Program Helping The Unemployed, Struggles With Funding

Even though state-wide unemployment is .6% below the national average, it's still 7.1%.

People like Lawana Stockstill who has a college degrees in sociology and psychology, but couldn't find work.

"I really thought once I got out of school I would have a job," Stockstill said. "And it didn't work out that way."

For two years she looked, but it wasn't until she stepped into the Little Rock Workforce Center, that she got her leads.

"I actually received two offers in a short amount of time," Stockstill said. "Maybe a week or two."

Making her way from the job searching cubicles into a cubbie of her very own.

Stockstill was eventually offered a position at the workforce center.

It turns out she fit criteria for the WIA, a program that gives a leg-up to job seekers who might need additional training and help.

"They don't have a lot of the credentials a lot of the skills," said the W.J. Monagle Executive Director of the Little Rock Workforce Investment Board. "Which is why a place like this is so important."

A program that has operated with the same million dollar budget since 1999.

Not getting additional money to help job seekers through one of the worst recessions since the great depression.

"We've had to be more creative in how we serve individuals come up with innovative approaches on how to make sure people are ready for employment," said WIA program director Shawntel Brown.

Getting creative to make sure employable people like Stockstill, get the help they need.

If you need information on the Workforce Investment Act: Click Here