Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

About the Department of Workforce Development DWD Mission & Vision Mission: DWD efficiently delivers effective and inclusive services to meet Wisconsin's diverse workforce needs, and advocates for the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers. Vision: DWD envisions a thriving Wisconsin economy in which: - All workers are treated fairly, with dignity and respect; - Employers, government, educational institutions, and workers collaborate to ensure workforce programs meet current and future needs; and - Every job provides the wages and benefits necessary to support workers' basic needs, invest in their future, and actively engage with their families and communities. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is a state agency charged with building and strengthening Wisconsin's workforce in the 21st century and beyond. The Department's primary responsibilities include providing job services, training and employment assistance to people looking for work, at the same time as it works with employers on finding the necessary workers to fill current job openings. DWD offers a wide variety of employment programs that help connect employers and job seekers, secure jobs for people with disabilities, and assist people with low-incomes and the long-term unemployed in achieving sustainable employment outcomes. The department promotes employment in the state through Wisconsin Job Centers, links youth with jobs of tomorrow, protects and enforces worker's rights, processes unemployment claims, and ensures workers compensation claims are paid in accordance with the law. There are six divisions within the Department which is headed by a Secretary appointed by the Governor.