to offer career training and support services. The Center will operate at the current location until at least the end of October, with plans underway to maintain a presence in the community in another location beyond that date.

Starting Monday, Oct. 2, the Center will be open from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. every Monday and Thursday. The Center is located at 519 Highway 39 in Denison.

“The residents of Crawford County have embraced the opportunity to receive workforce services locally and we are excited to be able to keep the office in Denison open,” said Beth Townsend, Director, Iowa Workforce Development. “The community has been very appreciative of the services available and many residents have received training, classes and career services help.”

Evan Blakley, Executive Director of the Chamber and Development Council of Crawford County (CDC), is pleased with the announcement. “We’re a growing community, which means maintaining access to workforce services in Crawford County is a high priority,” Blakley said. “The CDC is working with the City, IWD, Region XII COG, and others to secure a long-term location for these important services. Hundreds of clients use the center each month, demonstrating a need for the center in Denison.”

Iowa Workforce Development opened the Center in September of 2015 to provide support to the 400 workers displaced by the Tyson Fresh Meats plant closure in August of 2015.

The Center was originally scheduled to close at the end of March 2016, but dislocated workers in Crawford County were able to receive services for an another 18 months due to additional federal funds. With those funds coming to an end, Iowa Workforce Development announced in May the Center was closing on Sept. 30.

Following discussions with community leaders, the decision was made to keep the Center open two days a week for residents to continue to receive services locally. Discussion continues around various options for a new location, and the public will be updated once that location is known.